The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-23
ENGINEERS ALL RIGHT.
CHARGES AGAINST THE FIRE DE-
PARTMENr DISMISSED.

/ FhHIm bN Oloh AoSn1s
The Machinists' Union Before the City
Council About the Appointment of
Engineers-Its Claims Knocked Out
By the Ordinence-A Man Need Not
Be Machiuist to Know How to Run
An EnRine-Aldermsn Bailey's "Po-
litIcal Pulr' Brought Up Again-He
Denies Any Discrimination In the
Conduct of the Department.
The city council, meeting as a committee
OF the whole, yesterday afternoon dismissed
the charges brought against the Are depart
mont by the maohinists' union that the APP
pointments Of engineers In the service has
not been in accordance with the intention OF
the ordinance, and that men not practical
machintsts are acting 10 the capacity Of
engineers IN violation Of the ordinance.
The cause Of the charges being brought
was the recent appointment Of Henry Green
as engineer of No. 3. While Mr.. Green is
not a practical machiniss, he is thoroughly
conversant with running OF engines, and is
competent in every respect.
Those present at the meeting were Mayor
McDonough and Aldermen Cam, Bailey,
Charlton, Harmon and MCGUIRE. The
machinists' union was represented by
delegation OF four members, and Chief
Fireman Puder was also present
| AS soon "a the charges were read Alder
man Bailey arose and stated that every app
| pointment made since be has bsen chairman
OF the fire committee was in accordance with
the ordinance which calls simply for
! competent engineer.
| HAD TO BE CHANGED.
| The original ordinance on the subject,
| Alderman Bailey admitted called for the
appointment OF practical machinists only as
engineers, but so much trouble was ex-
periencei IN getting machinists to accept
| the positions on account of the salary and
long hours OF duty the fire committee had
found it necessary 20 change the ordinance
to read competent enginee s." "No other
kind have been or are now connected with
the department" added Alderman Bailey.
| Thomas Reid talked at length to the
aldermen on the question Of competency >,
and insisted that practical machinists are the
| only safe men to have 10 charge Of fire
| engines. He said there were plenty OF good
men who would willingly accept positions
with the fire department, but Mr..
| Reid desired TO have it understood
that the mschinists' union was
not seeking TO throw any one out
OF employment, but IN bringing The matter
to the attention Of the council did SO for the
| future TO the extent that practical maohin-
lists should get the preference in appoint
ments.
ENGINEERS NEED NOT BIZ MACHINIsTs,
Mayor McDonough asked II there are not
many locomotive engineers who are
| thoroughly competent without the knowl-
edge Of tho machinist's art. Men are not
| required to know as much about machinery
TO han1la angina IA Z
twenty years ago. said Mayor McDonough.
The machinists admitted the truth OF the
statement, but insisted that there is a wide
| difference in operating locomotive and q
fire engine. Engineer Dixon, OF the Savau-
nah, Florida and Western railway, added
that he was sorry TO admit that there are
| men now running locomotives on the rail-
roads here who are no more competent or
fitted for the position than the aldermen
| would be.
Engineer Smith said that Alderman
| Bailey had intimated that political pull
was the necessary qualification for man
| to get an appointment as an engineer in
| the fire department and what he was de-
sirous of knowing is how to get hold of that
"pull."
Alderman Bailey replied that the question
of politics had already been explained. Hs
is deSirous Of having good men in the fire
department, whether they are practical
| UT COI1potsub
THE UNIONS REMEDY.
Mayor McDonough told the delegation
that the only remedy he could suggests to
the machinists' union if hardship was be-
ing work upon it was to get some alderman
TO propose an amendment to the ordinance,
but as the same time the mayor wanted it
understood that he was not holding out any
promise that it would pass.
Chief Puder made short statement. He
said he would prefer having practical ma
chipists for engineers always il he could
get them, but none seemed to care for the
positions. Several times he had almost
begged machinists to become engineers,
but he always met with re-
fusal. He called attention to the
fact that several weeks ago Engineer
Elliott of No. l, who Is practical ma
chinist, resigned to take job at Kehoe's
works. Several times this same thing has
occurred. Practical men do not like the
hours and quit at the first opportunity.
Chief Puder said that every engineer now
in the department is thoroughly competent
and can run the engines as good as any
practical machinists.
At the conclusion OF Chief Puder's state
ment Mayor McDonough put the charges
before the aldermen, who voted uuani-
mously that they were brought without any
foundation. This dlsposes OF q question
which has been quite an annoyance to the
council for several weeks.