The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-03
PAY FOR FIREMEN.
Auditor Smiley Tells Why He
Refuses to Audit.
If the Board Of Fire Commissioners Will
Relabel the Men BE Will Sign the
Warrants.

A special meeting of the Board OF Fire
Commissioners yesterday morning resulted
in some sprightly repartee between Auditor
Smiley and Chief Scannell and the discus
sion of some fine points Of law. The prob
lem to be solved by the board found no
solution at the meeting, and the whole
matter went over for further discussion
next Saturday.
What the board wanted to find out was
why Auditor Smiley refused to audit the
warrants of the captain of the water tower,
which has gone out OF commission in order
to enable the captain to earn living else
where, and the firemen Of the chemical
engines. The ,water-tower man had Iuo pay
for eight months, and the warrants of the
chemical attaches for February have not
yet been signed by the Auditor. As pre-
liminary TO the meeting and the purpose for
which ii was called. Chairman Schmitt sub
mltted the following statements:
On or about the 1st OF June. 1890. the Board
OF Supervisors authorized the organization of
Chemical Engine Company No. 1, with a fore
at 500 and a steward at $50. In June, S91,
the board authorized the formation OF two more
chemical engine companies. Their salaries were
fused 10 sign their warrants for February. The
men will not work any longer and the engines
might as we'll be housed.
MIR. SMILEY TALKS.
When asked by Chairman Schmitt to de-
fine his position in the matter, Smiley said
that he did not propose to violate the law for
the sake Of public policy. 1t was doubtless
a matter Of public policy TO maintain the
Aforementioned apparatus but there was
no law providing for the payment of the
men employed thereon. If Schmitt or any
one else could show him such a law he would
cheerfully audit the warrants. In signing
the warrants of the chemical men for the
was acting legally, but when he found that
the proceeding was contrary to law he re-
fused TO do any more violence 20 that law.
He also feels that he is responsible on his
bond for the salaries already allowed.
The Auditor takes the ground that the
law does not provide for water-tower or
chemical men, and II the board would label
the gentlemen differently he would allow
them TO draw pay for working for the city.
In the defense Of the controverted sys-
TEN, Chief Scannell said that the water
towers were indispensable at large fires
where hose could not be carried up to the
windows. All large cities supported water
| towers, which is evidence of their value in
subduiDg flames. AS for
THE CHEMICAL ENGINES.
| They could be put in action with greater
rapidity than the steam engines. The
| chemicals eXtinguiShed at least so per cent
| Of the fires without flooding buildings and
| damaging goods with water. The cost of
| charging an engine with chemicals is about
| 81 30.
Mr.. Smiley stated in reply to a question
| from Commissioners Martin that his sigma
| ture had been forged TO one warrant
| amounting to $40. This was the salary of
| one OF the engineers.
The question of Brick" Buffers happy
faculty for looting burning buildings while
| acting 10 the capacity of fireman was then
brought up Mr.. Ames asked for the par
ticulars of Bricks" operations at the
Grand Hotel fire. He had never heard of
them, he said.
ktSmiley said that ''Br lex" did loot He
looted friend of his. This statement was
denied in toto by Chief Scannell, who said
that Butler WAS not member of the de-
partment when that fire occurred. Officers
Of the department. present also claimed that
they had never heard Of any looting. The
! Chief further EXPRESSED himself of the Opin-
ion that Mr. Smiley had simply joined the
Volunteer Fire Department to avoid Jury
duty. THIS made Mr.. Smiley mad and he
Immediately left the meeting without fur
ther controversy.
Al the request of Supervisors Coffee and
Burning IL was agreed to draw up an or
dinance 10 conform TO the Auditors views
on the water-tower and chemical-engine
problems. which will be presented at the
meeting of the Board Of Supervisors next
SATURDAY..