1898 Toronto municipal election explained

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Canada, on January 3, 1898. Mayor John Shaw was first elected mayor by Toronto City Council after his predecessor, Robert John Fleming, resigned on August 5, 1897, to accept an appointment as assessment commissioner.[1] Shaw was returned to office in the 1898 election by defeating former alderman Ernest A. Macdonald, who was making his second attempt to be elected mayor.[2] The main issues of both the mayoralty and aldermanic campaigns were a proposal to build the James Bay Railway from Toronto to James Bay and proposals to get hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls so that the city could have access to less expensive electricity, with Shaw favouring both proposals, along with almost all aldermen who were elected.[2]

Toronto mayor

Results
  • John Shaw (incumbent) - 12,602
  • Ernest A. Macdonald - 8,462

    Source:[2]

    Board of Control

    The Toronto Board of Control was elected by Toronto City Council from among its members, and presided over by the mayor. At the first council meeting following the general election, council chose Aldermen Burns, Hubbard, and Leslie to sit on the body, presided over by the mayor.[3]

    Plebiscites

    A plebiscite was held on abolishing tax exemptions, however, the measure needed approval by the provincial government in order to be implemented.[2]

    Results
  • Yea - 11,331
  • Nay - 5,175

    Source:[2]

    Aldermen elected to City Council

    Four alderman were elected to sit on Toronto City Council in each of six wards. Five incumbent aldermen were defeated in the election while an additional four did not stand for re-election.[2]

    First Ward
  • F.A. Richardson - 1,226
  • James Frame (incumbent) - 1,140
  • Henry R. Frankland - 955
  • John Knox Leslie (incumbent) - 835
  • William T. Stewart - 724
  • John Russell (incumbent) - 684
  • Thomas Allen (incumbent) - 626
  • T.E. Washington - 609
  • Samuel H. Defries - 296
  • George Wellings - 263
    Second Ward
  • T. Bryce - 1,934
  • Daniel Lamb (incumbent) - 1,724
  • Thomas Davies - 1,599
  • John Hallam (incumbent) - 1,490
  • Francis S. Spence (incumbent) - 1,365
  • Thomas Foster - 954
  • W.L. Beale (incumbent) - 929
  • John Watson -591
  • E.W.D. Butler - 342
  • James O'Hara - 125
  • George Duffy - 85
    Third Ward
  • George McMurrich - 2,303
  • Bernard Saunders (incumbent) - 2,300
  • O.B. Sheppard (incumbent) - 2,141
  • Richard John Score - 1,598
  • J.B. Boustead - 1,402
  • A.F. Webster - 1,334
  • James Allison - 1,263
  • W.E. Raney - 1,170
  • Frank Moses - 691
  • Arthur Bollard - 615
  • John Damp -508
  • Richard Reynolds - 270
    Fourth Ward
  • Wm. Burns (incumbent) - 2,226
  • Wm. P. Hubbard (incumbent) - 2,161
  • James Crane (incumbent) - 1,888
  • Edward Hanlan - 1,595
  • H.E. Trent - 1,300
  • Thomas Urquhart - 1,264
  • William Carlyle (incumbent) - 1,093
  • James Jolliffe - 838
  • W.G McWilliams -835
  • Robert P. Hall - 323
  • George McKibbon - 279
    Fifth Ward
  • Francis H. Woods (incumbent) - 1,903
  • John Dunn (incumbent) - 1,885
  • Robt. H. Graham (incumbent) - 1,506
  • A.R. Denison - 1,425
  • Dr. William Stewart Fraleigh - 1,350
  • J.E. Verral - 980
  • Robert Hay - 694
  • W.W. Farley - 450
  • George Evans - 188
  • C.A. Muerrle - 171
    Sixth Ward
  • James M. Bowman - 1,057
  • James Gowanlock (incumbent) - 1,029
  • Adam Lynd M.D. (incumbent) - 761
  • John J. Graham (incumbent) - 731
  • J. Harvey Hall - 709
  • Hugh MacMath - 644
  • Sturgeon Stewart - 609
  • Alex Asher - 599
  • Joseph Pocock - 406
  • C.F. Denison - 337
  • John Brown - 309
  • George Gilbert Rowe - 252
  • Robert Buist Noble - 194
  • George Gordon Miles - 18

    Source:[2] and [4]

    References

    Results taken from the January 4, 1898 Toronto Globe and might not exactly match final tallies.

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Fleming, Robert John . Dictionary of Canadian Biography . University of Toronto/Université Laval . September 22, 2020.
    2. "SHAW BY A FEW THOUSAND: The Mayor Re-elected by a Tremendous Majority Mr. Macdonald Defeated by Over Four Thousand Votes", The Globe (1844-1936); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]04 Jan 1898: 2.
    3. "BURNS, HUBBARD AND LESLIE: Seen Fight For Places on the Board of Control Yesterday The Playor's Message Treats of Many Important Civic Questions Finances of the City The Civic Credit Railway Enterprises Cheap Power Manufacturing Industries Water Works Tunnel Scheme Disposal of Refuse--Harbor Square Railway Service to City Dock Street Paving St. Lawrence Market The New City Buildings", The Globe (1844-1936); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]11 Jan 1898: 5.
    4. "ALDERMEN AND TRUSTEES: Many Candidates in the Six City Wards A FLOOD OF ORATORY Meetings Lest Far Into the Afternoon Members of the Present Council Nearly All In ths Field For Next Year--Fifth Ward Trustees Elected Aldermanic Candidates First Ward Second Ward Candidates School Husees The Third Ward In Word 4 The Fifth Ward Meeting In the Sixth Ward", The Globe (1844-1936); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]28 Dec 1897: 6.

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