1938 -1941
HISTORY
Thomas Leslie Holling was born April 23, 1889 in
Bad Axe, Michigan. His parents were from Ontario, Canada.
When he was six months old his father died, and his mother
took the three children and moved back to Wyoming, Ontario.
Thomas graduated from elementary school at 11 and
studied at night with a local high school teacher. At 13
he became an apprentice at a printer in Wyoming. After completing
his two year apprenticeship, he spent a year traveling through
the midwest as an itinerant printer.
In 1906 he arrived in Buffalo
, at 17 years of age, and found employment at McLoughlin
Press. He continued working here learning the entire printing
business.
Holling began his own printing business in 1911,
the Holling Press
, at 289 Washington Street, on the second floor above Bernhardt's
Saloon, with a few font types, and an 8 by 12 press.
When a department was not operating to his satisfaction,
he moved his desk into it and worked there until the problems
were solved.
That same year, at age 21, he cast his first vote
and became a Democratic district committeeman in the East
Genesee area. "I didn't last long, though. I was booted
off the committee when I refused to vote the party's selection
for state senator from the district."
During the first World War, Holling Press
did much work for the government. Holling personally spent much
time and energy on various war committees.
He was president of the Canisius College
Alumni Sodality in 1923.
In 1924, a new 10-story plant was built at 501 Washington
Street. When the building was nearly completed, the top
three floors collapsed from an accumulation of snow and
building materials stored in one area. He absorbed the uninsured
loss and had the building completed.
In 1925, Holling managed the successful campaign
of Aloysius G. Stegmeir for supervisor.
Holling Press
prospered, eventually opening plants in New York City and Niagara
Falls.
Holling accepted the Democratic nomination for state
senator in 1932, in the primarily Republican 50th District,
but was defeated by 26,000 votes.
Holling was a delegate to the state convention in
1933, which ratified the repeal of the 18th Amendment. Prohibition
was finally over. He strongly believed in personal liberty
and this was in line with his views.
In 1934, Holling once again accepted the Democratic
nomination for state senator, running what was termed a
"routine" campaign. He would start his nightly
speeches with: "My opponent is a good guy and I want
you to vote for him." When that Republican opponent
made a reference about keeping the Democratic machine out
of politics, Holling turned his campaign around overnight.
It became a battle. He utilized the Holling Press
to print placards, letters, and posters. He appeared anywhere
and everywhere he could, shaking hands, making speeches
when asked, and making friends. He felt that speeches at
rallies of the candidates own party were a waste of time,
so he tried to reach everyone else.
He again lost the election, but this time it was
by a mere 6,000 votes, and he became a power in the Democratic
circles.
In 1936 Holling was the chairman of the Erie County
Democratic Finance Committee.
When the Democratic executive committee endorsed
Thomas J. Reese, a printing ink magnate, for mayor on July
31, 1936, Holling announced his independent candidacy within
the hour.
Mayor Zimmermann
endorsed Judge Robert J. Summers for mayor on August 2, 1936
when he appeared before the Democratic ward chairmen.
The primary turned into a battle between the two
Democratic factions. Holling, and the other independent
candidates, Councilman-at-Large Richard A. Cantlin, and
Joseph S. Kaszubowski
of the Ecpole group, were nearly bystanders.
Holling's platform of "complete independence
from political control" helped to win him the primary
on September 16, 1937, with 23,489 votes. Kaszubowski
was second with 13,009, with Summers (10,360), Reese (9,324)
and Cantlin (8,032) rounding out the group.
The Republican candidate for mayor was County Chairman
Edwin F. Jaeckle
, who defeated George P.
Weckerle and Mr. Lunghino, 34,599 to 5,731 and 2,819
respectively.
Holling's campaign slogan was: "Payrolls must
Be Purged of Political Favorites." His hand-shaking
policy and promise to rid the city administration of partisan
politics won him respect from all sides.
The Buffalo
Evening News endorsed Edwin Jaeckle.
LIFE AS A MAYOR
Election's were held on November 2, 1937. Holling
was declared the winner with 94,037 votes to Republican
Jaeckle
's 92,610. Ecpole Party's Joseph Kaszubowski
received 11,392, former Mayor Frank Schwab on the People' party
got 6,794 and Socialist Herman Hahn
received 966 votes.
