St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-09

An adjourned meeting Of the board OF
fire commissioners was held last even
ing, and the first step in the programme
10 place eX-Chief John L. Black again
at the head of the department was taken.
The reform" trio, consisting of MeSSrS.
Stilweii, Martin and Clark, are now in
the saddle, and the indications are that
for the next eleven months the depart.
ment will be turned upside down. Com
missioner Martin did all the firing last
evening, but it was evident from the
attention he paid to the typewriter in
structions he had in his hands that he
simply fred the guns which were load
Ell by others.
The first break made by the Sixth
ward commissioner was when he Of
fered motion that Joseph Lawrence be
appointed to the fire department when
the next vacancy occurred. This Mar
Tin demanded as soon as the report OF
Chief jackson had been read, notifying
the board of the appointment of j. c.
Mccarthy as pipeman i'll No. Engine
company, vice John Ryan. resigned.
Martin backed up his motion by the
statement that Lawrence had been de-
SirouS of getting into the department
for the last two years, and eight months
ago il had been decided ne was to be
given place.
Chief jackson explained that he had
offered Lawrence position IN the de-
partmeut, but the salary was only S45
per month and Lawrence refused to &C
cept, stating chat he wanted the position
OF engineer. This, Chief jackson stated
to the board, he could not do, as the
plan he had adopted was to give the
members of the department chance
for promotion. Every man, he said,
stood in the Lire OF promotion, and it
was his idea that this was the only way
to encourage the men to do good work.
He did not feel like appointing Com
missioner Martins friend to be an en-
neer over the heads Of men who had
been faithful members of the depart
ment for years. He had given him
work as substitute recently, and was
willing TO put him on as substitute
when opportunity offered.
This explanation placed Commissioner
Martin in a rather peculiar position. but
he rallied strongly, and said he had not
understood the matter in that way be-
fore.
President Stilwell wanted to put Mar
tins motion to have Lawrence on the
department when the next vacancy oc-
Cured, but Martin said it would not
look right, and did not insist on the mo-
ton being put. The appointment of
Mccarthy was then confirmed.
This having been disposed of, Com
missioner Martin took another peek at
his Instructions, and, with the air of
one who had a duty to perform, de-
manded the resignation of Lieut.. Nc
kenna, of Chemical No. 3. A week ago
Friday. Marrin sald,ap alarm of fire was
turned in from box 7S7, and the appa-
ratus in charge of McKenna, instead of
going to the box. started the other way,
and did not discover the mistake until
other engines were metOn Isabel street.
The lieutenant, he said, was either
drunk or something was the matter with
HIM, and he for one would not stand
such work.
Chief Jackson, in explanation, said
Mckenna had been at the station for
about three months, and was sober
and faithful fireman. He was not very
well acquainted with the streets on the
West side, and when the alarm came in
he called the box. and told the driver to
90 ahead. The only explanation Me-
Kenna could offer was that he supposed
the driver was going the right way, he
having been at the engine house for
seven years.
Martin wanted to know why the chief
had not reported The matter to the
board, and President Stilwell also
thought the chief should have informed
the board of the mistake. On motion
OF Martin, the matter was referred to a
special committee of three. Before the
president had time to announce the
members of the committee, Martin again
looked at his tab and stated that Engine
Company No. 3, in charge of Capt. Nc
Nally, had responded to an alarm of fire
from bcX 446 on the night of Dec 20
and had been gone from the house
twenty-five minutes. This, he claimed.
was something awful. as the apparatus
did not have TO respond to alarms from
the box, and should not have left the
house.
Chief Jackson, in reply to Martins
question as to why the board did not
know Of such blunders, said it was the
first he had heard of it.
President Stilwell, at the suggestion
of Martin, appointed Martin, Clark and
Freeman as a special committee to in
Yestigate the two charges made.
Again the vice president consulted
his memorandum, and farming to Chief
jackson, inquired if captains of engine
houses were obliged to get permission to
leave their stations when on duty. Chief
Jackson said that they did not for a
short time, providing the lieutenant were
in the house at the time.
well" said Martin, 81 have some
figures here which desire 10 submit to
the board relative to the absence from
his station of Capt. Myler. of Engine
Company No. q" An alarm of fire
came in from box 46 just at this time,
and Chief jackson left for the scene.
Martin, seemingly much relieved by the
chiefs departure, gave detailed state
ment evidently furnished by some spot
ter in the house, of the movements of
Capt. Myler for the last two weeks. Ac-
COlu!lS u. hIo X lSs Vic captain NdS
away from the house on Dec. %
from s to II a. H., from l to :
and from to 1920 p. m. On
Dec. %, from s to 1920 a. m. On Dec.
q from 9 to II a. m. and from 2 to p.
III. When he returned he was accom-
panied by Mr.. Morrow, and both went
out. and Myler stald until Sis. On
Dec. 81 from $50 to 4 D. III. On Jan. ]
from 9:35 to 1855 a. m. and 2:30 to 3 "a
D. N. On Jan. from to 4:47 p. ID.
On Jan. from to and 7:30 to $40 p.
m. On Jan. from to IL a. m, and on
Jan. from 10 Is p. m.
The house, Martin said, was enc OF
the most important in the city, and if il
was necessary for the official to devote
so much time to private business he was
in favor OF allowing him all the time tC
attend to it. This was also referred tC
the committee to investigate and report
In answer to the advertisement fol
proposals for doing the veterinary work
of the department for the year five bids
were presented. Olaf SchwarZhopf
who has held the position for the past
- F.,