The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-21
THE MEN AND THE JOB.

They are able and earnest gentlemen,
we'll equipped mentally, physically and
by reason Of natural and acquired
attainments for whatever duties the
fire commission enactment imposes
upon them.
The only difficulty they experience
is TO find the duties.
But, as before observed, we are pleased
to see that they are assiduously devotlng
themselves to ferreting out something
to do. They are not the kind
of men to want to hold Office even on so
meagre salary as the law provides,
without seeking earnestly to perform
something in the way of duties.
The task of finding something to do is
naturally difficult, but the commits
sioners are not to be easily discouraged.
We have already recorded the fact
that the commission officially visited one
fire, carefully observed the blaze, made
a mental calculation on how much live
lier it might have been and then officially
expressed their unanimous opinion that
Chief Steere and the fire department
acquitted themselves creditably. We
suspected this before the fire commits
sioners informed us of it, but their
opinion makes assurance doubly sure,
for they know what a good fire is, and
they know what good firemen are. We
trust the fire department. feels better
after the official utterances of the COM
mission on the efficiency of their labors.
The next official act to be credited to
the commission was general order No. 1,
providing that permanent firemen should
not engage in outside labor. This order,
it is quite generally believed, was aimed
at our old friend, Captain HARRINGToN,
who is credited with mending watches
and running the politics OF the aristo-
cratic Seventh Ward, when he is not
engaged in tending fires or directing
the polishing of bright work. Pre-
suming that the members of the
fire department are pretty generally en-
gagged in outside work, and quite dis
crediting the idea that the order was
issued just to discipline one officer, the
interposition of the fire commissioners
may be regarded as salutary. 1t is.
probably, in the interests of unanimity
and harmony in the Board, that our old
friend, Councilman DAVIS ofthe Seventh,
was, after all, not chosen member Of
the commission, or he might have hesi-
tated to sign this general order No.
just the same.
Now, we are informed the commits
sioners are engaged in inspecting the
fire stations, and so far they find them
in fine condition as regards both men
and equipment. After general order
| No. 1. the men are no longer engaged in
doing fancy work for hire, or in mending
shoes, or in repairing watches. or in
doing other labor outside that that
the city pays them for, which
is to go to fires, keep the
machinery bright. the floors scrubbed,
the horses groomed, the harnesses oiled,
the beds made, and play checkers or
read THE News in the spare moments
between. We are pleased to learn, on
authority of the fire commissioners,
that the fire stations are in good con-
dition. To be sure, we always felt
that they were, but that was mat
ter OF instructive sentiment rather
than of authoritative knowledge. And
we need have no respect for the Office to
remark that no three men that we can
think Of are better able to judge of the
condition of the fire stations than are
the present fire commissioners. Ac-
cordngly we appreciate the assurance
the inspection has afforded US of their
good condition.
We are at loss to know what next
the fire commissioners will find to do, but
we are sure they will find something to
do. The burden of duties to be dis
covered before being done must be a
severe strain, and we are confident the
present most esteemed members of the
fire commission will not relax their
vigilance until they have been relieved
thereof so far as circumstances may
permit.
The record now stands:
/. Fire viewed.
2. Approval of department vouch-
safed.
g. General Order No. issued.
4. Fire stations visited.
8. Condition of fire stations approved.
We keep our pen permanently dipped
in ink that additions to this record may
be promptly made to the glory of the
law that called into being the Board of
Fire Commissioners for the City of
Providence.
GENERAL ADAM BADEAU, who died
suddenly tuesday evening, was fine
representative of the kind of men who