One day, shortly after his victory, Holling went
to the Buffalo
Evening News office, and typed a personal message to the News
readers.
Before taking office, Holling paid a surprise visit
to City Hall
one day between 8:30 am and 9:30 am. To his astonishment, he
found only a handful of employees and no department heads
at work. "The employees and their department heads
will run their jobs like responsible business people or
someone else will run their jobs," was his reaction.
Mayor-elect Holling appointed two Republicans among
his first department heads - Louis A. Harding as Public
Works Commissioner and John J. Egan as Budget Director.
Holling continued his non-partisan filling of City Hall
, hiring many Republicans, and leaving the Democratic party
to wither.
Holling sent out Christmas cards in early December
with the following inscription:
"Do today's duty, fight today's temptations,
and do not weaken and distract yourself by looking forward
to things you cannot see and could not understand if you
saw them. God gives us nights to shut down the curtain of
darkness on our little days. We cannot see beyond...short
horizons make life easier."
On December 19, 1937, Holling held the first of several
round-table meetings with his new department and administrative
heads.
Mayor Holling
delivered his Inaugural Address
to the Common Council
on January 1, 1938.
"Our new administration is face to face with
grave responsibilities. We assume our existing duties in
one of the most trying and difficult times in the history
of this city.
"Our financial condition is critical, but I
know and you know that it is not hopeless. Problems ahead
of us can be solved, but in order to find the solution,
we must unite our efforts to furnish an unselfish, faithful,
humane and clean administration.
"The general principles and policies, which
I shall endeavor to follow during my four years as mayor
of Buffalo
were clearly set forth in a ten-point program published during
the general campaign. These ten points are still my program.
They read as follows:
"1 - Necessary services to the people must be
maintained at all times, but in an efficient manner and
at reasonable cost to taxpayers.
"2 - The department of education is of great
importance to the people of Buffalo
and must be operated by the nonpartisan board of education,
free from interference. No education appropriation shall
be reduced at any time to provide money for other departments.
"3 - All department heads and workers shall
be appointed on a basis of experience for their jobs and
not because of any record of political servitude.
"4 - City departments must be operated within
their budgets.
"5 - Departments must not be padded with unnecessary
workers drawing political pay at the taxpayers expense.
No increase in payrolls at election must be tolerated.
"6 - The greatest good for the greatest number
of Buffalo
citizens must be in the basis of all city legislation.
"7 - Political groups must not expect special
favors from the city government.
"8 - An honest tax rate is the basis of honest
city government.
"9 - The city government is the biggest business
in Buffalo
and must be operated honestly, efficiently and economically.
"10 - It is my intention and pledge as Mayor
to so operate the city government of Buffalo
"I feel that in order to restore the civil service
to its rightful place in the life of our city, a complete
reorganization of the municipal civil service is necessary.
"We all realize that real property owners of
Buffalo
are bearing a heavy tax burden. The city tax rate is $30.05
and the county tax rate is the highest in its history.
"We may as well face the fact squarely that
any reduction in taxes
in the very near future is impossible in view of our strained
financial situation. Before a lower tax rate can be expected
the city's debt load must be materially lightened. Good
management and sound government demand this.
"This welfare
problem which
we must face at once deals not only with finances but also
with our fellow human beings who are in want.
"It is apparent that the City of Buffalo
cannot continue to carry the welfare
load on its present basis. There is neither fairness nor logic
in our present welfare situation.
"In Buffalo
, we have the department of social welfare
and the emergency relief board. In Erie County the ERB has recently
been merged into the regular social welfare structures.
"A tremendous, complicated overlapping, and
expensive structure has been haphazardly developed.
"The Erie County Survey Commission recommended
a county welfare
board under which all the many relief functions would be centralized.
"The Buffalo
Council of Social Agencies...has recommended centralization
of relief activities.
"I have given much thought and study to this
problem. I have come to the conclusion that there are only
two possibilities in this connection. The first is to continue
relief in the City of Buffalo
under the present setup, and to raise the cost by a retail sales
tax
on goods sold in the City of Buffalo
The second possibility is a transfer and consolidation of
all these welfare
functions under the Erie County government.
