Lapham was subject to the first recall attempt in city history due to his increasing of streetcar fares in July 1946 . Lapham himself signed the recall petition and urged others to sign it to bring the issue to a vote . The recall was fought by all four daily newspapers and failed by 32,000 votes at a special election . In 1947 he attempted to scrap the city 's cable car system , claiming it was too expensive . This idea was abandoned in the face of protests , led by Friedel Klussmann , and the city retains the cable cars to this day . Lapham also presided over the founding of the United Nations at the first meeting of the United Nations Conference on International Organization , in April 1945 . The meetings were held at the War Memorial Opera House
United Nations Conference on International Organization
United Nations Conference on International Organization
Roger Lapham