St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-07
FLOUR CITY EVENTS,
The Underwriters Investiga-
ton Of the Lumber Ex-
change Fire.
New Bids for City CURLING
Will Probably Be Advep-
tised For.
Telephone Operator Fay's FL
naneial Matters Straight
ened Up.
Saloonkeeper Maguire's Fail
uPe and It's Cause--Gen-
eraI News.

LOOK out for sensation before the
committee from the underwriters I'M
ion finishes its labors. The inyesti-
eating committee which is looking into
the manner in which the Lumber Ex-
change fire was handled has but lust
begun to work. 1t has merely pene-
trated so far as the ante-chamber. Yes
terday ii rested from its labors. To
many this recess seemed Fremont
tory of final dissolution: it was
thought that the committee was prepar-
ing It's report and arranging to go out of
the investigating business TODAY. NOT
so. 10 use an old metaphor the com
mittee Just let go for a moment to spit
on Its hands and get new hold. To-
day the investigation will be resumed
and continued probably for several DAYS
longer. As before stated the commit
zee mas really but Just begun its work.
Plenty of testimony relating to the man
agement of that fire has been adduced.
almost enough to satisfy the committee
concerning tnatparticular contlagration:
but certain bits of testimony have been
gwen which have suggested larger and
more promising fields for research.
Those fields the committee is now de-
termined to explore to the fullest ey-
tent, and TO examine as carefully as a
housewife would vermin- afflicted tene-
ment: This investigation is big with
possibilities, most of which seem in
falr way to be realized. The public
VIII learn of them at the proper time.
That time has not yet arrived.
Speaking of the public. raises the
point about the secrecy of this investi-
CATION. The committee has been hamp-
cred, to a certain extent, by the ilbes
and JeerS cast at its executive session.
The committee has, it would seem, been
unJuStly criticised IN this connection.
The committee has been secret for
purpose. The men who are conducting
This investigation, no matter how much
they may be condemned fol- transacting
their business, removed from the public
eye, remain level-headed business men.
whose Judgment, considering their
achievements in personal way,
may be trusted for a moment
They did not adopt the secret session
from any desire to withhold from the
public what they were about; thew
adopted that plan because they De
lIeved that by it they could secure more
unbiased opinions. If every man called
before them had listened to the stories
told by several others. he could scarcely
escape, all uncOnsciously, doubtless,
being influenced by them. AS it is, no
man knows what any other man
practically the same tale, uncon-
scious of the fact that they are
corroborating one another, the com
poSlte story is quite likely to be correct.
To secure these separate versions and
to compare them is the desire of the
committee. This is the idea that actu-
ated the committee to adopt the secret
session. Moreover, it was not thought
wise or just to give to the public whole
sale condemnation of the fire depart
ment until it should have been demon
Strated that that condemnation had some
foundation in reason.
mat the committee has had no desire,
or impulse even, to act unfairly in this |
investigation has been proven by its |
treatment of the fire department. Chief |
Eunge was invited to be present during |
the whole of the Investigation, to act, in |
fact, as one of the committee. When |
First Assistant Kenney had told his |
story to the committee he was invited to |
listen TO all that might be said against |
his management of the department.
The same course was pursued toward !
Second Assistant Canterbury and the |
captains. Two copies Of the evidence
will, it is said. be prepared one for the
use OF the committee and one for Chief |
Runge, that he may know exactly what |
has been said of the men under his
charge. The wisdom of the committee
Is shown in the change of heart ex-
perienced by Chief Runge When the
investigation began he was anxious
that 1t should be open, now he is more
than satisfied that it be conducted
secretly.
The members of this investigating
committee believe that they have es-
tablished beyond peradventure that
there was mismanagement, or lack of
management, shown by the manner in
which that fire was handled. They
maintain that they have undertaken to
Sft this matter to the bottom, not to
justify themselves, but to show to the
people of Minneapolis just what sort of
fire department it is that the city de-
ponds upon. They insist that they are
working for the sole purpose of letting in
little light upon affairs of which the
public is only too ignorant and with
which the public has right to become
intimately acquainted. They ale doing
this upon their own responsibility.
They desire. they say. to condemn no
one unjustly. In order that they may
belief that they should be aided by the
public, not hampered. That is all they
ask.
Now come promise of another in
VeStigation, this time in the fire depart
ment itself, and the same to be con-
Quoted by the head OF that department.
Samuel NJ. Lockhart, a pipemau, will
be the subject of the investigation.
Lockhart, who is the mysterious mo.
125" who m ade the sweeping charges |
against two of his superiors OF the fire |
DEPARTMENT after the Lumber Exchange |
fire, is still on the sick list. He got |
sick immediately after his letter was
published, and has not been well since.
As soon as he gets well the department
will have little entire nous inveStiga-
ton. Lockhart;s letter will be taken as
the text, and he will be asked to prove
what he says about 'Stetson's pets
Capt. Pollock, of the Holden street
station, No. TO- feels partic-
ularly bad about the letter,
as it points to himself Pollock has
been in the department a number of
years. and he was particular friend of
Chief StetSOn, but there was no founda-
ton for the report that he had been the
subject of especial favoritism. 1t is in
Pollock's defense as well as for the
general purpose of maintaining dis
cipline that the charges are made.
RESUBMISSION NECESSARY.