"After careful consideration I have rejected
the first alternative. Without going into detail, I want
to tell you that we have been unofficially informed that
the state government will not extend to any city the right
to impose a sales tax
"I therefore turn to the only other alternative
- county consolidation. Due to reasons which I have just
explained, I recommend for your consideration the transfer
as soon as possible under state legislation all welfare
functions of the City of Buffalo
to the County of Erie.
"Of course, no thorough discussion of a new
administration would be complete without stating my program
of municipal economy. The time has arrived when the city
government of Buffalo
must stop unnecessary spending and confine all expenditures
to absolutely necessary items.
"It would take no genius to balance a city budget
by simply refusing to spend funds for any purpose, but that
cannot be done. However, it can be made certain that money
is spent only for efficient operation of necessary services
and for capital expenses which are essential to the maintenance
of adequate city government.
"Now I want to speak of our traffic problem.
It is obvious to every thoughtful citizen of Buffalo
that traffic fatalities in this city during the year of 1937
reached far too high a total. This traffic toll must be
cut down and I am determined that it shall be cut down.
"Again we come to the question of expense. Every
other city which has cut its traffic death rate has accomplished
such an end only through the medium of a comprehensive citywide
traffic survey. Then a remedy is put into effect on the
basis of need as discovered in such a survey. In my opinion,
it is one of the most vital problems confronting us as we
take over the administration of our city government.
"It is a fact not generally known that among
large cities of the United States, the City of Buffalo
stands second in the volume of snowfall per year. The citizens
of Buffalo
know from painful experiences that we are not properly equipped
to cope with large and sudden snowstorms."
Many of former-Mayor Zimmermann
's appointments were replaced by Holling when he took office.
Many were Democratic ward chairmen or otherwise prominent
party men.
Shortly after taking office, the Mayor was forced
to take an extended trip to regain his health, after overtaxing
himself during and after the campaign.
A letter was received at City Hall
, which was forwarded from the Holling Press
, postmarked January 12, 1939, and addressed to Mrs. Holling,
since the Mayor's address was not published. When opened
it was found to contain a threat against Mr. Holling: "Unless
$1500 is brought to 219 Bond Street by Jan. 16 at 8 P.M.,
Mrs. Holling and her daughter will get the well-known acid
treatment...", which apparently referred to a case
in Chicago where a woman had committed suicide after her
husband was disfigured by an acid-thrower.
The F. B. I. was called in and a plan developed.
Two police
officers dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Holling would deliver the money
to said address. Instructions in the letter said to leave
the money at the cellar window on the night of January 16,
1939, at 8 P.M.
Agents had the house surrounded, waiting for movement
from the inside once the money was delivered. There was
none. After a while an agent went to see if the money was
still in the cellar window, and it was not. Immediately
all the officers appeared at the premises and arrested the
three persons inside. Boguslaus Grzybowsky, charged with
causing a threatening letter to be mailed, and his two sisters,
Adeline and Salomea, were taken into custody.
The Mayor had been recuperating in the West Indies
at the time of the incident.
After six months in office, the Mayor felt he was
on schedule with what he planned.
"I've enjoyed every minute on the job since
I was put in office. And I'm proud to say that the administration
has carried out all the pledges to the people of this city.
I look forward with a great deal of pleasure to serving
as mayor during the remainder of my term.
"I believe that I can best repay my own civic
debt by giving Buffalo
an honest, efficient administration free from political domination
by party bosses."
While on tour around the city early in his first
term, he stopped to survey the old penitentiary site on
Trenton Avenue.
"Hmm, I think this would be an ideal spot for
a low-cost housing
development."
The site was turned into the Lakeview housing
project not long after.
During 1938, the Mayor, and members of the Municipal
Housing Authority, traveled to Washington twice to gain
approval for housing
projects that would be built with federal funds. Lakeview was
one of them.
Mayor Holling
delivered his second Annual Address personally to the Common
Council
on January 24, 1939.
"A city as large as Buffalo
cannot stand still. It must either go forward or backward.
"We have the natural resources, the civic-mindedness
and the business and industrial enterprises which are the
necessary factors in municipal progress. I know that if
we continue to combine these assets we will be able to accelerate
the City of Buffalo
to a new place of importance in the national spotlight.
