The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-19
CHIEF FOR An HOUR
Cummings Is Elected but Quick
ly Turned Down.
CLARK WOULD NOT HAVE IT.
-Four of the Commissioners Agree TO
Him, but Council Objects-An-
other Election Tonight.


j.. Cunrninsrs but fits work was promptly
made Of 70 effect by the refusal OF the
council in Joint session 70 confirm the ap-
Monument Before Cummings name vas
voted on every effort was made 70 induce
Acting Chief Clark 10 accept the position,
but ne firmly ard politely refused, al the
came time intirnAting that the, election Of a
chief from outside the department woal !
have a bad effect on the old hreTnen. In
fact no Office eyer sought 50 diligently for
a man 10 III H. for Mr.. Cummings afd not
know his name was under consideration.
being absent on his rafsch on Hhlte river.
ana he was proposed by Mr.. Collins a. a
good compromise candidate. Now that the
council has rejected him, the other man
whom the commission was considering on
Wednesday night may come up. lie -
Ralph Cook, Of Eng! ne Company NO ], a
veteran In the department.
AS soon as the meeting vas calied 70
order and a decision reached 10 proceed
In public. Collins arose and said: Since
oar messing last night several members
OF the commission have been booking up
the eligibility and capabllsty Of certain
men. After a thorough investigation
have come 10 the conclusion there 10 nor
a man In the department capable OF fill-
nR the position upon whom the commits
ron can unanimously agree. think.
however there Is one man OUTSIDE the
unanimously recommend. | think Law
renee +. Cummings, formerly street COM
missioner Is sach a man. lie IN splen-
did organizer. a man Of good address and
/ believe will make a good chief. / there
fore nominate him.
Kahaley continued the discussion by
saying: 1t has been my desire 10 settle
this matter for some time Some people
have thought me arbitrary. l viii ac-
knowledge that ~ may appear have
been So However, we want a man for
chief who can handle his men properly
and get good work from them. I think
Mr. Cummings made the best street COM
missioner we ever had, for one asil go
in and try TO help Mr.. Cummings in his
efforts TO administer the affairs Of the
fire department. | hope his name VIII go
10 the council with unanimous vote.
take great pleasure In seconding the nom
nation
MeeA followed up by saying: Il think
Il iamentabie that we have not a capable
man in the department It doesn't seem
20 me the proposed action is the right
thing l am not satisfied that IL is neces-
sary 10 go outside the department. IL Ia
not my style OF doing business"
Kahaley explained that Il was not TAX
ing any one from the department, but in
stead putting a man there 10 organize
and get the most out OF that which was
there.
Collins arose TO explain that II had not
appeared possible TO get man from the
department upon whom the commission
could agree. II thought Cummings COM
blned those qualities necessary TO COM
bine the commissioners he added. and
that is why I named him. Ills name first
came into my mind when we were casting
around for available men after IL be-
came apparent we could not agree on a
department man."
Meek replied that after Mr. Kellogg
was OUT OF the race he had no special
choice. "I believe. however" he con-
tinued, kellogg is the best man and
always shall don't want to hinder leg
islation. although / may have been ac-
cused OF IL in the past. IL IL IL the de-
sire OF this commission TO elect Cum
mngs / shall not stand on the street cor
nsrs and dccry him"
Jones arose and said nc had served in
the council when Cummings was street
commissioner. believed him honest and
thought he could unite the different eie-
ments In the department.. Il think the
material in the department for A chief
az the present time Is very limited" he
added. "and have gone outside the de-
partner for a man very reluctantly. I
think thai Cummings is "A man who can
Strengthen out the department II any one
can and do not think there win be much
4
have always been ready to give Acting
Chief Clark my support and II he win
consent 10 accept the position he can
have ~ now. As | understand Mr.. Clark
has refused hat-footed to he considered
candidate. Am right. Mr.. Clark
The acting chief bowed his head in as
sent.
II think the department boys will think
We have lie. them down hard" said Meek.
but don't know but the men can blame
themselves for the state Of affairs | am
only sorry Acting Chief Clark has abso-
lutely refused 10 take the position. l was
ready TO vote for him a year ago. and
would he glad 20 do 80 now"
Would you have any objections. Mr..
CLARK" said Jones' TO a chief being Sc
lectest from out side the Department.
AS have refused 20 be a candidate nv
self" replied Clark. Il do not feel as II I
ought to object 20 anything done by the
commissioners. / could not speak for the
other men"
How would the other men feel?"
Clark was evidently embarrassed az be
INK asked this question. but answered
trithfully:
TT might be ilscouraging to some As
for myself WIFI 40 ahead and DO nv work
as faithfully as possible"
Don't YOU think" asked Collins. that
a man from the outside would he less hin
dered In handling the department than a
man from tho ranks
1T Is true" replied Clark. THAT a new
man would p~A,ahly have no enemies 20
punish or friends 20 reward
The mayor being cal,ed urcR 10 say some
thing about INC election. replied that ne
was sorry 20 think 10 one could Ne found
IN The department n al the position
81 believe IN promotion" he said I f.e-
heVe IN taking man fvrn, the feDar.yn
ant w'lt,c I wouM mo- vote for Cummings
am glad 70 see the 81 ri shown by he com
fnissonsrs 20 hasten this troubl, - an
end weuli ne glad - accc1t Allen"
NJ Collins stated that has choice hal
been Alien hut With thg hope of ss,-urfa ,
a man outside tNe Department upor whorr,
Tire comm fVSionees could combine. ~ had
givea M his choice AMI tpokef FOR aroth =
nlGn.
II rail for the questtr-, 90 sail Jones HIT
a. th's point thc mayor asked the >1r,ar,,sx-
rfo0erS - they wouAf cNc,iSe htrn a sfyv
moments while ~ hat a few v1~}s NH
h0Natev. There scrued 30 10 ~ objection
- The TWO retired \ moment later they
called Acting Chies Clark info thei~ room,
When all three came hack Meek "a a thz-
be had desired n vote twenty minutes mast
ard II the MANNERS Of me coyY-fy,t S-ssg,-
We're going - he oretlnus'lv cass,,,,zstsr
he was going - leave Tor home lie ra,. no
use Tor these star chamber proree ftrses.
Vow I 30 r0t want you 20 thf~k = r.,
nfis~f the rnayNsr. ''that there was art. Star
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