St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-30
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A Card From Ex-Assistant Chief Hill
debrand.
To the Editor OF the GLOBE

debrand.
To the Editor of the GLOBE
ST. PAUL. Oct. 29.-At the time Of the ar
| rival of the Ahrens engine No. , saw that
there was going to be some i'll feeling if one
OF two tiremen, or stokers, was not promoted
to an engineers position when she was put
in service, and / thought it was my duty to
lay the case before the chief. j told him I
thought he should take one of our best en-
gineers 10 put on the new engine, and one
OF two stokers and give him one of the old
engines, as either one was able TO fiji the
position OF engineer. He answered that he
had his men picked out to go on the engine,
and they should go on, and from that day
up 20 the time l was let out I
was booked to he let out OF the
foul means, and he took the latter way OF do
ing it. Not being abe to End that had egg
lected my duty in any manner lie set a
watch on me by telling the Waterman at No.
4 (my headquarters TO keep 3 record of the
time that I arrived st the engine house and
report the same TO him. That falling to get
me, he gets so hard up that he puts up JOB
by telling me that the men in engine No. ,
house were not doing just as they should and
that l should stop on my way to my quarters
at that house and see how they conducted
themselves. found that one man was sure
to be around the saloon known as the Hole
in the Wall. That man was James Sullivan,
at one time lieutenant of engiae company
No. =. and was the man that was there for
the express purpose OF testifying that was
in the habit OF visiting the place, and
while l was at my dinner he would
visit the chief and report and receive further
instructions. Every time went into
saloon had police officer handy to prove
my actions while in there, as knew it was
trap for me, but l could not refuse. be-
cause that would be neglect of duty For
jim SulllvaD's record as a man of character,
l refer you to the first fireman you meet.
The headquarters, corner of Eighth and
Minnesota streets, should be named Hole-in-
the-Wal, as it has worse reputation, as the
chief knows and cannot deny. That place
has been the meeting point and general
headquarters for some of the lowest prosti-
tutes in the city, such as High Kicker Nell
Charity, Buffalo and dozen others that are
of the same stripe. The chief has known
of this all summer and fall up to the time ne
asked for my resignation; then there was aston
put to their coming in the house. Hehas set
on the walk evenings and heard the men
tell of their adventures and enjoyed it very
much. l did my best to stop such work
by ordering them ont and going for the men,
but what could be expected when the chief
sanctioned it by not stopping such doings.
There is a general order that says men,
Der caught sleeping at the quarters in the
daytime, unless there was a run the night
before, shall be discharged. The men under
his very eyes at headquarters paid no atten-
tO ha Ina - a hoc
them sleeping on chairs, benches and the
truck and other places, and has sat and
laughed at the amusement created by the
tricks played on them. If he had seen the
same thing in any other house he would de-
mand their badge and out they would go.
As to not working in harmony with him
that is his own fault, as can prove that he
was the one that created all the discord. He
has discharged members and then went to
or sent for them and told them that WIS
the one that got them discharged, so that
they would tell their friends in the depart
ment and get them down on me- but he
over shot the mark and the men got onto
his game and consequently think the less of
him for it. He did everything he could to
degrade me in their eyes, and 1 am glad to
say he did not succeed.
From the FIRST day of April up to my sus-
pension never knew OF en- appointment,
transfer or any changes of members only by
reading the daily papers or hearing his re-
port read TO the board. There has been
members in from three to four weeks that
did not know belonged to
the service until informed by
one Of the officers Of the company. That is
his way of working in harmony.
On the 9th day of October, 1866, I joined
Hope engine company No. L, and have been
a member of the st. Paul fire department
since that date, and l have always done my
duty to the best OF my ability and worked
for the best interest of the city in whatever
position l have been placed, how have con-
Quoted myself and whether / have done any
work, you, the citizens of the city are the
judges; the Witnesses brought to tarnish my
good name before the board condemned
| themselves. l leave them to their own mind
which viii punish them in the end; for my
self, l can look anyone straight in the eye
and say that l am innocent of any wrong
doing and that can substantiate everything
that have stated in this communication.
Respectfully yours, E. w. HILDEBRAND,
EK-Ass't Chief Engineer.