The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-18

On the twelfth Of April Chief of Police Boy.
Ian issued the following order:
[Copy of order issued to all stations. this date
at II: 10 a. IN
New ORLEANS. April 70.
Commanding. officers are hereby ordered Ia
instruct their force that from and after this
date reports of fires must be made strictly &C.
eording to the actual facts such as the origin,
der no circumstances will the police force be
aloW-dto make any comments Ia reports OF
res which can give color to preiudice n favor
mont No mention must be made MS to which
en- . Of the srriyed first which
departments than tina, r q 3D. r. R9'BiSo6Y 1.N
Chief of Police.
AS soon as this extraordinary order, to say
the least OF it, became known to the chair
man of the fire committee OF the board of
underwriters he called upon Chief Boylan Tor
an explanation. This was on Saturday night,
April ID. 1873. z..G
Chief Bovlan, with his known acumen. did
was altogether indefensible, but proceeded
very naturally and properly to explain that
the order had been brought about and pro-
cured by the persistent though unjustifiable
complaints Of Chief O'Connor against police
reports, whenever they gave any credit to
the Babcock and Salvage corps for merito-
riOus services at fires or prompt attendance.
Chief Boylan then remarked that the Mayor
had sent him request for q copy OF his
order, and he expressed hope that an inter-
view between the Mayor and the chairman of
the fire committee would lead to O satisfac-
tory adjustment of the mischief created by
Mr.. OConnor's opportunities. Upon this I'M
derstanding the chairman OF the fire COM
mittee withdrew promising to interview the
Mayor on Monday. "I
On Monday, April ID, the fire committee Of
the Board OF Underwriters met at II o. m,
and in q body proceeded to the Mayors Office
IN frofn a M rf
the foregoing order, and to urge upon the
Mayor the propriety II not the necessity, OF
issuing orders the very reverse OF those thus
improvidently issued by the chief Of police,
in order to rid himself Of the opportunities OF
Chief OConnor.
To the utter surprise, we may say disgust,
OF the ommittee, the Mayor sided with Mr..
O'Connor In this unjustfiable attempt to stife
with shield OF darkness sufficiently thick to
cover up any shortcomings In the discharge
Of their duties as heretofore exhibited by the
police reports.
Mayor Pilsbury lost sight OF the public
welfare, which demands prompt attendance
at all fires by the fire department. go extrava-
gantly paid by the city authorities), and only
remembered that 1t might be unpleasant for
the tiremen. his courted constituents, to be
reminded, no matter how truthfully, Of the
Babcock and Salvage corps, TO whose sup
port the city, coerced by healthy public
opinion, at last contributes mere pittance.
It became painfully evident to the committee
that Mayor PiIsbury's frame Of mind would
warrant the belief that nothing short of a
statute making it highly penal offense to
even utter the name of the "fire depart
ment," except with awe, reverence and abiect
subservency, could satisfy his ambitious
soul.
1t Is truly refreshing to read In the Plea
y,t,,e that Mr.. O'ConnOr, the head and front,
the prime mover, If not the actual author Of
Chief Boylans order, ingeniously called on
the Mayor for information in reference there
to. 1t must have been grand spectacle to
observe the two municipal magnates In that
impressive interview.
As to the Mayors explanations (so-called),
the least said about them the better. In spite
Of all explanations, criminatlOns and recrimi-
nations, one fact Is certain: A shameful at
tempt has been made to suppress the truth
and that attempt has been countenanced by
the Mayor of New Orleans.
o tempora! o mores! pop,tlus hTc intelhgH
EINnEy