The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-09-23
The City Fire Engines. &c.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
In your issue of the 22d instant, among the
proceedings of the City Council, you state
that Alderman T. J. Mackey said that the
Board OF Firemasters had, in their mode OF
complying with the recent ordinance, seen fit
to treat the Council with perfect contempt.
This most excellent specimen Of aldermanic
greatness sees fit for purposes of his own to
construe matters as he pleases. 1t may be
that he vas chagrined because the committee
Of the Board of Firenasters insisted on pri-
man was requested to leave the Council room.
Now, what is the true state of the case
Council passed this Mackey ordinance, by
which the city has to pay s1O,soo additional
for the support of six colored engine compa-
nies that cannot earn the sixteenth part Of this
amount, and, in doing this, one company was
dsbanded that has been in the department as
an auxiliary for twenty years. This, however,
was done I suppose, to strengthen this Alder
Management in his future political career.
Maybe it will. The Council had the power to
pass the ordinance, and no dlsrespect was ever
intended or offered. Immediately after the
passage Of the ordinance, several colored per-
sons unknown to the Chief called at his resi-
dence and demanded the two engines-one
belonging to No. and the other used as re-
serve. These engines, with all the city proper
ty belonging to the Fire Department, have
always been held by the board, and not by the
Chief The demand w's refused on the ground
that no official communicat alton had been given
the board by the proper officer OF the City
Council. On the following day, the Chief
received q communication from the Mayor, in
forming him Of the passage Of the ordinance,
and sending by one of the parties the ratified or
dinance. The demand was again refused by
be waited on the next day, which he was by the
Chief and the chairman and vice of the board
very friendly intervieI was held; the Mayor
agreeing that what had been done was correct,
and requesting that his communication should
be laid before the board at its first meeting as
official. This was done, and the board passed
a resolution requiring the Chief and clerk to
deliver over to the Mayor and Council all the
engines, hose reels, hose and other articles
held by them relating to the city engines.
This was accordingly done by the Chief and
clerk, and no fault was found by the Mayor.
Appended to the same resolution was one from
the board giving (as their opinion) the value
OF the five engines and the two thousand feet
Of hose at $4,000. The engines and reels we're
valued at $400 each, the same price paid by the
Stonewall and Young America Companies and
the two thousand feet OF hose at 81 per foot.
Now. we ask, we're these proceedings iu any
way offensive to either his Honor the Mayor
or the City OouncilP Certainly the Mayor did
not think 30. The board were not bound to
receive the Mayors communication as official,
but did Sd from courtesy. 1t has always been
customary for oil official communications to be
sent to the board from the clerk Of the City
Council. In this case none has been 80 sent
even up to the present time.
So much for "Ald srman-general Thomas
Jefferson The resolutions Of the board which
were communicated to the Mayor will doubt
less be laid before Council, as the same was
directed Ito the Honorable Mayor and Alder
men," ONE OF THE BOARD.