"The taxpayers of Buffalo
in many instances are hard pressed to meet their municipal obligations
and I pledge to them now that I shall continue to be ever
mindful of these things in administering the affairs of
the City government. I shall continue to insist on economy
and efficiency in operation; I shall vigorously oppose any
expenditures which are not for the best interest of the
city, no matter how desirable.
"I would like to suggest to Your Honorable Body
that you give some thought to joining with civic organizations
in setting up an advisory agency on business.
"Notwithstanding the efforts of our administration
during the past year, the City's transportation problem
remains largely unsolved.
"The (I.R.C.) should bear a just proportion
of the cost of snow and ice removal on all streets over
which it operates. The company should contribute a fair
amount to the city for the monopoly which is granted it
to use the city's streets. Street car franchises should
be abandoned on those streets where buses are permitted
to operate.
"A definite policy must be adopted whereby the
company will remove from the streets its abandoned tracks.
The company has pleaded poverty, and in the past year has
claimed that it had only $25,000 for the track removal.
In December, 1938, however, the company found available
the sum of $850,718 which it used for the purpose of purchasing
outstanding bonds. It is perfectly apparent that if this
large sum could be made available to retire bonds, sufficient
moneys could have been found by the company to remove its
abandoned tracks and to purchase some new equipment to replace
the obsolete equipment which the citizens of the city of
Buffalo
are being compelled to use.
"Compared with other large cities, the traction
system of the city of Buffalo
is antiquated and obsolete. Attacking the problem piecemeal
is not going to solve it. A City-wide point of view is necessary.
"Since the day I took office, I clearly [stated]
that I am not in accord with any policy that allows City
employees more than 30 days sick leave, with pay, in any
year.
"I believe this sick leave privilege has also
been abused in the police
and fire departments.
"Membership in any organization of non-competitive
workers is not and never will be a factor of security as
long as I am Mayor of Buffalo
In other words, when it becomes necessary to lay off workers
for any reason whatever, or when it is found necessary to
hire employees in the noncompetitive class, their membership
in any organization of any kind will in no way influence
this administration.
"Any plan or agreement which gives preference
to members of organizations would be nothing less than coercion
to force increased membership in such organization.
"Work is well under way on the Lakeview housing
project...which will provide modern apartments for 668 low-income
families. Construction work has also been started on the
Willert Park
project...which will provide modern quarters for 173 families
in our Negro district.
"In addition to this, proceedings were well
under way during the last year for a large housing
project in the Elk-Alabama section.
"During the year, we have taken advantage of
the Public Works Administration funds to aid in the financing
of a new convention hall and municipal auditorium. The building,
which will be located at Main Street and Terrace, is the
first step in a far-reaching program to develop the waterfront
"Work is now well under way on the new improvement
at The Circle to be known as the Kleinhans
Music Hall.
"This...building is being erected...at no cost
to the City. The federal government will contribute...a
grant and the remainder is provided from funds left in trust
for this purpose by the late Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Kleinhans
"During the past year this same principle guided
Seymour H. Knox
and members of his family who donated...for the improvement
of the Albright
Art Gallery.
"The time has come when the city of Buffalo
should give serious consideration to the possibility of extending
the boundaries of our municipality to include the entire
metropolitan district. I know that we need the cooperation
of our neighboring towns, cities and villages, but I think
that if representatives of these communities would sit down
with representatives of Buffalo
, we might make a start in this directionion."
(End of the address. A summary of the departments
follows.)
"There is one way to obtain lower water rates
for all consumers and that way is 100% metering which will
automatically reduce the cost of pumpage.
"In the Division of Streets
we have made great progress in improving the cleaning of streets
during more pleasant weather and in the removal of snow
and ice during the winter season.
"We have every reason to believe that the modernization
of the Buffalo
Airport will be completed this year, thus providing Buffalo
with one of the most modern terminals in the country.
"I recommend to Your Honorable Body that the
City cooperate with the U.S. Conference of Mayors
in having the federal government take over the operation of
this airport
"The most important improvement in the Department
of Fire was the inauguration on December 1st of a new division
known as the Fire Prevention Service.
