Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-10-29
To the Editors nj Free Press

| 4" ''e 'S"'t''S ~ REC 'tSSt
Having noticed the pro-
ceedings of the Boxer Engine Company published
in the Free Press on-thc 22d inst, would respect
fully ask you to lay before tho Public another
view of the matter.
''Resoiued, 3rd,-That whatever was unpleasant
disordery or unbecoming in tho occurrences of the
morning of the 18th inst, before this Company
started for st. Adams with its Machine, is solely
attributable to the fact that the relative powers of
the Engineers of Fire District No. |, among
themselves. and the powers of the Prudential Com
mittee of said District had never, by Themselves
any one else, been authoritatively settled and de-
fined.
soived,-That this Company, under the cir
cumstances, do consider their conduct on the morn
ing of the 18th inst, to have been right and do
uphold and endorse the conduct of First Assistant
Lyman at that time"
These resolutions were passed at late meeting
of the Boxer Engine Company, No. 8, and pub
lshed, it would seem, for the purpose of throwing
upon others, whatever blame is attached to their
conduct on the morning of the 18th inst. We
think it will appear, upon examination, that
whatever I" disorderly unbecoming" in their
conduct is not attributable to the fact set forth in
the Sd resolutions but to q m'apprehension Of duty
in this case their part and the part Of the Fourth
Assistant Engineer; and the writer of the reso-
luton has the honor of first making the discovery
that the relative duties of the Engineers under the
circumstances that occurred on the 10th, are nat
clearly 90 settled and Defined
In the act of 1857, there are two sections in
which the powers and duties of the Engineers are
set forth Sec defines their powers and duties on
tho occasion Of any fire in the district In section
q all the N ratu VII isb; 6ros
ing to the district, is placed in their charge 1t
as follows; The Chief Engineer, and in his alb
sence the Assistants in the order of their rank,
shall under the supervision of the Prudential
Committee, have charge of all the apparatus in
such district for the prevention and extinguishment
of fires, and shall the same to be constantly
kept in servccable order"
If this section does not clearly define the rcIatrc
duties and powers of the Engineers, it is difficult
to sec in what way it can be done Under this
section it seems to be plainly the duty of the Cap
tain of an Engine Company, if he desires to take
his machine out of the district, to apply to the
Chcf Engineer, and if he is not in the district, to
the Assistants in the order of their rank" Had
the Captain of the Boxer applied to the Chief Gas
the law directs" inclined to believe that
"whatever was disorderly unbecoming" would
have been avoided; and the Company would not
have felt compelled to resort to the transparent
subtcrfuge Of resolving that somebody else is to
blame But this is not all.
The Boxer Engine Company, not only resolve
that somebody else is wrong, but also, that they
are right What the facts on which this assump-
ton is based' The Captain Of No. asks and OBJ
tains of the Chief Engineer permission to take his
machine to St. Adams. movement among tho
Aliens produces commotion among the Boxers,
and the Aliens do not reach the upper depot
than the Boxers reach the lower At this point
the right of the Companies to leave the district is
equal, with this difference: No has permission
from the Chief No. has no permission at all.
But No. discovers the Fourth Assistant Engineer
among them, and imagining they really at a
fire, and that the Fourth Assistant is the highest
in rank present, and clothed with all the power
conferred by section 4, they apply to him for or
ders to go to St. Adams, and he orders them to 60
As yet, nothing unpleasant, disorderly or unbe-
coming" occurs, and No. starts. At the upper
depot No finds No. ready to go under permits
sion from the Chief Now something " disorderly
ana uhDecoming does occur. No. insist upon
their right to CO. agreeably to the will of the Chief
No, persist in keeping their place, contrary to
the expressed will of the Chief, but in accordance
with the will of the Fourth Assistant whose order
was given while laboring under mental hallucina-
tion. The contest RACES between No and the
Head of the department of Engineers on one hand,
and No. and the Tail Of the department on the
other The Tail triumphs over the Head; and No.
goes to St. Adams and, in view of all the circum-
stances, do consider their conduct on the morning
Of the 18th inst. to have been right, and do up
hold and endorse theconduct of LIST Assistant Lyman
at the time" and furthermore, I" do tender to the
Fourth Assistant Engineer their thanks for the
able and judciOHs manner in which he has dischsrg
ed the duties of his Office"
With these facts, it is left with the Public to
decide where the blame ought to rest. W.
MONTPELIER, Oct. 26, 1858.
Messrs. Editors ofhs Free Pressj
There has been no question
before the House, as yet which has excited any
debate, save one or two questions Of order, and a
resolution to adjourn from Friday last, till Monday
at NJ
Mt. -.