Salem - John F. Hurley Blog - Mayor John F. Hurley, Salem, Massachusetts 1901-1902-1908-1909-1913-1914; 1855 City of Salem Annual Report of Several Departments and Committees; Photo Archive; New England Water Works and Sewer Project at Wenham Lake, Longham Basin

Salem, Massachusetts Mayor John F. Hurley, 1901-1902-1908-1909-1913-1914; 1855 - City of Salem Annual Report of Several Departments and Committees; Photo Archive; New England Water Works and Sewer Project at Wenham Lake, Longham Basin


We used to have these Inaugural Address to understand the essence of the politician, but once they relied on speechwriters to make sure all bases were touched (beginning of political correctness) there was no intellectual scale to judge them on, not like the politicians of old.  The politicians like Hurley relied on their intellect to write, for citizen in his era demanded higher of their leaders. Today its the sound bite of a professional speechwriter or an unguarded moment to define the politician; this is what makes these addresses so informative for me when I find them, it gives an insight to that politician view.

This is Hurley's first address that he gave. He sat down and wrote what his vision for the City of Salem he hoped he could make a reality with his speech the foundation to built upon and a blueprint the citizen could follow.  I do not expect anyone to read everything, so I will caption the interesting comment or observation on each page and then you decide if you want to read that page.

This will be a work in progress, for I have many documents and photos, including the 1855 Annual Report that is over 75 pages showing the cost of running government then . 

I will start with these photo and document first.

I have added some information on Mayor Hurley at the end of this blog.

This is the Honorable John F. Hurley official city photograph; He is wearing a classy top hat and in his lapel button hole he is wear the membership pin of GAR, the Civil War Fraternal Organization that was at its height of their influence due to the large number of dedicated members

Here is a metal door sign, hand painted for the Mayor office which was one of the old Alderman's office.

Honorable John F, Hurley First Inaugural Address .  He had just won the mayors seat in the election held December 11, 1900 and what we have here is a 32 page booklet addressing his hope and aspiration in how he was going to govern and he lays this out in this, his first Mayor's Address given on January 7, 1901

This is an insert in the booklet of his first Mayor Address attesting to his making these booklet available  with his compliments.

This is how he looked at taking office on January of 1901. As you see from the Official City Photograph that I listed first, he had by 1914 gone completely gray

Here is the title page showing the seal of the City of Salem and the year it given

He starts off with giving a summary of what he just went through

Here is some information on John F. Hurley:

From 1838 when the city was incorporated, until 1917, John Hurley was the most elected of all prior mayors at that time. He was elected a total of six time mayor of Salem. Mayor Hurley was one of Salem's most colorful political figure ever elected. He was know for his great mutton chop sideburns. These so named sideburns were made famous by Civil War General Ambrose Burnside and they were known at first as Burnside's and some how by the end of the century it evolved into the name sideburns.

Hurley had worn his Burnside's from after the civil war until his death. Another distinct attribute was that he wore a stovepipe top had, even when it became unfashionable he wore one. You could always pick him out of a crowd for that top hat and mutton chops sideburns. Mayor Hurley was a member of G.A.R., the civil war veteran association and was a member of Post 34 of Salem.

Mayor Hurley was mayor at the time of the Great Salem Fire of June 25, 1914. The fire destroyed approximately 1300 building, with 20,000 people losing their homes and 10,000 jobs. This great tragedy weighted so heavily on Mayor Hurley, that he never again sought public office.

When he died in 1935 he had a requiem high mass at Immaculate Conception Church that was filled to capacity and then interred at St. Mary's Cemetery. His funeral was attended by many politicians of the day,. Present in 1935 was Mayor George J. Bates and ex-mayor Denis J. Sullivan of Salem, G.A.R. Veterans comrades James Carney and Edward I. P. Benson, Legionnaires and throng of citizens.

As I find more information I will add it,