Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-24
DEMOCRATIC ALDERMEN-FIREM
Another Fire Cracker Goes { n.

The Standard yells like spanked baby over
showing up Of the unprecedented interference of
the board OF Aldermen with our Fire Depart
ment. 1t accuses us of an attempt to injure the
democratic party. If we had contracted to perform
that job, it would puzzle us to devise better plan
than that which has been carried out by the Al
dermen themselves. "Gve that calf more rope
said the farmer to his boy Give the democrats
rope enough and they are to hang themselves,
whether as constituting majority in board of
Aldermen or in the national House of Represen-
tative.. We don't think suicide of this kind
would be public calamity; we don't object to
that but what we do object to. is the recent bat
action Of the democratic Aldermen, prostitutng
the FIRE der arment Of Augusta to political purpos
| es-making it al ally of the democratic club to
catch voters. They have laid unholy hands upon
one of the best organized and most efficient fire
departments in the State. There should be per-
feet underst, nding and harmony of action between
| the Chief Engineer and bis forces. The demo
cratic Aldermen have absolutely cut these wires
Of communication. making the chief the merest
| cypner. They have so rJbbed that officer of his
| power, as to compel his resignation, as well as
that of his democratic chief, who refused to en-
dorse this high handed outrage by longer remain
ing in the department This prompt and manly
action of Mr.. Warren Robbins shows lis opini on
of the conduct of the party to which he belongs.
The democrats have been as strong in their con-
demuation Of this interference as republicans.
These democratic Aldermen have abused and in
suited the members Of the fire department-the
| men who man the brakes and run with the hose
carriage, who do the cork in times of danger
the Aldermen have insultsd these men by reject
ing their unanimous petitions asking for the ar
| pontment of certain men to subordinate positions
in the department. The Chief is usually person
| ally familiar with the men fitted by training and
physical makeup, to belong to the department;
but the democratic board of Aldermen took away
that officers right to appoint such, and vested
that duty in the board, so that they might pack the
| fire department NTH democrats. This little con-
temptible game was detected by the Atlantic
company, and rather than turn their engine house
| into den of thieves and robbers, they consented
to stand their ground for awhile, and thwsrt the
purposes Of these gentlemen so bent on reform"
| The Cushnocs resigned, but on reflection agreed
to bury their sorrows" ard forget the insults,
ra,her than expose to danger for night, the
property of the city. which is so largely entrusted
to their keeping. We honor them for this course
| We know the peculiar sensitiveness of the fire.
men when any of their conceded and established
rights are invaded and that they have been able to
endure with so much grace these studied insults,
and to rise superior to them all. is n display of
grace that but few men in their situation could
| exercise.
| The effort Of the democratic board of Alder
men to cover up their scheme and allay the storm
| Of public Indignation which they knew woul ID
| follow their action, by choosing two republican
engineers is too thin to wash BY so doing,
| they at once unconsciously admitted that they
were governed by partisan motives. "Now,"
reason these democratic Aldermen, these would
be fremen-"Now we have Just fixed the ordi.
| mances so that We hare the appointment Of trery
iadiridudl member Of the Auqustd fire department.
| some seventy-eight men. They shall be voters
and furthermore, they shall all be Democratic rot
FRS. These men shall each receive S25 q year.
and they will understa nd that the money comes
| through our influence, and that will help us in the
election next fall. True, Oscar Holwsy wants
Seth Clark, good democrat, appointed as driver
OF the city team. Wen give Clark lanplisht-
| er's position. and then he won't be in the way of
my nephew Oscar is too good democrat to nurse
| his anger, and " i'll get over it, as did Pnkham.
| who wanted to be Street Commis soner, but an
other Fish got hold of the hook before V. DIS
| nibble noticed But we've turned out Hen
Morse, and how are we going to stop the mouths OF
the republican howlersi" (Here bright thought
occurred to the sstute body I'VE WILL APPOINT
| TWO REPUBLICAN ENGINEERS. That will take
| off the cuss, you know. We have so changed the
ordinance as 10 rob them of all power except to
| direct affairs at a fire. so that our programme
may be carried out. Excellent. ha hal hal
And the "ha ha ha !" started by Walker, is taken
up by the returning board and the democratic
club, who decide that brighter programme
| could not we'll be devised.
| Although we have several times spoken at
length on thi. subject, it is by no means exhaust
ed. The more we look at it the more damaging the
| record Of our democratic Aldermen. and we pro-
pose as public Journalists, having at heart the in
teres.s of fair city, TO faithfully record these
departures from the we'll established usages of our
fire department.
THE sCRIBNER TRAGEDY.
AH-~