The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-30
WORK OF THE COMMISSIONS.
1T WILL BEGIN JUST ONE WEEK
FROM TO-DAY.

and Some Of the Things They Are
Expected 10 DO-The Commits
siOners VIII Have Exclusive
Charge of Their Departments and
the Power of the Mayor and Al
dermen VIII BE Considerably De-
creased in Consequence - The
Commissions Expected &c Make
Few Changes-PoIicemen and Fire
men Likely 10 Be Put Under Civil
Service Rules.
One week from to-day the city assess
ors and commissioners recently appoint
ed by the mayor and confirmed by cOun-
ell in accordance with acts passed by the
legislature, will enter upon the duties
Of their respective Offices.
BY the provisions of the several acts
the terms of Office Of all these new Off
cials must date from the first Monday
in January. Before entering upon the
duties Of the office they must take oaths.
as prescribed in the bills, to faithfully
perform their duties in their respective
departments.
The oaths are especially distinct and
prohibitory on the subject of any MEM
Der of any commission being pecuniarily
interested in any contract or the sale of
any material TO the department under
his charge. The public works commits
| sioner is required to take his oath be-
fore the mayor. The other appointees
may take their oaths before any officer
competent to administer them
Immediately after taking the oaths the
board Of tax assessors and the four COM
missions will proceed to organize by the
election of a chairman and vice chair
man of each body. They will also appoint
clerks The public works commissioners
has the appointment of a salaried clerk.
! Mr.. Thomas Gamble has been given this
| appointment by Commissioner Willink.
One. of the tax assessors is to serve as
clerk of the board, with extra cOmpenSa-
ton This appointment or designation is
to be made by the mayor under the terms
of the act and it is understood that
Mr.. j. H. II. Osborne will be the appointee.
The police commission is allowed the ap-
! pointment of one member of the depart
ment as clerk to the commission. Mr.. i.
B. Masters, the present efficient clerk or
| the police force, will receive this appoint
ment, it is understood, and will have
charge of all the clerical work of the de-
partment, as well as that of secretary OF
the commission.
The fire commission is allowed the ap-
pOintment of one member of the depart
ment as clerk of the commission. 1t is ex-
pected that Mr.. j. L. Mcguire, the present
assistant chief, will be made clerk OF the
commission, as he has had charge OF all
| the clerical work Of the department since
| his election as assistant CHIEF. rms VIII
not debar Mr. Mcguire from performing
| the duties Of any other office which the
| commission may confer upon him.
1t is the impression, that Mr.. george
Mouro will be made chief of the depart
ment, and that Mr.. Mcguire Will be assis-
| tant chief and clerk.
water commission. This has been already
! decided upon. The commission does not
propose to increase the salary list by en-
Il ..fs~ al. hn IA tor
| already has charge of all the clerical work
! of his department, his labors will be IN
creased little, if any, by the change;
One of the members of the park and tree
| commission will serve as clerk. This COM
mission has no patronage to dispose OF,
| as all of its work will be performed by the
| public works commissioner. The commits
! sion will have the right to say, however,
| how the appropriation allowed it by coun-
| ell shall be expended, and to name the
| work to be performed for IT by the pubic
/ works commissioner.
! 1t is expected that the member of each
commission named for the longest term
will be the chairman Of that commission.
Maj. Edward Karow will be chairman of
| the police commission and Mr.. James M.
/ Dixon of the water commission. DIT.
| George H. Stone is regarded Is the prob
| able chairman of the park and tree COM
| mission Mr.. w. l.. GraysOn is appointed
| for the long term on the fire commission,
| but being the youngest member of the
body he may give way to Mr.. r, S. Nell
or to Mr.. Hugh Logan, the other two
members.
4 by everybody is that these commissions
/ will have exclusive control of their depart
| ments. Mayor Myers cannot appoint a
fireman or a policeman after next Monday
| week. All trials of hremen and po-
| licemen for violations of rules will be
| tried by theiR respective commissions.
! The council cannot say what supplies or
materials shall be purchased for the de-
| partments controlled by the commissions.
The commissioners will have charge
of all that. The council can only require
| the commissions to keep within the APP
| preparations allowed their departments
in the annual budget. IL the commissions
want to make any extra expenditures
| they will have to get the approval of
| council to do so. The only control coun-
| ell will have over the commissions will
! be in holding the purse strings, which is
no small power. All bills must be passed
by council for payment as heretofore.
| Outside the fire commission there is lit
| tie interest in the election of officers as
/ IL is considered practically assured that
| all the present officers will be reelected.
One fact which has been overlooked in
| this connection is that the present Off
GERS who are reelected will thereby Sc
| cure an additional year in Office. They
were elected by council for two years, but
the commission bills terminate their
| take charge The elections by the COM
missions are for two years from date of
| election, which practically means a three
| years term to the majority of the present
! officials
1t is expected that the Office of asSis-
tant chief of police viii be done away
with by the police commission and that
| of captain substituted. II is thought that
there will be two captains, in which case
| it is supposed that Lieut.. owen Reilly
| and Sergt. J. b. Kilourhy will be raised
TO the rank of captain. The number of
sergeants may also be increased. If the
| police commission can figure out that
| there is room in its appropriation for half
| a dozen more men it will have the right
| TO increase the force.
| The act provides that appointments to
| the force shall be made by the commits
! sion on recommendation Of the chief II
| is expected that rules will be adopted by
| the commission requiring applicants to
| undergo examination as to fitness for pO-
siton on the force, both as to mental and
! physical qualifications. The same thing
will be done in the fire department.
The water commission will have a good
deal of power. It win have the naming
of the water rates and ii will also decide
where new water mains Will be laid and
to what extent. A paragraph Of this act
! states that the commission shall have
| power to adopt a system of water me-
tiers for the city, should il deem it ad-
visable to do so, and to enforce the use
OF such meters by consumers. Mr.. Dixon,
the probable chairman of the commits
sion. stated TO "A Morning News reporter
that the advisability Of introducing meters