The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-24
WERE OUT OF TUNE
CITY COUNCIL NET LAST NIGHT IN
AN UGLY HUA0R

War on the IlItD wal Ftfc 49,
Carries His Point-Mr. oliver Knocks
the Electrician Out of Job-Mayor Cox
Defines a Monroe Doctrine About the
Aggressions of CounciImen into His
OniciaI Territory
The city council was all out Of tune
last night.
Usually they go into a session in good
humor although they may come OUT
cross and rufiied, but last night they
commenced the proceedings cross
The session was noted for its many
roll calls, for the mayor insisted on
putting the members on record on every
issue.
All the councilmen were present but
Mr.. Innass and his I'D in the Eagle
Sunday morning kept him so busy that
he could not attend.
Dr.. Ainick opened the ball by max
ing a declaration of war on the Flfth
ward fire house. He said thaI the
Fifth ward wanted the earth.
ct has" said DR.. Alinick, the as
ristant attorney general, the chief OF
notice. the chairman Of the board OF
police commissioners, the police Judge,
the assistant city clerk, the clearh OF
the school board and the dog mousse
.sIozy.' said DR.. Minick, continuing
with a look mingled sadness and IN
dIgnation pictured on his face, what
has the Fourth Ward got; simply city
clerk and the dog catcher. In addl-
tion TO the others you give the Fifth
ward a fire house and you deprive US OF
one. / say it is not fair or right. we
are not asking for a fire house, IN 1act'
t.
sity for-it, but as long as the Fifth
ward has a fire house we think we
ought 70 have one"
Councilman Throckmorton of the
Fourth ward warmly supported most
Of what DR. Minick said, and was max
ing q patriotic speech on the subject
when the mayor suggested that there
was nothing before the house.
well, then" said Mr.. Throckmorton,
81 move that neither ward have a hre
house in operation"
This left a clear field now for oratoTy,
and half a dozen councilmen entered
the arena of debate. Ben Mclean led
the forces Of the West Side in defense
of the fire house and ably presented
the claims of his constituency to pro-
lection from the fire.
In a discussion Of this kind when
councilman are timid about antagoniz-
burden of the fight on some one per-
son and on this occasion Chief Walden
was called upon to say whether hre
house was a necessity for the West
Side. He said that it was not an abso-
lutte necessity, but that if the city could
afford to have one there the protection
would be that much better. Council
man Mclean at once took him on hand
and propounded a great many queS-
had
drawn out a great deal of admissions
from the chief favorable to his side OF
the question, DR.. Minick and Mr..
ThrockmOrtOn put the CHIEF on the
stand and secured an equal number OF
admissions favorable to their side. On
the whole the chiefs testimony was not
favorable to the maintenance of fire
house in the Fifth ward.
MayorCox intercepted a remark in the
discussion to the effect that if the fire
house was maintained he would insist
on its full equipment. This remark
was brought out by the fact stated IN
Mr.. Walden's remark that the house
was run by two men and that for fully
three hours a day there was only one
man there.
Mr.. Throckmonton said that the
council owed it to the city to retrench
and save as much money as possible.
Mr. Minick said that by discontinuine
the house a saving of $4,000 year could
be made and that was great deal, he
thought, these hard times.
The upshot of the discussion was thai
the Fifth ward lost its fire house, and
then Mr.. Mclean drew a big knife oui
of his boot.
On motion 1t was determined to pay
off the firemen for the month SO as &c
enable them 10 spend a merry Christ
mas.
without warning or notice Mr.. Oliver
declared war at another point. he
said he understood that the city was
paying a man $50 a month for taking
care Of the fire alarm wires. He either
wanted regular fireman to do tina
work or else make Mr.. Stewart, the de
partment electrician. a fireman. II
make the matter more impressive, NJ
moved that Mr.. Stewart be made fire
man.
During all this time Mr.. Mclean had
a happy smile on his face. He saw {
chance to get even with somebody
Mr.. Walden was called upon agar
FOR an opinion. He said that Mr.. DIV
er's scheme would be a good one q
Mr.. Stewart consented TO II, but he wa:
afraid, that Mr. Stewart would no
work as fireman. an electrician and Z
line man for the bare pay Of fireman
He insisted that an electrician wa.
needed 20 keep the wires in repair, an,
that if Mr. Stewart was Knocked on
there would be no one 10 repair them !
complications should arise.
Mr. Mclean favored taking desperate
chances in the interest of economy.
About the time the discussion wa
bordering on the most impaSsioned ora
tory. the mayor put a block Of ice OF
the subject by saying the motion o
Mr.. Oliver WAS out of order.
Mr.. Oliver wanted 10 know why
was out Of order.
Because" said the mayor. ''it pro
vides for the appointment of Mr.. Stew
art as a fireman. I want TO call you
attention TO the fact" he continued
chat the mayor. and not the council
has the appointing power
Five or six imprOmptu obs wer
heard and then they all saw that tn
mayors point Of order was well taken
Mr. Oliver then moved that the Of
fee Of electrician be abolished, and tn
motion carried by vote of 10 to 1.
The fire department subject was ncv
thought 10 be over, but it was not. Dl
Ninlch moved that the fire house a
Thirteenth street be substituted by a
alarm box. and he generously conced
Cd the same favor 10 the Fifth war
coUncilmeD II they wanted IL. Be
Mclean was opposed to the motion 4
first, but he afterwards agreed TO hav
an alarm box put in at the corner Q
Chicago avenue and Seneca street, :