The Portland daily press., 1880-04-20
City Government.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL.
Exciting Debate Over the DISARMAMENT
Of Steamer No. 2.

Exciting Debate Over the DISARMAMENT
Of Steamer No. 2.
A special meeting of the City Council was
held last evening and the following business
transacted
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
The full Board was present, Mayor Senter
in the chair.
| REPORT OF COMMITTEES.
The Joint Standing Committee on Finance
| upon an order of the City Council in relation
to amendingthe ordinance empowering the
| City Treasurer to purchase undoubted secur'
tiles in aid of the sinking fund, other than the
bonds of the city, reported same inexpedient
at present. Accepted.
The Committee on Unimproved Real Estate
reported on the measures and bounds of GER
| tain real estate purchased of the city by e. P.
| Chase, recommending that the same be cor
rected. Accepted.
The Committee on Engrossed Bills repor ted
as properly engrossed the ordinance relating to
the sinking fund. Accepted.
| The Joint Standing Committee on Finance
reported upon the petition Of Retear Drink
| water, as per petition dated Feb. Z, requesting
the City Treasurer to pay $50 for coupon lost,
recommending the passage of an order giving
| the Treasurer power, provided bond salts
| factory to the Mayor and Solicitor be given
| holding the city harmless.
Also upon petition of Beza Lincoln, for cou-
| pom lost; same conditions. Report accepted
and ordered passed in each case.
The Joint Standing Committee on Fire De-
| partment, upon a communication from the
Board of Engineers of the Fire Department,
| reported, recommending the suspension from
| duty of Mr.. Gushing, third assistant engineer,
| for encouraging by his vote insubordination
| in the department, as per recommendation OF
| the Board of Engineers by vote passed April
| 49, 1880. Report accepted.
The Joint Standing Committee on Fire De-
| partment reported upon communication from
the Board of Engineers of the Fire Depart
ment, recommending that the action of the
Board of Engineers be sustained; which is
| that Portland Engine Co. No. 2, except the
engineer, be suspended from duty for insubor-
lect of duty, per vote of Engineers passed
April 10, 1880. Report accepted.
ORDERS PRESENTED.
To Empower the committee ON streets, side
walks and bridges to purchase for the use OF
| the city granite paving blocks to an amount
| not exceeding in value $4,000, the same to be
| charged to the appropriation for said COM
| mittee when made. Passed.
Fixing the salary Of the judge of the NUM-
| cipal court at $1,000 for the year ending March
| 81, 1881. Passed. Also salary of t-uant officer
at $500 per aunum for the present year.
| Passed.
| Ordered Pearl street be paved between Con-
gress and Middle streets by the committee on
streets, sidewalks and bridges. Passed.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
OF j. B. Brown for city's proportion of ex-
penSe dredging dock adjoining Berlin Mills
wharf, with interest. Amount claim I'D $991.5O.
Referred to the committee on claims.
OF f. N. Dow for permission to erect a
3-story block on Neal street for dwelling
houses. Referred to the committee on new
wooden buildings
Of N. Tarbox to keep livery and boarding
stable corner of Pearl and Milk streets. Re-
ferred to the committee on license.
Of w. H. Anderson ct ais. for sewer in
Cumberland street between State and Mellen
streets. Referred to the committee on drains
and sewers.
OF Jennie E. Eastman to be licensed as an
intelligence office keeper. Referred to the
committee on licenses with power.
Bond of Cyrus NOVEL; as auditor was pre-
sented and approved.
A communication was received from the
Board of Overseers of the Poor recommending
that the city assume the expense of retaining
Mr.. Edward Smart at the insane asylum at
Augusta. Order to that effect passed.
Geo. L. Warren and Chas M. Lowell were
appointed special police without pay.
Rensselaer, Greedy was appointed under
taker and special policeman without pay.
+. Goth was licensed to sell gun powder.
Two insane persons were sent to the Insane
Asylum at Augusta.
On motion of Alderman Chapman the
various papers coming from the committee on
fire department were laid upon the table to be
considered in joint convention.
The other business of the Board having
received consideration the papers reported
from the committee on fire department were
taken from the table and joint convention
held.
IN JOINT CONVENTION.
The Mayor read the communication from
the Board of Engineers in regard to Portland
Engine Company No. 2, also the report of the
committee on fire department in regard to the
same.
Also in regard to the suspension of Mr..
Cushing as Sd Assistant Engineer.
Alderman Deering, chairman of the COM
mittee on fire department offered an order to
the effect that Portland Engine Company No.
be dsba nded.
Also that Mr.. Cushing, Sd Assistant En-
gineer of the fire department be and is hereby
suspended from duty in such office
Councilman Soule asked if any information
was in the possession of the City Council in re-
gard to the charges contained in said commune
cation from the engineers.
Alderman Andrews insisted that the duty of
the convention was to consider whether or not
the charges were we'll founded and then to act
in accordance with the fact.
Alderman Deering stated that Engine Co.
No. had, through the foreman, refused to
obey orders of the Board of Engineers, and
read as his information charge made by Mr.
Littlefeld Chief Engineer
Alderman Sargent stated that to his mind he
received verbal orders from Mr.. Littlefeld as
Chief Engineer, to run under the old running
card, and further that he considered the Chief
Engineer had exceeded his authority in at :
tempting to execute orders without the ap-
proval Of the City Council. He also claimed
that no order as understood by the company
had been disregarded.
Acknowledging stated several instances in
which he claimed the company has disregarded
the orders of the Board of Engineers and he
considered the company as under insubordina-
ton from such facts as had come to the atten-
ton of the Committee on Fire Department.
Councilman Thurston called for hearing
upon the merits of the question before the City
Council.
Alderman Taylor, speaking for the commit
tee, said that he desired the fullest informa-
ton. The question of discipline in the fire de-
partment was grave and responsible one and
he believed that discipline was essential to the
safety and welfare of the CITY,
Councilman Galley claimed that the pro-
posed action was high-handed and uncalled
for proceeding.
Counclmen Marks and Fisk cited several
instances in which they claimed the orders of
the Board of Engineers had been disregarded.
Alderman Chapman was of the opinion that
the Chief Engineer should be heard and his
statement in detail laid before the Council. He
would like to know whether or not this was
genuine attempt on the part of the Board of
Engineers to discipline the fire department.
Mayor Senter stated that one point in the
case was that all the companies except No. 9