The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-13
FIRE CHIEF NARROW.
That Is How the Middle in the
Department Ends.
MAsEL ALONE DISAGREED.
He Proposed aud Voted for Kellogg
A Preliminary Copferenee-Aar-
lows Record ~ . Fireman

George ]. Marrow, ex-assistant chief of
the ire department. under the Republican
administration. Was elected chief 10 sue
coed A. b. Hunt At q special meeting OF
the commissioners last night in Mayor
Phelps private Office. The result OF the
meeting sas . surprise. IS the knowing
ones looked for the election Of Gardner
kellogg. The meeting would have I'M
doubtedIy been held fe1 days later on
only that Mayor Phelps and Fire Com
missioner T. T. Jones decided TO take
trip 10 Portland. leaving this morning
The call Was sent out late In the after
noon, having been signed by Commits
sioners KshaIey, Meek and Jones' The
rumor that something was on foot
soon spread among those interested IN
IRE department affairs and at O'Clock n
the evening several groups of men were
standing around the entrance to the city
hall discussing the situation. Masei was
the first 20 show up and later came Meek,
kahaiey and Jones. They were closeted
with Mayor Phelps for short time. as
had also been Horace Compton. the alder
man, and one or two others from the
council. At last the door was opened and
Clerk Coryeii and the reporters were inyit-
ed in.
Mayor Phelps called the meeting TO or
der and asked the clerk to read the call for
the meeting. Mr.. Coryeli then informed
the commissioners that they were assem-
bled at the request oil kahaley. Jones and
Meek to elect q chief of the fire depart
ment
Masel nominated Gardner Kellogg. and
took occasion to remark that he admitted
his inability to make as nice q speech on
the same subject as Kahaley did at the
last meeting. Then the surprise came
when Jones proposed the name of George
J. NARROW, the ex-assistant chief of the
department. Without moments hesita-
ton kahaley arose and seconded the
nomination. The nominations were closed
and the vote taken, resulting as follows:
For Kelogg-Masei. For Marlow-Jones.
Kahaley, Meek and Mayor Phelps.
MARROW was declared elected and the
meeting adjourned.
The new chief is we'll known in the
city. especially in the Seventh ward. from
which he was delegate 10 the last Repub-
lican county convention. He has an es-
tsblished reputation. both in this city and
Chicago for his ability as a fire fighter.
He was born in New Haven, Conn, July
%. 1855. Two years later his parents
moved TO Terre Haute, Ind. where they
resided until 1854. during which year they
moved TO Chicago. George NARROW first
worked in Rand & McNally's printing
Office, later in the printing establishment
of Culver-Page- Hoyn & Company, and
last with the Eeeaing Journal Job Printing
Company. After i've years work in
printing Offices he learned the painters
trade with T. NJ. Almeni, whose place of
business was on Wabash avenue, near
Adams street. In 1881 ne joined the Chi
cage fire department as Sub" pipeman
and at the end of three months was made
regular. For one year he served in the
repair shops and then went back into &C
tive service. Among the engine compa-
MES be was connected with during the
last four years of his active service were:
5, Is. D, 81 and &c. Part of the time he
served as pipeman and the remainder as
acting lieutenant. In 1855 he resigned
from the department and went into the
commission business on South Water
street. eventually coming 10 this city a
short time after the big fire.
At that time an item appeared in the
newspapers stating that Chief of the Fire
Department Gardner Kellogg in selecting
men NONlu give COAsiusFallOu 10 eXperi-
enced men from other places after having
considered the old Seattle volunteer fire.
men. NARROW put in an application and
was accepted. He served first as pipeman
of chemical No. l. with headquarters in
Carkeek's warehouse, at the foot OF Spring
street, and later moved to the old tent
that used to stand Just south of the pres
snt site OF the Plymouth Congregational
church. In January, 1890, Capt; Frank
Began. of Chemical No. /, was
removed and NARROW was appointed
TO the position. A little more
than a year later he was made assistant
chief OF the department, which position
| he held until Gardner kellogg was re-
moved by the Democrats during Mayor
| Ronald's term of office Mr.. MARROW
| Immediately resigned, and since then has
made his living as a painter. He has a
family. and resides at 223 Albert street.
| His service in the Chicago department
| was under Chief Swenie. the greatest FIRE
/ Fighter IN the United States
In conversation with Posr-ISrKLII-
eKSCER reporter last night Mr. MARROW
said that If he was confirmed il was
4 not his intention TO turn the department
"upside down" 1t would depend upon a
mans ability as fireman whether he
would held his position. He does not
think the department should be made a
4 political machine.