Selma Mayor and Council Appointed
From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:
On the 14th day of May 1867, the following notice was served upon Dr. James T. Reese, Mayor of the city:
JEADQUARTERS SUB-DIVISION OF SELMA
SELMA, ALABAMA, MAY 14, 1867.
Hon. James T. Reese, Mayor of Selma:
Sir-- I have the honor to request that a meeting of the Council of the city be convened, to meet at the Council chamber, at 5 o'clock p. m., this day, the 14th instant.
A Mayor and Councilmen will be qualified in compliance with orders from Major-General Swayne, commanding District of Alabama.
I am, sir very respectfully, your obedient servant.
GEO SHORKLEY,
First Lieut. 15th U. S. Infantry Sub. Com. B. R. F. and A. L.
In accordance with the above request, Dr. J. Reese called his Council together, and when the roll was called, Krout, Williams, Byrd, and Kent answered to their names; Andrews, Gatchell and Maxey, absent and one vacancy, caused y the death of Dr. I. Morgan. The following gentlemen came forward as Mayor and Councilmen, appointed by Gen. Pope, Commanding the Division of the Gulf:
Benj. F. Saffold, Mayor; Councilmen--1st ward, J. L. Perkins, G. N. Wright; 2nd ward, W. R. Ditmars, Wells R. Bill; 3rd ward, W. B. Gill, Charles B. Andrews; 4th ward, Edward LeCroix; who were sworn into office as Mayor and Council of the city of Selma, by John M. Strong, a justice of the peace. Mayor Saffold then called his Council to order, and the first act was to rescind the resolution authorization the city to be represented in a meeting of the Stockholders of the Selma, Rome and Dalton railroad, on the 15th of May 1867, and adopting another resolution authorizing W. B. Gill, Robert Hall, W. R. Bill and C. B. Andrews to represent the city in the railroad meeting instead of those appointed by the previous Council.
Henry Gatchell was elected Clerk, John C. Waite, Marshal, W. B. Gill, Treasurer, Dr. L. E. Locke, Physician, W. M. Wallace, Engineer. The office of attorney was left vacant. The contract for the wharf was cancelled. McVoy & Cawthon applied for the privilege of supplying the city with medicine. The following Board of Health was appointed; First ward--Dr. Fahs, Geo. O. Baker and J. R. Wright; second ward--Dr. O. P. Reese, S. F. Hobbs, W. R. Ditmars; third ward--Dr. B. H. Riggs, D. R. Purviance, W. B. Gill; fourth ward--Dr. F. G. Wilson, S. C. Pierce, Robert Hall. The Wharf was leased to R. H. Crosswell & Co. The city engineers surveyed and defined the extended limits of the city as made by the late Legislature. City shinplasters were taken at par for all debts due the city. A vote of thanks was tendered to J. M. Strong, former Clerk, and J. A. Moore former Marshal. Wm. J. Norris was elected by the Council to go New York and attend to the finances of the city. Peter Plattenburg was elected sexton. There were only six interments reported during that month in the cemeteries. The office of Market Clerk was established and the Marshal was directed to attend to the duty. The salaries of the Mayor, Marshal and Clerk were fixed at $2,500 each per annum. The Treasurer was instructed to buy an iron safe. Shelley & Wright came before Council with numerous accounts. One thousand two hundred dollars were set apart for the benefit of Phenix fire company No. 1. R. C. Goodrich was elected assistant tax collector.
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