1897 New York City Municipal Assembly election

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An election was held to fill the Municipal Assembly of the newly-created City of Greater New York on November 2, 1897. [1] The charter of the new city had created a bicameral Municipal Assembly, consisting of an upper Council and a lower Board of Aldermen. Each chamber was elected from specially-made districts. In addition, the president of the Council was elected in a separate election on the same day. [1]

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Democrats won majorities in both chambers of the Assembly, winning 26 of the Council's 28 seats and 47 of the 60 aldermanic seats. Affiliates of Tammany Hall filled all of Manhattan's seats in the Council. [2] In addition, Democrat Randolph Guggenheimer won the Council Presidency. [1]

Bicameralism would prove to be short-lived, as the Municipal Assembly was replaced with a unicameral Board of Aldermen in 1901. [3]

Council election

1897 New York City Council election
Flag of New York City.svg
November 2, 1897

All 28 seats of the New York City Council
14 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats won262

The Council was divided into ten districts, eight of which elected three members each. [4] The remaining twoone covering Queens and the other Staten Island elected two members each. [4] One of the members from Queens was elected from Long Island City and Newtown and the other from the remainder of the borough. [4] The entirety of the Bronx was located in the fifth district alongside upper Manhattan. [4]

Members elected to the Council [2]
DistrictMemberNote
1John T. Oakley, Tammany
Martin Engel, Tammany
Thomas F. Foley, Tammany
2Charles F. Allen, Tammany
Patrick J. Ryder, Tammany
Frank J. Goodwin, Tammany
3John J. Murphy, Tammany
Harry C. Hart, Tammany
George R. Christman, Tammany
4Stewart M. Brice, Tammany
Eugene A. Wise, Tammany
Herman Sulzer, Tammany
5A. C. Hottenroth, Tammany
Bernard C. Murray, Tammany
William J. Hyland, Tammany
6F. F. Williams, Republican
Charles H. Francisco, RepublicanDisputed
Conrad Hester, Democratic
7Adam H. Leich, Republican
Charles H. Ebbets, Democratic
Henry French, Democratic
8John J, McGarry, Democratic
William A. Doyle, Democratic
Martin F. Conly, Democratic
9Joseph Cassidy, DemocraticRepresenting Long Island City and Newtown [5]
D. L. Van Nostrand, DemocraticRepresenting the remainder [5]
10Joseph F. O'Grady, Democratic
Benjamin Bodine, Democratic

Aldermanic election

Each assembly district in the city was entitled to elect one member to the Board of Aldermen, except for Queens, which elected two overall (one from Long Island City and Newtown and the other from the remainder) and the Bronx, from which one member was elected from Westchester County's first and second assembly districts. [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Vote for President of Council" . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Vol. 57, no. 305. November 3, 1897. p. 3. Retrieved July 14, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "Elected" . The Brooklyn Standard Union. Vol. 34, no. 108. November 4, 1897. p. 3. Retrieved July 14, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "New Charter's effect on City affairs" . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Vol. 61, no. 211. August 1, 1901. Retrieved July 14, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Charter §19
  5. 1 2 "Tammany in Long Island City" . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Vol. 57, no. 322. November 20, 1897. p. 2. Retrieved July 14, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  6. Charter §24

Bibliography