Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-28
A Plea for a Homo Fire Department.


To the Editor of the Globe:
In view of the discussion now at its height
pertaining to our fire department, as re-
CARDS the appointment of chief, and the
establishment of full paid department,
we ask indulgence in the columns of your
paper in the expression of few ideas. In
the first place We regard it as extremely ab-
surd for st. Paul to think of going to Chi
cago, Milwaukee or any other place, to find
material for chief of the fire department.
There has been mentioned, through the
columns Of your paper lin the controversies
recently engaged in), the names of men,
who, in my judgment, are competent to fill
the Office in question, as we'll as Shay or
any other man that may be mentioned.
Men who have had plenty of expert
ence in fire work, and so
far as sobriety is concerned,
if city with 10000 people in it is so des-
titute on this point that they cannot
find material out of which to supply their
demands, it is time for them to sell out.
I speak plainly because believe these are
plain and stubborn facts and must be dealt
with on that principle. If we are out of
proper material out of which to manufac-
ture chief, we had better send in an order
to some of our mother cities and have
eight or ten of them imported to order for
the position, with a view to have a SUP
ply on hand. If as city such as we are
we cannot run our own affairs, it is time
we began to take action that will supply
our needs. l venture the assertion, without
fear of successful contradiction, that we
have as good men here in St.
Paul, as can be found anywhere
to fill the Office of chief.
But it is we'll for all to remember that no
man placed in leadership of any force can
successfully execute his work without prop
er assistance. AS well talk of putting man
in command of an army of half starved
soldiers and expect him to make a sue
cessful march or successfully engage in
battle, as to expect the chief of a fire de-
partment to properly control or handle a
fire with half paid or over-worked force
of fremen. Orders cannot do work, they
must be backed up by brain, sinew and
muscle, and the man that serves as
fireman under salary of $40 to
S25 per month, and is Obliged to
work at something else to properly pro-
vide for himself, is not nor cannot
be prepared to properly discharge
his duties in either case.
The man that works all day and may
be called out of his bed in the dead hour
of night to answer the call of fire, is not
fit for his trade the next day, nor is he fit
after hard days work to answer the
summons of fire in the Night and properly
discharge his duties.
Let the city of st. Paul select from the
ranks of its men, man of sober habits,
who is trustworthy, (which in my judg-
ment they will have no trouble in fiLd1ng,)
place him in position, then back him
with the same class of assistance with
which they proposed to back up Mr.. Shay,
of Chicago, and We have no fears for the
result. At least until we have given our
own city fair trial, let US not
engage in any action that is calculated
to create discussions among us, and
in place of making matters better, make
them worse.
Mr.. Shay, in declining the position, has
very properly manifested his better judg-
ment in the matter, and think st. Paul
should profit thereby. Al.