The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-09-30
The City Council and the Fire De
partment.
To the Hon. the City Council
of the City of CantO]

Of the City of Canton.
The undersigned in behalf of the
Washington Fire Company, and of
Fire Department generally, Of the
city of Canton, having read the pro-
ceedings Of your honorable body Of
Monday evening, Sept. elst, feels, in
duty to himself, and the fire depart
ment generally to address you. And
he feels the more emboldened to do so
from the fact, that he has been Cap
tain OF the Washington Fire COmpa-
ny for the last fifteen years, and dur
ing ali that time has always been
present at every fir doing his duty
as a fireman, and it is reasonable to
suppose that in fifteen years of active
/ service as a fireman he would acquire
some little knowledge OF the wants
and feelings of tiremen.
At a former meeting Of yOul honor
| able body, ThOs. w. SaXton was ap-
| pointed Chief Engineer of the Fire
Department of Canton. The under
| signed, nor the firemen generally do
not wish to enter into a discussion of
| the right of your honorable body, to
select the Chief Dngineer of the fire
| department, nor does the firemen of
| Canton seek to dictate what the cOun-
| ell shall do. The firemen, the council,
and the citizens generally, have u
| common interest In the preservation
Of the property of the citizens of Can
/ ton, and if harmony and good feeling
does not prevail among those who are
| to be actively engaged in the preser-
Wvaa nf n1f fn h.
! prOpeaty holders might be the result.
| We desire in this communication to
| indicate to your honorable body, that
in the appointment of Mr. SaXton as
Chief Engineer, great violence has
been done to the feelings and wishes
| of the firemen of-Canton. And in
| our Judgment, great injury to the
| property holder, as we cannot get
harmonious action in the preservation
of property with Mr. Saxton at the
head of the fire department., and as
proof of the assertion here made, l
will state that when Mr. SaXton was
captain Of the Rescue company, there
was an eternal Wrangling and discOrd
between the Rescue and Washington
companies, which greatly impaired
the usefulness of both, but when Mr.
Dunbar succeeded to the captaincy of
the Rescue company, the two cOmpa-
MES could then work in perfect har-
mony. do not here assert whether
this was through the efforts of Mr.
SaXtOn to breed discord, or the efforts
OF Mr. Dunbar to cultivate harmony
and good feelings among the members
Of the different fire companies. Such
at leait wrs the result.
will now cite you to the action OF
the firemen of this city, to the men
who have for long series of years,
labored with their utmost exertiOn
and as we think with as much success
as any city of like facilities in staying
the ravages of the great destroyer OF
property,
At the monthly meeting of the
Washington Fire Co., held on the 9th
inst. l informed my company of the
appOinsment by the Council OF Nj
SaXton as Chief Engineer, and soon
discovered that there was great OBJ
LECTION to the appointment, as it was
agreed that while Mr. SaxtOn was
captain of the Rescue Co. there seemed
to be disposition in him to breed
disc0rd between the members of the
different fire companies, and made
strenuous efforts to keep down the
feeling of discomfort that said ex
hibited, and then proposed, that OF
l lAAC 41OnOAy 4O4lOh DCluk
the 7th instant, and the annual meet
ing Of all the fire companies, I would
at that meeting propose the names o
Thomas W SaXtOn and +. a. Dunbar
both former captains of the Rescue
as Chief Engineer of the fire depart
t ment. at said meeting q vote of tn
Washington fire company was taken
, which resulted in the unanimou
, choice of Mr.. lumbar, Mr.. SaXtol
not receiving a vote. There was
, like result In the Rescue company.
With this result and and the stron
, | expression of opinion of the fireme
: OF this cIty,we feel that the city couu
ell must see that the best interests {
. the property holders of the city {
4 Canton, will induce to appoint MI
Dunbar. We know him to be a Wig
O liant and active fireman and gentle
:. man, and that the interest of tn
+ proberty holder would be safe i'll h
hands.
In the published proceedings {
your honorable body, there are a fe,
items and expressions that l feel,
duty to the tiremen, called upon [
:. notice. We have always looked upO
3, Mr.. Schaefer af the firemans frient
h And he has been grossly deceived,
he has been informed that firemen
: standing as such, have made use
n the language attributed to them. "N
Il will do as we dam please" nor do IL
, firemen wish to treat the council
- "BOys and BoobiOs," as was remarl
u ed by Mr. Schaefer. The firemen SIT
r. entertain, the same kindly feeling
d towards Mr. Scharfer, that they ha1
a always done, and we cannot but b
= lieue that when Mr.. Schaefer is mat
IL aware of the unanimity of feeliI
e, existing among the tiremen, as TO u
m uan who should rule over them,
Of will at once conclude, that the actiC
of the council has been rather prem
% ture, and that that the wishes al
ne feelings of the firemcn should ha
ne been consulted, and that for the gO
st of our citizens generally, it is bC
.f for the council to retrace a stey, as
- think, taken in wrong direction
Ut In the same proceeding, Mr.. Andt
pit son is made to say. 'Now the col
he panies have gone to work, and elect
m a man in defiance of the council
1P Mr.. Anderson is q man of too go
ny sense to seriously think that the f
companies intended to defy the COT
no Gil. In their action, in indicating t
. man of their choice no such disrespt
~ was intended. They only desired
show to the council that they h
plaed a man over them as chief, wi
ad (had their wishes been consuItt
could scarcely have obtained a W
aS for the position, and now, besng M
tic aware of that fact, we do not thi
ed the honorable council will act
A ''Boobies and Children" but as W
men, in changing their action.
With much respect,
G. OBERLY, Capt. Washington F
on Co. and in behalf OF the firemen