The herald., 1894-02-01
THE FIRE COMMISSION.
THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD
AT YESTERDAYS MEETING.
The Charges Against Engineer stoer-
mer Do Not Appear to Be
Well Based-The Rou-
tine Business.

The usual meeting of the board of fire
commissioners was held yesterday
morning. The members present were
Mayor Rowan, Messrs. Kuhrts, Brod-
rick, McLain and Wirsching Chief
Moriarty was also present.
The minutes OF the last meeting were
read and approved.
The monthly reports for November
were presented by the chief and ordered
filed.
A number of acquisitions were pre-
Hented and upon motion were granted.
Demands amounting to $122.62 were
declared approved as read.
The following applications for posi-
tions in the department, as ca(lmen,
were, upon motion declared filed: j. T.
Roes, j. A. Castillo, @. II. Johnson.
There was received communication
from Leonard Grover, asking that the
board countenance and permit fremen
in the department to sell tickets for a
| firemen's festival; upon motion of Mr..
| Kuhrts the matter was declared filed.
Herbert Folger, manager OF the New
Zealand Insurance company, in behalf
of the Underwriters' association, in
communication asked that a copy OF the
report of the FIRE department of Los An
| geles city be sent him for general infor-
nation. There being none on hand,
| the council having discontinued the
printing some two years ago, the chief
was instructed to prepare report and
submit it to the board, with view of
asking the council to order the same in
cluded in the past years report of other
departments.
On motion OF Mr.. Brodrick, the chief
was instructed to send maps to Geo. P.
! Lowe electrician at San Francisco, with
a letter, in order that suggestions and
his general views as regards ''cut-offs"
might be had.
The charges against W. A. Stoermer,
as made by Assistant Chief Mcmahon
were taken up by the board. but owing
| to the absence OF material witnesses,
Mr.. Kurtz moved that adjournment be
had until 2 30 p. m. Carried.
At the afternoon session the chief
asked leave of Absence for eight days,
that he might attend the meeting of the
Western Association of Fire Chiefs, to
be held at San Francisco. On motion.
this was granted.
The matter of charges preferred
| against W. A. Stoermer, engineer of No.
2 engine, by Assistant Chief Mcmahon,
was taken up, and Mcmahon called be-
fore the board for a statement. Nc
Mabon said that he bad, at the alarm OF
! fire on January 10Th at the corner of
Main and Requena streets, ordered the
driver OF No. 2 to stop his team, but
that Stoermer, acting with contempt,
ordered his driver to drive on, and
~ or milf fri v Ia 10
Bad language was said to have been
used, and Mcmahon produced several
witnesses, who testified as to what took
place, after which Billy Stoermer WAS
| heard.
Stoermer said; On Friday, January
10th, at 35, No. engine company re-
ceived an alarm of fire by telephone, on
the corner of Main and Requsna streets.
At that time we were arranging for the
inspection of the Goth, which delayed us
one minute. l ordered the driver to
take the United States hotel plug.
When we reached it, Assistant Chief
Mcmahon drove up in his buggy and in
a loud voice said, "Why in hi don't
you Cd d-n fellows stop when told
| you the fire was out?" / answered him,
saying, 81 did not see nor hear you."
He said we were "a lot OF Cd d-n
liars"
l said, "McMahon, / want no argu-
ment with you" Then | ordered my
driver to return to the engine house.
By Mr.. Broderick: "Have you any
ill feeling towards the assistant cnief?"
mo, sir, although do not love him,
l have been in the department long
enough to know how to respect my gu
periors and obey their orders"
In substantiating his defense Stoer-
mer produced diagram showing the
relative positions of the various ma
chimes at the point; in order to show
| whore the assistant chief stood, showing
that from his position on the engine he
could not sac the assistant chief.
By one OF the boa diff you had
seen and heard the assistant chief,
would you have obeyed the order p
.'Certainly," was the reply.
Stoermer produced several witnesses
to prove his side, and after the. had
| told what had taken place, the board
went into executive session and decided
that it would be well to take the aatter
under further advisement.
| The chief was instructed to examine
the hose wagon OF engine No. 2, and the
place it drove into on Temple street, and
prefer charged at the next meeting.
Adjourned.
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