There were six aldermanic positions on the council at the time, but three of them were already filled:  Cornelius Gallagher, Edmund Grierson, and Phillip Heiminck had been elected for two-year terms in 1901, and were still in office.
There were six aldermanic seats on the council at that time, but three of them had already been occupied: Cornelius Gallagher, Edmund Grierson, and Phillip Heiminck had been elected for two-year terms in 1901 and remained in office.