ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks hiː wʌz nˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd ænd ᵻlˈɛktᵻd tə ðə fɪlɐdˈɛlfiə kˈɑːmən kˈaʊnsəl ænd sˈɜːvd ɪn kˈaʊnsəlz fɔːɹ sˈɪkstiːn jˈɪɹz, ɹɪzˈaɪnɪŋ æz pɹˈɛzɪdənt ʌvðə sᵻlˈɛkt kˈaʊnsəl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ɪlˈɛvən.
In 1896 he was nominated and elected to the Philadelphia Common Council and served in councils for sixteen years, resigning as president of the select council in 1911.