Daily national Democrat., 1860-11-20
Trouble in the Fire Department.

The causes which have brought things to
such a crisis are easily explained
The City Council, previous to the October
election, repealed the ordinance fixing the
salary Of Chief Engineer Of the Fire Depart
ment at 5000 per annum, and that of the
Secretary at $500, and signifed their nten-
/ tion to reduce the former to $500, and the
latter to $3.50 per annum After this action
was taken by the Council ameeting was held
bv the Fircmon, in order to discuss the con-
tcmplatcd purposes Of the Council. AT this
meeting there was at first division of sent'
mcnt, one party desiring extreme measures,
and the other a more moderate policy. 1t
was finally agreed that respectful petition
should be presented to the Council, asking
| them to restore the salaries to the original
standard. This petition was accordingly
drawn up and signed by nearly the entire
Fire Department 1t was presented on the
night of the Firemen's annual election, and
the Firemen supposed that immediate action
would be taken on the subject The election
went on, and, in view of the uncertain state
of things existing. the candidates for Chief
Engineer, Mr.. Welsh and Mr.. Coolidge, were
pledged by their friends, if elected, not to
qualify for the office unless the Council re-
stored the original salary. With that under
standing the voting went on, and Mr.. w e]sh
was elected. As to the petition, some say il
was referred to the Committee on Fire and
Water and some say it was laid on the table.
Be that as it may, the first thing heard of it
by the Firemen was the action of the Council
on the ordinance reducing to one ordinance
the codifed ordinances of the city. This
ordinance was passed by the Council, and the
salaries of the Chief Engineer and Secretary
stood reduced, the one to $500, and the other
to $3.50. This ordinance also declared that
there should be a new election in January,
and that the power hitherto vested in the
Board of Delegates to appoint judges of elec-
tion should be taken from them and given to
the Mayor.
This ordinance was passed Monday even
ing week ago Last Saturday evening, the
Board of Delegates met and, after giving eX-
empt certificates to all fircmen who, accord
ing to the books, were entitled to them, re-
solved TO call mass meeting of the Fire De-
partment on tomorrow "wednesday even
ing, for the purpose of having a complete
concert of action and deyising measures
proper for the thorough and efeetual dis
bandment of the Department.
So the thing stands Mr. Welsh has refused
to qualify as Chief Engineer and his Assis-
tants have also refused to qualify. In Janu-
ary next, if the Council adheres to its course,
we will venture to say that not a solitary
vote will be cast by any fireman in the city.
There seems to be a unanimous opinion
among them, that the Council are wrong, and
that they ought not to submit to their action
We do not hesitate TO say that we agree
with the fremen in this view of the case
We believe they are entirely right, and that
they ought to maintain their present position.
The sum of 5000 is low enough as the
salary of the Chief Engineer 1t is very
responsible office, and requires great deal of
time and labor on the part of the person who
holds it. The Secretary also is required to
perform great deal of labor, and he cannot
afford to devote his time 10 the business for
any such pitiful sum as $3.50 year.
Aside from this, the taking OF the appoint
ment of the judges of election from the Board
of Delegates and giving it to the Mayor is a
direct insult to the entire Fire Department
1t signifies that, in the opinion of the Coun-
Gil, the Firemen are not fit to attend to their
own business, and that they are not to be
trusted in matters of so high import as the
appointment of judges of election for their
own officers. They must have the superior
wisdom of the Council to direct them.
Never, we think, in all the actions of the
Council, has there been displayed such
miserable policy as in this affair. Here is a
Department, the best, for its size, in the State
a Department which has had but few privi.
leges, and asked for few Department which
has devoted time and labor freely to saving
the property of citizens in periods of danger
and has often rescued the best portions of the
city from destruction; Department com
posed of sterling men, and not of the "roughs'
of the community. Such n Department as
this it is, that the Council are now pushing to
a diSbandment, and they will certainly dis
band, unless the Council recode from their
most unwise and unjust position.
What would be the result of such dis
bandment? Why, a new Department would
have to be organized, and never can one be
organized, outside of the material of the
present one to equal it in efficiency. Mean
time, what value will attach to property
which may at any moment be consumed
The rates Of insurance in this city are now tn,
same as at San Francisco. Break up thi
Fire Department, and property cannot be in
sured at any such rates
The course Of the Council is suicidal, and
we do not believe that it will be sustained by
the tax-paying citizens of Marysyille. Tn,
difference under discussion is not between tn,
firemen and the citizens, but, as we believe
if public sentiment were known, between th
citizens and fremen upon the one hand an,
the members of the City Council upon the
other.
a REVEREND SEA CAPrAIN.-The San Fran
cisco Pacific says;
1.-TWO or three weeks ago we had th,
pleasure of meeting the Rev. c. II. Barrett
commanding the clipper ship c. f. Willets
A minister-a sea captain rare enough