Willimantic's 1893 Charter as a City - Part 4 by Pete Zizka 3-11-2023

Now that the charter had been approved, the main topic being discussed was who might be the first Mayor of Willimantic. It was said that the new mayor and city officials would require, “ a world of good judgment, a careful study of the future needs of the city and an eye for economics which the people demand”. The new leadership would also be called upon to draft a complete set of city ordinances. The Republicans were considering Oliver Risley (treasurer of First National Bank), Colonel Dwight Chaffee (manager of the Natchaug Silk Company), and George Harrington (a wholesale grocer). The Democrats mentioned Edwin Buck (a local businessman and state bank commissioner). Following the Democrat’s caucus, and after much arm twisting, Edwin Buck accepted the nomination for Mayor. The Republican caucus nominated George Harrington. Then, with less than a week to go before the election, an injunction was filed to prevent the election based on the grounds that the vote to accept the charter was improper. The judge, Elisha Carpenter, refused the injunction but asked the borough officers and the lawyers for the petitioners to meet with him. After a lengthy discussion, the suit was dropped but with the understanding that, “an application would be made for a temporary injunction restraining the newly-elected city officers from perfecting the organization of the city government”. Two days later, and under the cloud of uncertainty as to whether the newly elected officers would be able to assume their duties, the election was held. held. Both candidates were seen as possessing the knowledge and ability to run a city. However, the general feeling in the city was that the Republican slate of candidates was far stronger than the Democratic slate. After a hotly contested race, George M. Harrington was elected as Willimantic’s first Mayor, defeating Edwin Buck by the slim majority of 632-618. The Republicans were elected to every city office. For the first time in Willimantic’s history, voting took place in the four separate wards from which the Aldermen were to be elected. But with the election completed, the injunction to stop those elected from occupying their positions was filed. Throughout the new city, there was a general disapproval of the injunction proceedings. Even those who had previously been opposed to the charter felt that the new city officers should be allowed to begin their duties. Mayor Harrington went to Hartford to appear before Judge Carpenter and applied to have the injunction dissolved. Following a lengthy hearing, the injunction was dissolved. The judge said that, “the secret ballot law relates only to elections and not to meetings for the transaction of ordinary business”. Finally, on December 19, 1893, the first meeting of the Common Council of the city was held. (The Common Council was made up of a Board of Aldermen, one from each of the city’s four wards, and eight councilmen, two from each ward. A councilman-at-large presided over the board of councilmen. Besides the Mayor, there was a city clerk and treasurer.) The meeting began with an address by Mayor Harrington which was, “greeted with hearty applause”. The group quickly got to work and established meeting times for the future for both bodies. The Board of Aldermen elected Charles Capen as President of the Board. Then both boards began the task of examining previous years’ expenditures in the hopes of being able to ascertain what might be needed in the future so that estimates could be presented in a future public meeting.The newly elected government consisted of Mayor George Harrington, City Clerk and Treasurer Herbert Sanderson, Councilman at Large James Hillhouse, Sheriff Edgar Richmond. Aldermen were Herbert Chappell, Charles Capen, Brigham Spaulding and Walter Brigham. Councilmen were Lorenzo Litchfield, Fred Sanderson, James Rose, Walter Bennett, Leander Freeman, Edmund Parent, Anderson Walker and Timothy Reagan. The new Mayor had previously served in the Connecticut legislature and had also served as clerk of the railroad committee. He had come to Willimantic in 1874 and soon established a growing grocery business. In Willimantic, he had served as the borough warden and was said to have been,” one of the best wardens the Borough ever had”. Willimantic was off to a good start. Today’s photo shows Willimantic’s first city government. Click on photo for larger version

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