"I respectfully recommend Your Honorable Body
approve of the Health Department
's request for the creation of the posts of Sanitary Engineer
and a full time Director of Tuberculosis
"
On July 13, 1939 buttons bearing "Re-elect Holling
for Mayor" were seen in City Hall
Rumor spread that the charter was going to be changed allowing
the mayor to succeed himself and Holling was to be a candidate.
It was later found out to be just sample buttons from a
Boston novelty manufacturer.
On November 4, 1939 Mayor Holling
was considering resigning from his office. He felt the policies
he advocated for two years were on trial and the possible
Democratic defeat in the general election would be a reflection
on his administration. He was also tired of the "nagging"
from job seekers and people seeking favors.
In addition, he was dissatisfied with the support
given by people whom he had appointed or permitted to remain
in their jobs during the election, some not even bothering
to register. His current health was also an issue, as the
result of a major operation he had before winning the mayoralty
nomination in 1937.
Lastly, his administration was being blamed for an
outbreak of infantile paralysis.
He made no formal statement regarding his decision,
just saying that he was "fed-up" and had given
the matter consideration.
On November 8, 1939 Mayor Holling
issued a statement regarding his possible resignation:
"I do not intend to resign - not unless the
airport
-restaurant lease proposal is mishandled. That is a very
unfavorable lease and...I will not sign it. I'd quit my
office before I would sign it. I will not go along as a
party to any deals, the airport
or any other of like nature."
Mayor Holling
, proving to have a bit of former Mayor Frank Schwab in
him, moved in on illegal gambling on December 1, 1939. "At
12 Elmwood Avenue, a steel door was slammed in my face and
I summoned Commissioner McClellan. He and other officers
arrived shortly after and conducted the raid.
"I am no reformer and I do not believe that
police
force will ever succeed in entirely eliminating gambling in
a city of this size.
"I have been burned up recently by stories brought
to me that a certain Washington Street gambler has been
giving the word to various places that 'the heat is off'
and to open up again.
"I want to spike this sort of trash once and
for all.
"It has been even said that I dominate every
department in the city, including the police
That is untrue. Every department head, including Commissioner
McClellan, is responsible for carrying out his full duties
and he is responsible to me only for doing his duty."
Not long after these raids, the Mayor and his wife
left for an extended vacation in South America.
Mayor Holling
's third Annual Address was read before the Common Council
on January 2, 1940, while he was in South America.
"The past year in our city government has been
productive of many outstanding results.
"Our city has been very fortunate in the fact
that our people have lived together in peace and harmony.
No city in the country has been freer of industrial strife
than our own. The rights of all the people, capital and
labor, alike, have been zealously preserved by our city
government.
"We have completed the motorization of the division
of streets on this 'pay as you go' basis. All of the horses
in this division have been disposed of and the operation
has been centralized and consolidated.
"Our new municipal airport
is rapidly spreading to the point where it will become of the
outstanding airports in the United States. We have recently
opened the new administration building.
"Along the lines of public housing
, very substantial gains have been made. The Willert Park
project has been completed and is fully occupied. Lakeview is
about to be turned over as a completed project. Commodore
Perry
is in active process of construction and will be fully occupied
by July 1 of next year. The Kenfield
project, of course, continues to be fully occupied. In fact,
there is a considerable waiting list of prospective tenants
at this project.
"My administration has two more years to run
and it would be an easy matter for me to evade responsibility
for the future by the simple method of taking care only
of my remaining two years in office. This, however, is contrary
to the principles of my administration. I deem it to be
my duty to plan in advance on the basis of at least ten
years.
"Directly tied with the city's financial status
and bound up with almost every angle of our city's problems,
is the question of firemen's and policemen's pensions. It
is no exaggeration to say that this is the greatest single
problem pressing for immediate solution in the affairs of
our city.
"...Unless before the first day of July, 1940,
a proper solution is worked out, every right and privilege
which every policeman and fireman of this city has, becomes
frozen into a contract which never can be changed.
"I have been urging upon Your Honorable Body
for the past two years the necessity for a reconsideration
of the rates charged for water in our city. I have urged
putting the city on a metered basis. May I again urge...that
immediate action be taken on this important subject?
