The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-05-09
CHIEF HUNT UPHELD.
Mayor Phelps Dissolves . Tie
Vote in His Favor.
aaEeT,No or THE FIRE soARD.
~ CAssrs ssisssasA - Yifssss Nee -
Bs Dreppsl H AppssvsS-shsss
Fsres % ne FHsbssa

~ The meeting Of che ere commissioners
Lest evening Commsssionsr kahaisy nads
! motion that The oiics Of chief ct the nss
deoartmsnt b declared vacant Upon the
vote. however. II failed 20 carry. - Com
nsisslousrs Kahaisy and Meek voted In
favor and omm,ssionefy Jones and Ma
eel against leaving it . tie vote Tor sns
mayor. Who decided against the motion-
The nssttsr US brought up By COM
municasson from Corporation Counsel
eeosf. in which he states thss . number OF
papsrs haA bssn Submitted 20 him With
references 20 the eligibility Of Chtsf Hunt
10 bold od3ce. III. Scott says that no
matter how much he might b inclined 70
pass upon ths facts In the cas-, u vonld
not b. considssed binding upon any
department.. - IL 10 only bis duty
20 dstsrmine Whist. In bis opinion. - the
Law after the facts have been agreed upon
and submitted TO him. He further states
that IL will, therefore. clearly b observed
that until some action II tsksn ~ the
commissIon il would not become the law
department. 70 give the Ere commissioner
any advice - 70 the facts connected with
the right Of the chisf 10 hold his once.
but when the FIRE commission submitted
request, stating facts upon which they
had agreed, II was his duty 20 pass upon
the legal questions involved. bat not tall
then.
One Of the papers referred 70 Vas in ths
form Of resolution introduced By Com
missioner Meek, although he explained
that Il wss meant moro in the form OF
communication. in which IL II stated that
when Chisf Hunt vss appointed he found
the dsporsmsnt undsr the direction Of his
predecessor absolutely non-partisan In the
oFasnIsatlon and In tho discipline; that he
found the department. using the exact
words Of the late Mayor Ronald, ''ths only
cseditable branch Of the city government."
and e WAS credit 70 the city. and the city
wss proud Of IT For solely political par
poses. without charges being preferred or
svsn given. Chisf Ksilosg was removed
and 4. b. Hunt appointsd.
Upon the subject Of Hunt's naturalist
tion the rssoIution went on 70 say:
1--WE have thoroughly investigated tho
question Of citizenship, and can arrive 70
but one conclusion, that IL that Chief
Hunt n not . citxen, and 10 holding the
ofics Of chief Of the fire department Of
this city unlaw fully and contrary 10 the
provisions Of the city charter. and should
b removed. 80. without entering into the
which ~ have ample evidence, without
Ssssrring 70 the fact that the once nom
political department b nov strictiy poiisi-
col In all Of it, surroundings. and with
only view 10 the bettsrment of the de-
partment and . strict conformity TO the
charter regulations Of the city. Be- il re-
solved that the once Of chief Of the FIRE
: -. A~~l
On motion Of Nr. Kahaisy al the papers
wsss ordered sent to the corporation
counsel.
The report Of Chief Hunt for the month
of April vas read, In which he gives the
names Of the fifteen frsmen dropped from
the forss In order 10 comply With the CITY
ordinances and the position each man held
ss the time Of discharge.
Commissionsr Kahaley said he was op-
posed "a The selections which the chief had
made In reducing the force. a. most OF the
msn laid Oh were msn Of families, and he
betisvsd others could hare been better let
out.
Commissioner Jones replied that he
would sustain the chief II his selections OF
msn, - he would put the chiefs Judgment
at the qualifications Of . man against any
member Of the commission. In fact, the
charter had bsen amended % a. 70 give
she chief more power and the commission
les authority over the iircmen, as il vas
cOnsidsred that the FIRE chief vas the most
competent Judge Of Who were the best
men. He admitted that some good men
were dropped from the force. but wished
q semsmbersd that In dropping fifteen
men from . department OF this kind, II
was hard 70 find fifteen bed ones. lie
nsovsd that chs report OF the chief b
adopted - submitted. and II Vas 30 or
dered.
The nrsboat matter was again called on,
and the proposition 70 recommend TO the
council the addition Of one mote man was
freely discussed. II Vas decided 10 meet
With the IRE and water committee Of the
council In order to Thoroughly investigate
the subject
The committee 10 whom was referred
che claim Of Il. w. brady for damages
sustained by being run oyer by . irs
team the night the cudahy packing house
burned. reported that they could ind no
grounds upon which 30 allow the claim.
and the claim vas therefore rejected.
The COMMITTEES 60 whom Vas referred
the claim Of q. vitxshum for salary a I
fireman. claiming be vas never siisch srresl
from the force. reported unfavorably aud
the claim Was rejected
q. A. r.. asking that the commission take
part in the exercises 10 bs held on Memo
rial day. Will Was accepted by unani