Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-20
WANTS A NEW CHIEF.
Mayor Gourley Turns His Batteries
Upon the Bureau of Fire.
CHIEF BROWN AGREES WITH HIM
And the Result Will Be Long Communi-
cation to Councils.
THE DEPARTMENT BEHIND THE TIMES

Councils will have several important mat
ters to attend to at their next meeting
Prominent among these will be q communi
cation from Chief Brown concerning the
Fire Bureau. For a long time past the Chief
has been convinced that Pittsburg is sadly
in need of something better in its fire-fight.
ing department. Equipments all around are
little better than 25 years ago, when the city
was village compared to what it is now.
The Chief has recognized this fact but has
been unable to remedy the defects. Urged
on by the disastrous results of several recent
fires, he has been more outspoken than be-
fore in his claims.
A fire boat and water tower have both be-
| come necessities and the head of the Depart
ment of Public Safety has not been slow to
speak his mind in the matter Another fea-
ture of the question he has been reserved
about until Mayor Gourley broke the ice
Monday in n letter urging the necessity of a
| new Superintendent.
What the Mayor Has to Say.
This letter was made public yesterday, and
| is as follows:
j.. o. Brown, Chief of the Department Public
DEAR S1R-At the last meeting of Councils there
presented to that honorable Body by the under
writer's of this city a communication touching our
sideration. While you are Investigating matters
called to the attention of Councils in that Important
time to consider the propriety of complete reor-
| ganizatiOn of your Fire Bureau?
to the requirements of the times? Is there incom-
| petent management of fires? These are questions
tSEs city "'As' OS 'ne 'i'i1en' anu taxpayers o'
" Whatever the qualifications Of the men consti-
their courage in the discharge of their dangerous
and chGa dGT dns sd they are
SasIeu SiSs t$5Sroush5y $ sSalgpsd r the
present superintendent is not in your own judg-
ment such an officer, is amply attested by your own
make Of the at e
your fire bureau He has spent long years and the
wish to state Tor your @ information m ito that there is
widespread feeling in the community that the
important department should pass into other
| hands.
Confessed Necessity for a Change.
You, yourself have repeatedly voiced this senti-
| ment, and it is principally upon your own utter
ances that base this communication. That you,
months ago, recognized the pressing necessity Of
change is evidenced in the fact that you endeavored
to secure the passage of an ordinance creating
new office and authorizing the appointment by you
Of an officer to fill It at salary of s3 600 year.
was to supersede the present Superintendent as,
sume the duties of that official and become the head
OF your fire bureau.
After that ordinance had passed select council
and before 1t was presented to the common branch,
you came to my Office and asked me if l would ap-
prove the measure. Before answering, l inquired
If it was your intention to retain the existing
ston the duties and % WITCH
BY By the ordinance, transferred to newly created
remark that prominent politician, giving the gen.
tleman's name, would not permit his removal.
nance for the reason that 1 could not favor legis-
lation that created new office with large salary
ton, in lucrative sinecure, of the superntendent
whom the new appointee was intended to super
sede.
Hard Slap at an Unnamed Official.
The ordinance, therefore, never reached Common
Council. 1t was permitted to die. As conse-
quence, protection from fire in this city is en-
trusted to the of department under the direct
superintendent of an officer whose incapacity you
Simply because, as you admit, single individual
not connected in any manner with the city
not be made. 1 make charges. base these re-
marks upon well-defned knowledge Of your own
and upon you the responsibility rests. The fire de.
partment Is maintained and supported by the
and they in return have right to expect iS the best
possible service. That service cannot be rendered
efforts and unquestioned ability of the man who
1 call your attention to this matter because be-
leve 1t to be in the line of my duty, and do so in
re earhesI r h nope p nmal Ine Inc de
fully yours, H. 1. GOURLEY Mayor.
The letter was largely commented ON yes
terday. When Chief Brown was seen he
said:
Chief Brown Agrees With His Honor.
ri agree with Mayor Gourley about the
necessity of head to the fire department.
The great trouble is the Mayor wants to
knock out Chief Evans. This 1 am opposed
to. He has served the city faithfully and
should not be cast aside now. My idea is to
have o fire director fully competent to
manage the department. at work. Mr. Evans
could act as superintendent, similar to the
Superintendent of Police. propose to
present the case to Councils at the next
meeting.
"There are other changes alsojust as much
needed rs this. We must have a fire boat or
water tower in order to cope with the flames
in the business portion of the city. 1 have
several letters from coal merchants on the
subject of increasing the apparatus in this
way"
The idea of creating the new office of Fire
Director and still keeping Mr. Evans in his,
position, has been before Councils in the
form of an ordinance twice and has failed to
pass. What action those bodies will take
on it a third time cannot be told but 1t Is
probable that If they consider it favorably
the Mayor will veto any ordinance to that
effect, although he will not say so,