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Description
Today, we continue the story of Englewood's rough and wild historical roots that led to its very first mayoral election - but it wasn't without a fight. Often referred to as the “Bowery of the West,” Englewood’s first mayoral race included voter fraud, intimidation and a filibuster that could only be ended with a mayor’s six-shooter! These were a few of the many obstacles Jacob Jones had to jump over to bring civility to Englewood and temper the influence of Englewood's colorful founding father Thomas Skerritt.
A
The
first
mayoral
election,
following
its
official
incorporation
in
1903
a
story,
began
to
unfold
in
Inglewood
to
have
all
the
makings
of
a
Hollywood
summer
blockbuster.
It
was
June
1903
Inglewood
was
a
lawless
and
dangerous
place.
Shootings,
stabbings
and
brawls
were
so.
Common
newspapers
referred
to
the
area
as
the
Bowery
of
the
West.
After
a
disreputable
section
of
New
York
City.
A
With
many
fed
up
with
the
danger
in
chaos,
it
was
time
for
Inglewood
1200
citizens
to
choose
its
first
mayor.
It
promised
to
be
a
particularly
nasty
campaign,
pitting
Engle
Woods
founding
father,
Thomas
Skerritt
and
the
so
called
citizens
party
against
Jacob
Jones
and
his
good
government
ticket
with
so
much
invested
in
his
saloons
and
brothels.
Skerritt
was
intent
on
keeping
things
as
they
were,
allowing
his
shady
business
ventures
to
remain
profitable
Jones,
on
the
other
hand,
promised
to
clean
up
Inglewood
streets
and
bring
newfound
respectability
to
its
borders.
A
A
New
laws
were
immediately
adopted,
including
closing
saloons
on
Sunday
and
barring
women
from
entering
to
further
impress
upon
the
town,
a
sheriff
was
hired
and
a
new
jail
constructed.
At
the
first
meeting
of
the
Town
Council,
the
citizens
party
attempted
what
was
certainly
the
town's
first
filibuster.
They
dominated
the
conversation
with
the
intent
of
shutting
down
any
differing
opinions
at
the
council's
third
meeting
mayor
Jones
put
an
end
to
the
shenanigans,
as
he
lay
his
six-shooter
on
the
table.