Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-06-15
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TROUBLE

The opinion of people conversan
with the circumstances Of the fire de
partment difficulty will not sustain tn,
council in the action taken yesterday
1t is quite likely TO result in destroying
the efficiency of the department for Q
considerable time by occasioning the
withdrawal Of its best men-not the
officers, but unpaid volunteers who
have taken pardonable pride in the
efficiency of their company organiza-
ton, and have rendered faithful service
without expectation of any other re-
ward than that which comes from the
consciousness of having done their
duty well. Naturally they feel ag-
grieved, and deeply so, at having what
they conceive to be their rights, and
what unquestionably are their rights
under ordinance No. 10, and the APP
proved rules and regulations of the fire
department, ignored by the council,
because the feathers of the Tammany
ring were ruflled by defeat and the
chief sachems saw fit to play the baby
act in the pursuit of their rule or ruin
policy. In accordance with previous
custom, and in conformity with ap-
proved regulations for the con-
duct of fire department elections,
a vote for chief was taken and the
properly executed certificate of the
board of fire deleg ates was filed with
the city clerk showing that Joseph r.
Matthews had received a majority of
all the votes cast. 1t is not questioned
that the choice of the department, as
shown by the certificate, would have
been confirmed by the council except
for the protest filed by the defeated
candidates and containing grave
charges of irregularities, illegalities and
even bribery. This protest was re-
ferred for investigation" to the COM
mittee on fire, water and light-the
proper committee unquestionably, but
unfortunately headed by a man who
has been from the beginning of the
contest an active supporter of Gibson,
a determined opponent of Matthews,
and an intimate associate of the salary |
ring. What could an investigation" !
in such hands amount to? Worse than
nothing, as the result shows. The
word is a misnomer used in such con-
nection. From the day the unsworn
and unsupported protest of Gibson and
Biles was first read to the council, the
first day of June, until yesterday when
the matter was finally passed upon,
the protest was in the custody of the
investigating" chairman of the COM
mittee on fire, water and light
and Mr.. Matthews was unable to OBJ
ain copy of it. All he knew of its
was what he remembered
rom hearing it read. He was not ap-
preached by any member of the COM
nittee, no attention was paid to his re-
quests for a hearing, and no oppor-
unity whatever was given to disprove
he unfounded allegations of the thirty
iollar protest. And this is the kind of
! mockery that they call an "investiga-
ion," and upon which they COM =
base their report that "from /,
UGH information as we have been able ,
o gather it would seem that serious ir. !
egularities were permitted to occur in {
he conduct of the election" If this is =
lot snap judgment what is? Does the G
ouncil propose to conduct its court on 4
be barbaric principle of hanging first '
nd trying afterwards? Read the i,
'ritten statement of the man Biles {
ublished elsewhere in this paper.
lutte evidently he believes that moth
lg comes amiss so money comes B
'ithal." No wonder he skipped. The p
'uncil has exercised it's most autho- o
attic and arbitrary power in ignoring n
he majority rule in fire department o
ections, and in denying Mr.. Mat q
Jews an opportunity to refnte the q
larges preferred against him in u
ZEN Council by his competitor, af- u
citing not merely his right to the 81
flee to which he was duly declared ~
scted, but his standing in the COM y
unity as man and citizen. The "
implication is unfortunate at best, but p
tn all due Difference to the council ~
} take the liberty to express the W
inion that its attempted solution of a.
) difficulty is i'll advised, unjust and - :.
nolitic y