The San Francisco call., 1896-01-15
FAIR IS NOT FIRE CHIEF.
Forty.Seven Petitions Presented
in Favor Of Camp.
bell.
CREATE a GOOD IMPRESSION.
It Is Thought That the Commissioners
Will Ultimately Give the
Position to Campbell.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
90S Broadway, Jan. IA.
The expected change in the head of the
Fire Department was not made this after
noon. Just previous to the meeting Com
missioner Peirsol said that if William II.
Fair were not appointed to-day he could
not be appointed at ALL as it looks as If
Fairs chance was very different from his
name.
When the Board of Fire Commissioners
met they were confronted with a pile OF
forty-seven communications, all of which
were read by Clerk Spaulding. Without
exception they asked the board to appoint
Fred A. Campbell to the position of Chief
of the Fire Department. The letters were
evidently q surprise to the Commissioners,
and as the letters were from men whose
S tanding and motives could not possibly
be questioned, the two Commissioners,
Wilson and Peirsol, held short eonsulta-
ton and no action was taken. The COM
municationS were written by the following
men, who represent over $6,0o0,000 worth
OF property:
C. w. Kinsey Nathan Rosenberg, j. A. Hill,
NJ. Hyman, William T. Gibbs, L. g. Cole, DR.. A.
J. Russell, W. D. Moody, F. K. Shattuck, f.
Bushell, William Moller, Sallinger Bros, Jonas
Bros, Eli S. Denison, w. B. Hardy, Fred
Becker, n. ScheeHne. George L. Fish. J. S.
a. Joyce, F. L. Girard, Mack Webber FERN D.
Hinds H. D. Eliason, James Wallace, D. c..
Brown, J. Tyrrell, Bercovich Bros, John War
ner, George W. Austin, A c. Henry, William P.
Jones, Mrs. NJ. X. Blake, E. ?. Gray, j. Letter,
Al Wood & Bro, George Taylor, Joseph Harris,
J.. II. o'Brien; W. NJ. Watson, Ingler q Co., H.
Alexander, II. o. Trowbridge, E. NJ. Long, c.
lsaaes, James Hill.
AS Wilson and Peirsol have given out
that their only desire in the matter is TO
appoint an efficient man it would seem as
if Mr.. Campbell should get the position.
A synopsis of the letters shows that he has
lived in Oakland all his life and has never
tasted drop Of liquor. His long insur-
ance experience has made him familiar
with the manner of constructor of every
building in the city, and James Hill, who
is an ex-chief of the Fire Department tes-
titles that when Campbell was Q fireman
under him he was one of the ablest men in
the department.
William H. Fair is well-known South
ern Pacific engineer who left the railroad
at the time of the strike. He has had no
| experience in the Fire Department and
was not heard OF till his candidacy was
made known q few days ago. He has
| strong Endorsements as an experienced and
! able engineer and has lived in Oakland
nearly all his life.
! AS Wilson and Peirsol were both nomi-
mated by the Republican party it is said
| they owe debt of gratitude to Campbell.
as he was chairman OF the City Central
! Committee that named the delegates to
the convention as no primaries were held.
| Much has been said lately about this
political debt, and it is stated that the
| Commissioners were at one time some
! what disposed to pay it. Now that Fair s
chance, according to Commissioner Peir-
| sol, has gone, the wishes of the Oakland
and San Francisco underwriters will proba-
! bly, be complied with.
1--WE are only attending To tho iDeurauca
| business, said one of the writers of the
! letters tonight, land care not a fig for
| politics. OF course, we know that to the
victors belong the spoils and that to the
! friends of the administration belong the
! Offices; but the Fire Department is differ
ent from all other branches of the city
! government. 1t means millions of dollars
! put III peril II an incompetent man be
! placed in charge. We are satisfied with
! Chief Lawton and would not have asked
for change, but the board seems deter
! mined upon one, SO we want to see another
| competent man there. Mr.. Fair is no
doubt an able engineer, and is not poll
! tician. but Campbell is a fireman and has
a practical knowledge of the work and is
| acquainted with the construction of ali the
large buildings of the city. If there is to
be change, from a purely business stand
! point, we want to see Campbell put in and
[ think Commissioners Wilson, PeirsoL
| and Davie will do well if they decide on
| that choice"
Guardian of Eight Children.
OAKLAND, CAL, Jan. 14.-Mrs Lydia
| Prescott agent for the California Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,
| has applied for letters of guardianship
upon Rebecca Thompson, aged IL, Jacob
Thomp pson, aged Z, and Ruth Thorn pson,
aged years, their father, Israel Thomp-
son, being in the County Infrmary, and
unable to care for them; also, upon Rosa
Menneman, 14year old girl, who has no
mother and who refuses to live with her
father; also, upon Annetta and Theresa
Palot, 13 and Il years, orphans, and for
Eva Dell and George Dell, aged and 6
years, whose father and mother are sep
arated, the latter being charged with NAL
treating and abandoning the children.
Bound Over for Trial.
OAKLAND, CAL, Jan. 14.-Thomas
a number of Cinnamon near Sunol re-
| Gently, severely wounding one of them.
had his preliminary examination at
Pleasanton to-day. He was defended bv
| G. Barber of San Francisco, but no testi-
| mony in his behalf was presented. The
court held Ward for trial in bonds of $1,000.
John Caskie Insane.
| OAKLAND, CAL, Jan. 14.-John Caskie,
| dry-goods CLERK, went suddenly insane
| tonight at his home on Franklin street.
| night he astonisheG his relatives by de-
| claring that he was blind. He then COM
menced to break up the furniture. He
! was sent to the County Jail.
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