The Three Villages of Pelham Embraced the Notion of Consolidation in 1923 as a Defensive Measure
Learning of this, one might be tempted to glance at the calendar. Might today be April Fools Day? Have we slipped into an alternate universe where our consciousness and memories remain the same but our collective history is different than what we previously thought? No. . . . .
In 1923, the three villages that comprised "The Pelhams" faced a common enemy and, thus, were contemplating a defensive maneuver of consolidation. The gathering at the high school was simply an example of the common belief that there is "strength in numbers."
In 1923, Pelhamites felt that they were under siege. Pelhamites feared that the behemoth known as New York City that bordered the Town of Pelham on one side was looking to expand yet again, placing Pelham square within the crosshairs of another annexation. The County of Westchester, at the same time, seemed fearful of the same thing and was contemplating the creation of a "City of Westchester" that would include the entire Town of Pelham (and other Westchester towns) with a Commission form of government to block annexation of parts of the County such as the Town of Pelham by the City of New York. The three villages of Pelham, in short, feared loss of self-government and were at least open to the idea of consolidation as a defensive measure. The three villages explored merging and converting to a city form of government.
With the subsequent cessation of New York City's desire to annex the area, the concept of a "City of Westchester" withered on the vine and the people of the Pelhams returned to their vision of three-village governance within the Town of Pelham.
1950 Map of the Town of Pelham Showing the Town
Bounded by the City of New York, the City of Mount
Vernon and the City of New Rochelle. NOTE: Click
on Image to Enlarge.
Below are two articles about the discussion of consolidation in 1923. The text of the second article is what can be transcribed of an item that appeared in the only extant -- though badly damaged -- copy of The Pelham Sun published on April 13, 1923. Much of that article is illegible due to damage to the original newspaper. Still, enough can be transcribed to provide a sense of what was going through the minds of Pelhamites in 1923 as they explored consolidation of the three villages as a way to defend against loss of self-government.
The text of the two articles appears immediately below. Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.
"Will Discuss Consolidation Of The Pelhams
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Members of Men's Club Will Meet at Memorial Auditorium Tuesday
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Believed That Consolidation Will Be Protective Measure Against Loss of Authority
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Must the Pelhams seek amalgamation of its three villages as a protective measure against the possible annexation by New York City or its loss of local governing authority by the consummation of the plan to create a commission government in the county?
The question is to receive close study by members of the Men's Club at the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday night at Memorial Auditorium. President James Elliott in a circular letter to the members, has pointed out the element of danger confronting the Pelhams at the present time, and its possible loss of local powers of government unless preventive steps are taken, and urges that serious thought be given to this subject which vitally concerns every homeowner in the community.
The executive committee of the Men's Club has prepared a short report in which is outlined the probabilities of future changes in village government and a free discussion of the problems presented will be sought. If consolidation is deemed advisable, a committee of representative citizens will be appointed to further the matter. This committee will consist of representatives from each of the three villages who will delve into every problem and angle presented to the proposed amalgamation and report on its possibilities and probable saving to the taxpayers.
Members are urged to attend."
Source: Will Discuss Consolidation Of The Pelhams, The Pelham Sun, Apr. 6, 1923, Vol. 14, No. 6, p. 1, col. 1.
"The report of the executive committeee of the Men's Club on the new County Commission Plan, following a motivating talk delivered by Judge William Cravath of Pelhamdale, resulted in action being taken at the Men's Club meeting Tuesday night, at Memorial Auditorium. The action took the form of appointing a committee of fifteen representatives of all of the Pelhams, headed by Harry W. Nuckols, former president of Pelham Manor, which will at once take up complete investigation of the plans now being made for installing a new form of government in the county and take steps to oppose any plan by the Commission which will interfere with the present form of government. This committee will also investigate and consider the consolidation of the three Pelham villages and the creation of a city form of charter, which, it is believed, will place the government out of the control of the Westchester County.
The meeting was well attended and the reading of the report of the executives of the club [illegible] keen interest, a lively discussion following the conclusion of Judge White's remarks. The report in full follows:
To the President and Members of the Men's Club of the Town of Pelham
Gentlemen
Your executive committee to which was referred the work of investigating and making a report on the plan for creating a City of Westchester out of the present County of Westchester hereby begs to report as follows.
Early in 1922 Surrogate Juge George A. Slater, in addressing a gathering of school teachers at Portchester declared his opinion in effecct that before two years had passed Westchester Count would adopt a form of government which would virtually make a city out of Westchester County. This followed the support by the voters in the fall election in 1921 of a proposition to change the form of gorvernment in Westchester and Nassau Counties. Judge Slater's speech was given a great deal more publicity than its casual utterance would seem to have warranted and coincident with it came a renewed activity on the part of the County Commissioners, a body which originally intended to formulate some plan for the improvement of Westchester County [illegible]
The City of Westchester plan as it was called, at once became a vital topic of discussion [illegible] in the Pelhams [illegible].
