Four Aldermen Bid Farewell

Last week four of the aldermen bade farewell to the council, two had served eight years, one six years and one four. They made impressive farewell bows. The ball started when Ald. Coon moved that a crosswalk be built on Vinewood avenue at a cost not to exceed $50. It was moved that this be referred to the sidewalk committee. Ald. Koch asked that this motion be withdrawn out of courtesy to Mr. Coon, who was retiring. This was done.

Ald. Schumacher moved that the clerk be Instructed to have two gold dollars engraved according to Mayor Copeland's wishes and also a vote of thanks by the council to the mayor, which motion carried. Ald. Roberts introduced his farewell motion, to have the voting machine remain permanently in the fifth ward engine house.

While a resolution was being prepared, Ald. Koch took the floor and said that in all his doings in his eight years on the council he had tried to do right and had used his honest judgment. He had not intentionally injured anyone. He was frank to say that he had liked his first three or four years on the council very much better than he had the last. There was more committee work done. During the past three years there was hardly any committee meetings and so many things were rushed through the council without much consideration being given them. The aldermen were business men. They could hardly afford the time. He thought the city would do well to pay the aldermen for their time. He hoped he left no hard feelings. Whatever he had done, he had done for what he considered the best interest of the city.

Ald. Coon said he had always felt that Ald. Koch had acted conscientiously and had rendered valuable service. He had differed with him sometimes, but it had been an honest difference. There were some things he would like to see carried out but he had no fears but what the new council would do its duty.

Ald. Hamilton said he had only missed one meeting in his six years on the council and that was when 21 of his old classmates in the University had held a reunion at his house. He was confident that many committee meetings had been held. The city was welcome to any services he had rendered and he should not lose his interest in the city. Of course the aldermen would be criticized, but they should remember the story told him when a boy, "When you go down in an orchard to look for apples and don't know where the good apples are, look for the tree where the clubs are."

Ald. Fischer moved a vote of thanks to the president of the council, the city clerk, the city attorney and the outgoing aldermen. Ald. Coon's last motion was to accept the resignation of Ald. Jenney. Ald. Hamilton's last motion was to appropriate $10 so that Ann Arbor could join the League of Michigan Municipalities, which meets here next year. Ald. Koch's last motion was to adjourn.