Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-02
AT LOGGERHEADS
Are the Officers of the Fire De-
partment Various Causes -
The New Ordinance.


casual observer at Council on Thursday
evening, that the most perfect harmony
does not exist between the three heads
of the Fire Department in this city. On
the contrary there is dead lock IN
opinion, with each party ready to fight
it out to the bitter end. Chief Eccles
and the two Assistants, Isaac Carpen-
ter and Fred. Never, have declared war
against each other, and if a flag OF truce
is displayed during fire, it only covers
the point of the sword which remains
treuchanta as before. Thequarrel has been
taken up by Council and waged as
bitterly as though personal there, and
more than half OF Thursdays session
was taken up in fierce and angry dis
cussiOn. Accusations and cOunter-ac-
eusations were made until an outsider
could scarcely refrain from the thought
that il half of them were true, what
must he the condition OF our depart
ment?
The Assistant Marshalls are arrayed
against the Chief, and rtce rerSd, and
which is in the right would be a difficult
matter TO say. Both say the difficulty
originated with the recent appointments,
but this is not literally true, as bicker-
ings have been constantly taking place
since the last election. All are good
firemen, and this quarrel resolves itself
into a simple struggle for the suprema-
CIV. The Chief s hackers represent the
fallacy of holding him responsible Tor
men who do not recognize hisauthorlty;
the other side are COntending against
what they term lone man power,
and for the support of what they be-
lieve TO be the proper enforcement OF
existing ordinances.
These arguments were used and en-
larged upon at the meeting OF Council,
i'm the discussion of the proposed ordl-
nance, re-establishing the department,
a synopsis of which will be found below.
The REGISTER views the situation from
an intermediate standpoint, and pre-
sents the views OF all without sympathy
for or utilization with either.
We hunted up Chief Marshal Eccles
Yesterday, and asked him what was the
difficulty between him and the Assist
ants. He expressed himself briefly as
follows:
"When came into my position, |
found the department in very dllapl-
dated and demOraliZed condition. There
was great lack of order, discipline and
system everywhere. / have worked
hard and earnestly to build it up, and
can point with pride to the result. |
can submit to inspection any and every
house in the city with certainty OF APP
probation, and bring men to verify
what | saw.
"The trouble with Carpenter and Mey-
ers is right here. They want to run
things themselves and leave Inc out in
the cold. They want TO fill the positions
with their friends and relatives without
regard TO their efficiency or capablllty,
and | won't let it he so. They have
been working against me, and the May
or can tell you so, ever since my cleo
ton. have endeavored TO fulfill my
duties to the best of my abilities and will
continue Ia do what l think is right.
Carpenter j. especially troublesome and
has always been SO, and neither of them
will work with me, but always against
me. | have made my appointments
and am going to put the meE to work
and that ends il.
Mr.. EcclrS said much more, but it was
of the same general effect, and we hunt
cl up Messrs. Carpenter and Myers to
hear their version of the story. Mr..
CARPENTER was rather warm and indig-
nant and inclined to proceed to eXtrem-
tiles. Mr.. Myers was very cool and col
lected and disposed to support his
position by argument. We asked varl-
Gus questions and were answered, some
times by one and the other and both.
In regard to the trouble with the chief,
they said: "Eccles has been constantly
violating every ordinance of the depart
ment and continually ignoring and
Stumbling us. Although members and
n majority of the Board of Control, we
have really no voice in anything. Eccles
does it all and sets us aside. We had
no particular trouble with him until the
meeting of the Board for the purpose of
appointments. We proposed to act I'M
der the 18th section of the ordinance
which is as follows: Immediately on
the election of the Chief and Assistant
Marshals as is herein provided, 1t shall
be their duty to prepare rules and reg
ulatiOns for the government OF the
officers and members of the department,
and shall give notice that they are pre-.
pared to receive applications for MEM
berShip, but shall receive the appllca-
ton of no one under the age OF twenty
one wears. They shall then nominate,
from among the appliCants), 10 COun-
Gil for consent and appreciation, one
foreman, four eXtramen, one englneman,
one fireman, one hostler, for each fire
engine; one foreman and five eXtramen
and one hostler for each hook and lad
der company
"Well, We met with him on Tuesday
last To make up the list. He brought
Frank Healy, his secretary, in with him,
and he had his list of men and his rules
and regulations all made out. There
were some men on his list that we
objected to, but he said they were go
ing to be the men, whether we wanted
them or not. His secretary then read
his rules over once. wanted to take
them and examine them at our
leisure, as there were some
to which we did not agree, But Eccles
said he wanted those rules and was go
Ing to have them"
"Now, that is the way we stand. I'm
der the ordinance we are majority OF
the Board OF Control, butwe have moth
inc to say. Eccles is going around now
discharging men and replacing them
with Others without mentioning it to us.
We appeal to Council and the public if
we are not right"
Mr.. Carpenter was very Indignant
over the rumor that he was the man
who made the interruption in Council,
an account OF which was given in yester-
DAVIS REGISTER. He styles it "a piece
of spite work of Eccles and his secre-
tary, Healy.'
Section first divides the city into two
fire districts, one above and one below
Wheeling creek.
Section two provides for the election
of a Chief and two assistant Marshalls
at the first Council meeting in Decem-
Der, or as soon thereafter as practicable,
they to continue in office until their
successors are qualified.
Under section three the Chief, the as
sistants and the Council Committee on
Fire Department shall constitute the
Fire Department of the city.
Section four gives the Chief the power
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