William A. Magee

William Addison Magee (May 4, 1873 – March 25, 1938) was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood near the site of the former Mellon Arena. Before becoming mayor he gained his reputation by serving as Assistant District Attorney for Allegheny County of which Pittsburgh is the county seat. He twice served as Mayor of Pittsburgh, from 1909 to 1914, and again from 1922 to 1926. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1901 to 1904.[1]

William A. Magee
43rd and 46th Mayor of Pittsburgh
In office
1922–1926
Preceded byEdward V. Babcock
Succeeded byCharles H. Kline
In office
1909–1914
Preceded byGeorge W. Guthrie
Succeeded byJoseph G. Armstrong
Member of the Pennsylvania State Senate
In office
1900–1904
Personal details
Born
William Addison Magee

(1873-05-04)May 4, 1873
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMarch 25, 1938(1938-03-25) (aged 64)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationFranklin and Marshall College
OccupationLawyer, politician

Pittsburgh politics

Magee oversaw several developments in the city, the most notable of which were the opening of the first National League concrete baseball park Forbes Field in the city's Oakland neighborhood. To top that achievement the Pittsburgh Pirates won their first World Series in their first season in the park.

On policy the Magee administration instituted a motorized police force for the first time in the city. He also oversaw the local institution of the national prohibition laws during his second term in office. He was the first man to serve the new expanded four-year term for the Mayor's office.

He died at Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh on March 25, 1938.[2]

Honors

Mayor Magee lives on through both Magee-Women's Hospital and Magee Street in the city, both of which were named for the family and the Mayor's notable uncle, Christopher Lyman Magee.

Magee was featured in the 1924 film Fording the Lincoln Highway.[3]

Magee also wrote an informative article about what he considered to be the inefficiencies of city government. While many of the concepts he addresses seem logical, at the time of publication many local governments were run through executive checks and balances to the point of ineffectiveness. Magee wrote that city governments should be more centralized and focused to be effective.[4]

References

  1. Cox, Harold. "Senate Members M". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
  2. "Former Mayor Magee Dead". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. March 25, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved July 8, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  3. Video on YouTube
  4. http://www.library.cornell.edu/Reps/DOCS/magee.htm
Political offices
Preceded by
George W. Guthrie
Mayor of Pittsburgh
1909–1914
Succeeded by
Joseph G. Armstrong
Preceded by
Edward V. Babcock
Mayor of Pittsburgh
1922–1926
Succeeded by
Charles H. Kline
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