Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-04-12
Fulton Fire Company.

FULTON MO-, Apfli ll'-ih u
recent open letter addressed to Mr..
j, N, Tate, ASST sup't Deaf and
Dumb Institute, and published in
the Fulton Sun, you will see that
the Galloway Gazette refused to in
sert my letter, the alleged reason
being that it was 'ttoo hard on Mr.
Tate
AS soon as my letter appeared,
quite u number Of our business
men inquired of Mr.. Nichols, the
Gazette editor, what he meant by
refusing TO publish the Fire COM
pany's side of this matter. By this
time, Mr., Nichols saw his deadly
error in policy, and at once at
tempted to ''hedge' by giving itas
his excuse, that the article pub
lished had been greatly altered
from what it was when brought to
him. The only changes in the ar
ticle were in spelling and gram
mar, and this was done by the
printers, as usual. The fact is we
are controlled in many ways, Eek
cepting city politics. by a ring, and
when you hit one, they all feel it.
Therefore the columns of the Ga
zette and other papers are open to
only this crowd. Does this look
like Il free press?
The reporter here, for the Aux
vase paper, also a poodle tied to
"the ring" writes to that paper,
stating that the Fulton Fire COM
pany was jealous of the gentleman
from St. Louis, Mr.. Hahn, who as
sisted at the fire, and hence the
open letter to Mr.. Tate. This re-
porter, if he knows anything,
knows that no one man could have
had the least perceptible influence
in staying the ravages OF such a ter
rife conf1agration. He knows, as
we all know, that it took the most
strenuous efforts of the entire COM
pany, aided by many citizens be-
low. What the Fire company did
object to, however, was the sicken-
ing tafy given to it, and in such a
manner as to deny them proper
credit for the most valuable and
heroic work We ever saw. Mr..
Metz, a gentleman who saved the
inmates considerable, was nearly
killed, and remained indoors for
over six weeks, and although a poor
mechanic, neither Prof. Tate nor
the board, have ever inquired after
him in the least. Since seeing the
effect their niggardly policy of re-
fusing proper recognition to the
Fulton boys has produced, Mr..
Tate and his advisers are anxious
to let the matter drop, but they
cannot refrain from firing some
parting shots charged with lying
insinuations, and it is this that
calls out this letter.. MI. Tate in
a %supercilious manner claimed the
other day he did not know me-
That he is not acquainted with
members of the Fire company, al
though living close together for 16
years, does not speak well for Mr..
Tate as an officer having in charge
$780, 600 worth of public buildings,
We who risked our lives on that
steep slate roof, within 16 feet Of
those gigantic tongues of fire, and
showed that Fulton people were
worthy of being entrusted with the
States property, feel that we ought
to recommend that henceforth the
Legislature insure the Fulton
asylums for all they are worth, i
the present niggardly, tactless anc
contemplate policy is pursued by
its managers. In conclusion I will
say that just prior to the Fulton
Fire boys climbing the roof there
was not another soul on the grounds
that would have risked his life or
that steep roof, and no n would
have given SIS for what is now
saved and which guarantees the in.
stitution to remain; yet for accom-
plishing in the dire moment of dis
tress, what is now of so much ben
eft to this ~supercilious ring, oul
brave boys have been supercilious
ly snubbed and given to understand
that they do not feel under any oh
legation to them whatever.
WALTER GERow,
Ex-Fire Chief.