The morning call., 1891-06-04
SMILEY READS LAW.
Unlawful AppOintees in the Fire
Department.

Between Chairman Ebert of the Super
visoral Finabce Committee and Auditor
Smiley certain members of the Fire Depart
ment are having a hard time OF it. Ebert
has long believed the department was being
run remarkably loose aud extravagantly
Tie report of his expert. published in sub
stance in yesterdays CALL, fully justifeS
his suspicion.
Now comes another stumbling-bl0ek in the
person Of Auditor Smiley, whose researches
will make certain members Of the depart
ment many times more uncomfortable than
ElleTCs expert
For his own delectation and that he might
be better prepared to discharge the duties
Of his Office, Auditor Smiley has been read
ing up on several branches OF law pertaining
TO the various departments Of the city
government. His latest reading was the
law under which the Fire Department Is
organized and at present running. II was
an amendment to the Consolidation Act In
1677-78. When ne got down 10 Section he
real: The officers Of the Fire Department
shall be one Chief Engineer,
one Assistant Chief Engineer, and four as
sistant engineers"
SEVEN ASSISTANTS.
1t suddenly occurred to him that ne had
been auditing the salary warrants Of seven
assistant engineers, and further search dis
]
him long time aud a deal Of trouble to dis
cover, but be finally found that the last two
were appointed by resolution OF the solid
Nine" in March, $780, and the other one in
March. 1883, by the board that preceded the
Solid Nine" The records show that the
resolutions making the appointments in all
cases were simply adopted, no attention
whatever having been paid to the law which
requires all such matters TO have the
Mayors approval
The three assistants referred to are
Shaughnessy, Wills and Walsh, and the
Auditor now refuses to audit their salary
warrants.
Reading further the auditor was still
more surprised TO find this clause: And
the said Board OF Supervisors snail furnish
the Chief Engineer and also the Assistant
Chief Engineer with horse and buggy, and
provide for the keeping Of the same" He
was certain he had seen something some
where about buggies and harness in
the Fire Department that struck him at the
time as being a little Irregular. Sure
enough, he found upon inquiry that not
only did the Chief and Assistant each have
a horse and buggy, but each Of the seven
assistants, and it was in connection with
this fact that the harness expense of the
department, as disclosed by tile experts in
vestigation, run up to $3.50 or Whereabouts in
June, 1890.
WILL CALL A HALT.
Here, again, the Auditor will call halt.
His determination in these matters is causing
considerable uneasiness to those who are
affected by bis firm adherence to the law,
and they are begging OF him not to be too
severe One Of the assistants implOred him
yesterday 10 sign his salary warrant. Never
mind my horse and buggy" said he; ''fOr
Gods sake sign my warrant and I'll go
a-foot in future" The Auditor was i'm
movable.
There are several others In the department
whose warrants for various reasons the
Auditor willnot sign. They are Sam Raney,
Alex Greggans, Z. McAYOy, j. L. Kenny,
Benjamin johnson, Joseph Shields. John
Cook, James McQueeney and William Gun
ningham.
How all this difficulty is going to be set
tied remains TO be seen. Auditor Smiley
has called upon the City and County At
t0Tney for advice. and it is highly probable
that the whole question will have to be set
tied in court.