"For two years I have repeatedly stressed the
necessity of formulating a transportation program on a citywide
basis. On two occasions I vetoed bus consents which I deemed
unfair to the city and Your Honorable Body overrode both
vetoes. I stressed then, and repeat now, that our transportation
problem will never be solved unless and until every bus
consent is viewed in the light of the city as a whole.
"Transportation companies must share an equitable
proportion of the cost of maintaining the city streets which
act as roadbeds at public expense for their vehicles.
"Closely connected with the general problem
of transportation is the condition of our streets. ...Many
of our streets are in serious need of immediate attention.
"I have sought at this particular time to point
out only some of the most pressing needs of our city requiring
immediate attention.
"I sincerely hope that the coming year will
be one of peace and progress in the history of our city.
To this end, I rededicate myself and the members of my administration.
I am certain that with your help we shall be able to achieve
the position to which our great city is rightfully entitled."
Mayor Holling
's last Annual Message to the Council was given on January
7, 1941.
"In delivering this message, I am going to speak
right from the heart, with no motives of partisanship whatever.
We are living in serious times. Such times make ordinary
problems seem extraordinary.
"This year of 1941 is beset with many grave
problems and difficulties for our beloved country. The governments
of the world are at war. Their peoples, however, have no
real grievances against each other.
"In this country of ours we have amply demonstrated
this fact to be true.
"I am particularly proud of the conduct of Buffalo
people in these troublesome times.
"The wars of other lands are not being fought
on the streets of this city. We demonstrate here to the
entire world that people of different races and groups can
live together and be peaceful and happy.
"It is therefore most necessary in this time
of emergency that we cooperate as never before, to give
the people of Buffalo
the very best and highest standard of local government.
"Our major disagreement of late has been on
the I.R.C. transportation problem. A year ago we seemed
to be in perfect agreement on this matter also, but last
June I had to differ with you on the proposed 20-year plan
you adopted.
"Since then, the Public Service Commission
also has rejected
that plan, and now has before it a request for a complete
investigation of I.R.C.'s financial set-up and responsibility.
"Let me state emphatically that I am for bus
substitution on all but five or six of the main lines. These
should be completely refurbished with new roadbeds where
necessary, and modern streetcars.
"Better public transportation is without doubt
the city's most crying need. Other big cities do not suffer
such old equipment or absentee-managed service. Why should
we?
"I must again recommend for your attention my
previous suggestion along this line for greater airport
revenues, licensing, parking lots, and charging non-residents
for special services provided by Buffalo
taxpayers.
"During 1940, several outstanding improvements
were completed and opened to the public, principally our
great Memorial Auditorium
, beautiful Kleinhans
Music Hall, the new Zoo, airport
building, and a number of smaller improvements.
"Today, the city streets...are reported to be
in the best condition in over 30 years.
"The new Zoo was formally opened June 20, and
now is one of the major attractions in Western New York.
"The new airport
building is considered one of the most modern and attractive
airplane terminals in the United States.
"The Parks Department
now operates 10 swimming pools, 10 wading and 7 diving pools,
44 playgrounds, 4 public golf courses, 78 tennis courts,
and has charge of 2,296 acres of park property. We thus
provide the citizens of Buffalo
with one of the finest recreational and public park systems
in the entire country.
"The Police Department had another splendid
record in crime reduction. Buffalo
now has less major crime than any large city in the United States
proportionately. We had no riots, serious strikes, or, thank
God, scandals to contend with.
"One new school building at Fargo and Hampshire
Streets is nearly completed...and will be opened for the
next school year.
"The Board of Education
has cooperated splendidly with the National Defense program
by providing 24-hour service in vocational education. Three
shifts of students are daily enabled to receive proper training
for defense purposes.
"The Buffalo
Municipal Housing
Authority opened the Commodore Perry
Housing project August 1, and it is now 87 percent occupied.
Lakeview, Kenfield
, and Willert Park
Courts are also fully occupied, and have waiting lists. This
proves the need for low-cost housing
in our city.
"The success of these public-sponsored projects
should encourage private capital to return to that field
of investment, which is eventually about the most safe and
sound in the world.
"Business conditions in 1940 throughout the
city show decided gains, especially during the latter part
