Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London the ancient City of London had been prominent political topics since the 1830s. Recommendations by royal commissions given in 1837, 1854 and 1867 had largely been left unimplemented. The Local Government Act 1888 had set up a County of London which surrounded, but did not include, the square-mile and main business district of the City of London. London was therefore governed by the Corporation of London at its core and the London County Council for its metropolitan area. When the first London County Council was elected, the Progressive Party, closely allied to the parliamentary Liberals, took control. The first chairman
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District magnificent stone and brick structure (see recent photo herein). Eventually, an interurban rail line ran by the east side of the courthouse square, providing easy access to the courthouse square commercial district and adding to the two rail lines that already served the city. The Gas Boom's economic transformation of the city is also apparent when examining the city's population. By 1900, the city had grown to a population of 5,912. Over 1,200 people worked in manufacturing in Hartford City in 1902 — and this was in addition to the bankers, merchants, physicians, and lawyers necessary for a growing population.