Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-12
The Fire COmmissiOnership Ques-
1iOns

IN the washington columns OF journals outside
of this city on the fire commissionership ques-
be as well to briefly give. the facts in the case
fairly and diSpaSSonately, so that wrong i'm
pressions may not be made. On Aug. 7th. 1878,
the District Commissioners -reorganized the
OF the seven members. This they had full
power to do under the act of Congress. But
among the members so dropped was Mr. WmB
Reed, then absent in Europe; and whom the
Secretary of the Interior had appointed to re-
present the federal government on the fire
board-such appointment having been made
also in conformity with an act OF Congress.
Upon Mr.. Reeds return to the city he claimed
that his removal was illegal, he still holding his
commission from the Secretary of the interior.
obtained when Mr.; Morgan; the former govern
Commissioners took the ground that as the law
under which Mr. Reeds appointment was made,
provided that the appointee should be resi-
dent of the county u. e. the county of Washing
ton outside the limits Of Washington city and
Georgetown, as always understood), and as Mr..
Reed lived in this city, therefore he was not and
never had been legally member of the Board
of Fire Commissioners under his commission
from the Secretary of the Interior. In this view
they were sustained by the law officer OF the
District, Mr.. Riddle, and on Mr.. Reeds taking
the case into court the decision was against
him, and the District Commissioners construc-
ton OF the law was sustained against the con-
Struction of Attorney General DevenS, to whom
the question had been referred by Secretary
SchuTZ.
SO the matter rested until the last session of
Congress, when there was inserted among the
District appropriations in the sundry civil bill
clause appropriating $500 for two fire commits
sioners, Zone Of whom shall be appointed by the
Secretary of the INTERIOR, and s400 for the third
fire commissioner as secretary of the board-not
president and secretary" as errOneOufly pub
lished in some of the articles above referred to.
Secretary Schurz thereupon appointed Mr. Reed,
under this law, as one OF the members OF the fire
board. The District Commissioners refused to
recognize Mr.. Reed, not solely on the ground
that there was no vacancy in the fire board, as
enormously published, but because the clause
the government member Of the board should be
ga resident Of the county," and they notified
Secretary SchurZ that II he made an appoint
ment in conformity with that law they would
promptly reconstruct the fire board and admit
him. This the Secretary would not accede to.
In the meantime the District commissioners had
sent to the secretary sworn statementsin in refer
ence TO conduct of Mr.. Reed while fire commits
sioner, which they thought united him for reap
pointment. These statements Mr.. Reed denied
under oath, and the Secretary sustained him. So
e matter rs stood until s previous to 5e the
trict Commissionership, when the papers in
the case were submitted to the President
1t is understood that the present District Com
mSSionerS have stated to the President that
while they are satisfied they have acted in the
matter in strict accordance with the law and
for the best interest Of the District yet they do
not desire to set themselves and their opinion
against the federal authorities, and Will cheer
fully obey his orders in the premises. That is
the present status of the case.
1t is not worth while to say much about the
twaddle concerning the refusal of the Board Of
Fire Commissioners to recognize Mr.. Reed
What have they got to do with 1t any way?
They are appointed by the District Commission
ers to perform certain duties under the law.
Their recognition Of Mr.. Reed will not make
him fire commissioner If he is not one, and he
will hardly admit that their refusal to recog-
niZe him unmakes him. One Of the badly-in-
formed writer's on this matter a cOrreSOOndent
of the New York Times, says: ''The act referred
to egfslateS one Of the old members out OF Office
but neither Of them care to retire. and the Dis
trict Commissioners seem afraid to select one
OF them for decapitatiOn." In view of what is
stated above, it would seem to be extremely
doubtful whether Mr.. Reed would be any nearer
the realization Of his hopes in case one Of them
did retire. The fact is, that at very early
stage in this controversy the three members OF
the board in an interview with the District
commissioners, informed them that the resig-
nation OF any one or all of the members OF the
fire board were at their service whenever ne
cessary, to relieve them of embarrassment.