[Illegible] the Board of Supervisors introduced a motion to abolish the County Commission, and intense policitical activity was directed against this action so that it was lost and soon afterward an act of the legislature on February 6, 1922, empowered the Board of Supervisors to enlarge the membership of the commission to 32 and gave to the Commission powers to expend such amounts of money as was deemed necessary to pursue investigation toward improving the county form of government.
From out of their deliberations of almost a year has arisen one plan, definite, and with strong political backing, which will place the government of Westchester County in the hands of a county president, with almost despotic powers over the destinies of Westchester County. At first this plan called for the creation of a commission of five, three of the members to be elected and two appointed by the County Commissioner, thus giving the chief commissioner control of the board by his appointive power of two members. Lately, in the face of opposition, this plan has been altered [illegible] vice-president and a county commissioner of finance. The other members of the board, a commissioner of public welfare, an engineer, a county attorney, a county sealer of weights and measures, are appointed by the president, ths again centering control in the hands of the President by his appointive powers. This has not yet been officially approved. The charter is [illegible].
The rest of the charter remains the same as that under [illegible] of the seond class operating [illegible], Yonkers for instance. I [illegible] was to brake of the Bos [illegible] visors purely a legislative [illegible] student all [illegible] to the County Commissioner, but [illegible] plan now makes it possible for Supervisors to pass an ordinance over the president's veto by a three-fourths majority of all members of the Board of Supervisors. If this plan, known as the Wallin plan, by reason of its sponsor being ex-Mayor William Wallin of Yonkers [illegible] Board of Estimate consisting of the president, vice-president and commissioner of finance, county attorney and county engineer, has control over all financial matters of the county.
An alternative plan has been submitted by Commissoner Morse, which provides for Board of Supervisors as the legislative control of the county. The [illegible] of the county president is [illegible] in a county-wide vote, the board of supervisors is reduced from 41 to 17, this reduction being accomplished by grouping all townships of less than 10,000 population and naming them districts for the election of a single supervisor. Under this plan Pelham would be grouped with Eastchester as one district. The representation of the cities to be based on assessed valuation. There would be no Board of Estimate and Apportionment.
In connection with the Wallin plan it must be remembered that Mr. Wallin has gone on record publicly as stating the at the plan is elastic enough to take over the administration of village government if such a course is deemed necessary.
Wherein does the proposed County Commission plan of government hold anything at all of benefit to the Pelhams? We are told in a large way that the centralization of authority also means a centralization of responsibility, but what assurance have we that we can find the right man to assume all this responsibility which will go with the office of county president, especially as the office is a political one and politics is today more a matter of popularity than of merit. The centralization of so much authority in one man may be good in business but politics is not business and generally speaking political authority is used as a means of handing out patronage to a favored crowd who are looking for soft jobs at the taxpayers' expense.
We would perhaps favor consolidation of government in Westchester County if the various cities, towns, and villages which lie within its [illegible]."
Source: Will Discuss Consolidation Of The Pelhams -- Members of Men's Club Will Meet at Memorial Auditorium Tuesday -- Believed That Consolidation Will Be Protect
ive Measure Against Loss of Authority, The Pelham Sun, Apr. 13, 1923, p. 1, cols. 6-7.
"Will Discuss Consolidation Of The Pelhams
-----
Members of Men's Club Will Meet at Memorial Auditorium Tuesday
-----
Believed That Consolidation Will Be Protective Measure Against Loss of Authority
-----
Must the Pelhams seek amalgamation of its three villages as a protective measure agaisnt the possible annexation by New York City or its loss of local governing authority by the consummation of the plan to create a commission government in the county?
The question is to receive close study by members of the Men's Club at the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday night at Memorial Auditorium. President James Elliott in a circular letter to the members, has pointed out the element of danger confronting the Pelhams at the present time, and its possible loss of local powers of government unless preventive steps are taken, and urges that serious thought be given to this subject which vitally concerns every homeowner in the community.
The executive committee of the Men's Club has prepared a short report in which is outlined the probabilities of future changes in village government and a free discussion of the problems presented will be sought. If consolidation is deemed advisable, a committee of representative citizens will be appointed to further the matter. This committee will consist of representatives from each of the three villages who will delve into every problem and angle presented to the proposed amalgamation and report on its possibilities and probable saving to the taxpayers.
Members are urged to attend."
Source: Will Discuss Consolidation Of The Pelhams -- Members of Men's Club Will Meet at Memorial Auditorium Tuesday -- Believed That Consolidation Will Be Protective Measure Aaginst Loss of Authority, The Pelham Sun, Apr. 6, 1923, p. 1, col. 1.
Labels: 1923, Annexation, City of Westchester, Consolidation, New York City, Pelham Heights, Pelham Men's Club, Village of North Pelham, Village of Pelham, Village of Pelham Manor
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 4:27 AM
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