The morning call., 1891-02-15
EVERYTHING Is
NOT HARMONIOUS.
Another Lively Meeting of the
Fire Commission.
Tie Votes Clog All Business Rule for the
appointment of Substitutes Negligent
Men on Trial.

There was deadlock in the proceedings
of the Board of Fire Commissioners yester-
day. Every motion to transact business
was lost by vote of to 2-Schmidt and
AmeS against Newman and Martin. Com
missioner Parsons, who of late has voted
with Martin and Newman, was absent, aud
consequently, there was tie vote on eyery
proposition OF any importance.
Chief Engineer Walter S. Moore of the
Los Angeles Fire Department was present,
and an amused spectator of the peculiar
proceedings. The routine began by Chief
Scannell reporting that all the apparatus in
the department is in good working order.
John Barry, a hoseman, attached to
Engine Company 8, sent in a communica-
ton asking that the board recommend the
payment TO him of $50 for injuries sus-
tanned by falling from hose-cart while GO
ing to fire on the Sd inst. The Chief said
he had not been informed of the accident,
and the application was laid over for one
week for investigation.
AN AFFIRMATIVE OPINION.
An opinion was received from the City
and County Attorney in reference to the
right of the Board of Supervisors to dele
gate power to the Fire Commission to re-
pair eDgine-houses when the sums to be ex-
pended amount to less than $500. The opin-
ion says the Board of Supervisors has
the right to do So An amend
ment to the rules in reference to the
appointment of substitutes, which was in
troduced by Chairman Newman at the pre-
vious meeting, again came up for c0nsidera-
ton. 1t provides that substitutes should
be appointed by the assistant engineers in
the various districts; that stokers and stew
ards be appointed by the board, and that
substitute engineers pass the same eXanl-
inatiCn as regular engineers.
Then began the vote of two to two that
characterized the remainder of the proceed
iDgs A motion to lay the matter over for
another week was lost, Ames and Schmidt
voting in the negative. The same vote
caused the defeat of a motion to adopt the
amendment, and so the matter stood as it
did before Newman introduced the new
rules.
1t seems to me-" urged Newman, feebly,
we ought to have some rules governing
the appointment of substitutes"
INVESTIGATING CHARGES.
His remarks were not needed, and the
attention of the board was called to the
TACT that charges had been p'elerred against
james Crowley, who was accused OF having
failed to respond to i've alarms during the
month of January. Crowley, who is an eX-
| ira man attached to Engine s. pleaded that
lie had reSDOudeu 10 Two OF Inc alarms, DuG
| failed to answer the other three because he
| had moi heard them, the gong in his house
| beipg out of order. The regular tie vote
defeated n motion to sustain the charges.
Chairman Newman suggested that the
| Chief be instructed to severely reprimand
the offender but the matter was disposed Of
by the Chief saying with warmth that he
understood his duties and the Instruction
was unnecessary.
The trial of John Sweeney, Thomas Hig-
| gins and Charles Baderaco, of Truck 4, also
| charged with having failed to respond to
alarms. was postponed for one week ewing
| to the absence of witnesses. 1t was dis
covered that these men had not been sus.
pended, and Chief Scannell said that he had
instructed District Engineer Mccarthy to do
| so. This Mccarthy denied, aud the Chief
| then approached his subordinate and gave
| this simple order: "You will suspend those
men at once, sir"
| APPOINTING SUBSTITUTES.
Whats the use of suspending men,
asked Newman, when there are no rules