Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-09
THE FIRE BOARD.
a Breeze About the Interference of
the Council.

A Breeze About the Interference of
the Council.
The Board of Fire Commissioners held
it's regular weekly session yesterday
morning in the City Hall, Mayor Hazard
presiding, and Messrs, Keefe, Kuhrts,
Lowell and Moore present.
A number of demands aggregating
$270.67 were approved as read.
On motion it was ordered that Mr..
Duffy be notified tat no pavement
would be laid at engine house No. 4, as
projected, on account of the dispute as to
the ownership Of the property.
The following CO mmunicstion received
week ago was brought up for discus
sion:
GRNTLEMEN-The undersigned mem
bers of the Council of the City of Los
Angeles ask that you re-appoint William
6toermer to the position and pay of an
engineer of steam fire engine in your
department. We ask that the appoint
ment be made Immediately and that be
be placed in charge of one of the fire en-
gines Of the department
George P. McLain, Theodore Summer
land. HI. v. Van Dusen, A. N. Hamil-
ton, J. Fraukenfeld, James T. Brown,
A. @. Shafer.
Mr.. Lowell thought it ought to be fled.
Mr.. Kuhrts wanted it spread on the
minutes and motion adopted that Mr..
Sloermer receive the first appointment.
Mr.. Lowell said he did not propose to
have himself tied up as to future ap-
pointments. Mr.. Moore said he was
very glad Mr.. Lowell proposed to mani
fest an independent spirit. Mr.. Keefe
thought that to comply with q request
made in thit peremptory manner would
destroy the discipline of the department.
The Mayor said the action of seven
Councilmen in signing a document OF
such character was blow at the free
dom of action which the charter con-
templated the Commissioners should
have. The provisions in the new charter,
he said, relating to appointments
the Commissioners had proven to be a
most beneficial reform in the city govern
ment. These Commissioners had shown
themselves competent to discharge their
duties, and they we're entitled to that
consideration and respect which is due
from one department to the other. A
compliance with such a request the
Council well knew to be impossible, in
view of the depleted condition of the Fire
Department fund, unless it was their in
tention to make provisions for certain
individuals out of the public treasury.
This remarkable Communication, he
said, was an unwarrantable interference
with the duties and prsrogatives of the
Fire Commission, and was subyersive of
all discipline.
On motion of Mr.. Lowell the commu.
nlcation was ordered spread upon the
minutes, after which the same was filed.
Oa motion OF Mr.. Kuhrts the Chair
man appointed Messrs. Kuhrte. Lowell
and Moore as committee to draft suita.
Die resolutions on the death of John r.
Briefly, late member of Confidence
Engine Company No. 2, of the Volunteer
Fire Department, and the flags of the
department were ordered to be raised at
half-mast until after the funeral. as
tribute OF respect.
On motion it was ordered that $50 be
approp .iated from the Relief fund
towards defraying the expenses entailed
by the funeral of the late S. A. D.
Springer.
On motion of Mr.. Lowell it was or
dered that the rules and regulations gov
erning the department be made q special
order of business at the next regular
meeting.
The Chief was authorized to put up a
couple of stalls in the corporation yard
in East Los Angeles.
The Chief having stated that Temple
street was in such wretched condition
that the engines of the department could
not be drawn up it, the Superintendent
OF Streets was requested to fill up the
chuckholes in that thoroughfsre.
The board then adjourned.