CHAPTER XX

THE MUNICIPALITY OF MONTREAL

EARLY EFFORTS TOWARDS MUNICIPAL HOME RULE--1786--1821--1828--THE FIRST MUNICIPAL CHARTER OF 1831--THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL--JACQUES VIGER FIRST MAYOR--THE RETURN TO THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE--LORD DURHAM’S REPORT AND THE RESUMPTION OF THE CORPORATION IN 1840--CHARTER AMENDMENT, 1851--FIRST MAYOR ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE--CHARTER AMENDMENT OF 1874--THE CITY OF MONTREAL ANNEXATIONS--CIVIC POLITICS--THE NOBLE “13”--1898 CHARTER RECAST, SANCTIONED IN 1899--CIVIC SCANDALS--THE “23”--JUDGE CANNON’S REPORT--THE REFORM PARTY; THE “CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION”--REDUCTION OF ALDERMEN AND A BOARD OF CONTROL, THE ISSUE--THE WOMEN’S CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS--THE NEW REGIME AND THE BOARD OF CONTROL--FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO CHARTER--THE ELECTIONS OF 1912--ABOLITION OF THE SMALL WARD SYSTEM ADVOCATED--THE ELECTIONS OF 1914--A FORECAST FOR GREATER MONTREAL--SUPPLEMENT: LIST OF MAYORS--CITY REVENUE 181