The herald., 1893-10-26
HAULED OVER THE FIERY Goals
Suspended Members of the Fire
Department on Trial.
Several Firemen Reported by the
Chief as Incompetent.
Interesting Meeting of the Board of
Fire Commissioner Minor Mat
ters of More Less
Importance.

A number OF the members OF the flre
department were "hauled over the
GOALS" yeste rday at the meeting OF the
IRE commissioners.
All the com missioners we're present.
F1REMEN SUSPENDED,
Regarding the management OF the fire
in the Stowell block recently, Chiet
Curran made the following report:
From careful investigation and from
my own personal knowledge find that
the members OF the fire department
named herein have shown themselves
unfit to do good FIRE duty on many &C.
casions. and have dropped the follow
ing named from the roll, subject to your
approval:
John Garvey, driver of the hook and
ladder company w. r. Price, tillerman
of the hook and ladder; ]. G. Johnson,
callman engine No. A. George Flood,
callman OF engine No. 4 j. Is. Stowell,
callman Of engine company No. 8.
IL have placed on trial, in lieu OF
theae men. George O'Donnell as driver
OF the hook and ladder company; Frank
T.. Lewis as tillerman; ]. Ii. Judah as
callman of No. 4; Ii. Schumacher, call
man of No. 4, and j Maslin, callman OF
No. g."
SHOULD BE SUSTAINED.
Mr.. Wirsching said the Suspended men
should have hearing before any action
is taken. He thought the action Of the
chief should be sustained in all cases,
but that the men should have q hear
ing.
The commission then agreed to give
the frernen hearing.
GIVEN A HEARING.
John Garvey, driver of the hook and
ladder wagon, was called in.
The chief made the specific charge
that he did not do his duty in raising
the ladder on the occasion of the fire
mentioned.
Garvey said he had taken his team to
hitch it and had ntretched the fire lines
at the time, which had taken him from
other work. He said the policemen had
failed to stretch the fire ropes.
Ii. G. Vignes gave corroborative evil
dence. He said the ladder was old and
worn out and could not be used to good
advantage.
w. r. Price, tillermsn OF the same
company, pleaded not guilty to the
charge, and claimed that he was the one
to cause the ladder to be raised correctly.
He said the foreman of the truck did
not get to the scene until half an hour
after the fire started.
Mr.. Webb, a spectator at the fire, cor
roborated Mr.. Prices story, saying that
he saw him do good work at the fire
and could have done no better.
]. B. Stowell, callman OF engine COM
pany No. 5, waa then placed ''in the
dock" He had said he had enieavored
to do his duty as fireman. Charles
Fair corroborated StoweIps testimony.
DENIED THE CHARGE.
Fireman George Flood fatly contra
dicted Assistant Chief AMcMahon's
statements.
j. G. Johnson, callman of engine
company No. A, aiso denied the assist-
ant chiefs charges. He sold he noyhr
went upstairs in the Stoweil block. IS
charged by the chief, but wenslIp on
the fire ladder in front Of the bpilding.
THE CHIEFS BLAMED.
This closod the hearing of testimony,
on account of the absencs of Council
man Strohm and Foreman Sherer OF the
hook and ladder company. who had evil
dence to give.
Mr.. Kuhrts said the only thing he
could blame tho chief and the assistant
in was the placing of substitutes who
knew not how to work the ladder.
THE MATTER POSTPONED.
On motion the meeting was adjourned
until the afternoon, when Mr.. Kuhrts
moved that the men remain suspended
until the next meeting, and that the
whole matter be laid over one week.
Mesers. Strohm and Sherer are then ex-
pected tc tell what they know of the
c8ee.
FIRE ALARM IMPROVEMENTS.
In communication presented, City
Electrician Thye requested that the fol-
lowing appliances BIZ purchased for the
improvement of the fire alarm system
One eight circuit repeater, one eight
circuit switchboard, eight valvanome-
tiers, six pointers and four gongs.
On motion OF Mr.. Kuhrts the council
was requested to purchase the appli-
ances.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
The chief reported that he had or
dered new hydrant at the corner OF
Third and Cfccker streets; also, that he
had moved the hydrant on the corner OF
Seventh and Grand avenue back to the
sidewalk.
The petition of Z. +. Foster, asking
that be be permitted TO erect steam
boiler on San Pedro street between Sec
ond and Third was referred to the chief
with power TO act.
The requisitions for fire apparatus
and for labor on the fire alarm syetem
{ by the electrician, which had been re-
turned by the council, were again ap-
proved.
The application of A. M. Grant for o
position as engineer was filed.
DR.. Lotspeich was heard regarding
making Improvement OF the front
OF the Christian church on Tenn
pie street. As the improvement would
be contrary to the city ordinance the re-
quest was not granted.
The request OF j. Fl. Myers to be al
lowed to erect shooting gallery on
Main street, near Second, was denied.
On motion OF Br. KuhrtH the water
tower was ordered taken off temporarily.
AFTER HIS SCALP.