The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-07
COMMISSIONERS IN CHARGE.
CHIEF FIREMAN PUDER'S HEAD
GOES INTO THE BASKET.

+. Maguire-George MourO Made
Assistant Fire Chfef-Chief McDer-
mott and Assistant Chief Reilly Re
elected by the Police Commission.
No New Offices Created by Either
CommissIon-PubIic Works Com
missioner WiIIink Takes Charge
and Issues a Circular 10 the Heads
of Departments-NO Changes Made
by Him.
The fire, water and police departments
Of the city are now under the control
Of commissions. All the commissions, in
GLIDING the park and tree commission, and
also the board of tax assessors and re-
ceivers, met and organized yesterday az
ternOon. The IRE and police commissions
elected officers.
Mr. J. E. Mcclure is fire chief, sue
ceeding Chief Fireman Puder. Mir. George
Mouro was elected assistant fire chief
These appointments were anticipated and
created no surprise.
Chief McDermott was reelected chief
of police and Lieut.. owen Reilly was
elected assistaB, chief. no change IN
the title Of officers was made by the
commission and no new Offices were Gre
ated. The police commissioners had kept
their own counsel so well that no one
was able to anticipate their action.
The commissions now stand as follows:
Police-AIaj Edward Karow, chairman
A. Vetsburg, vice chairman; J. W. Jack
son.
Fire-W. L. Grayson, chairman; r. 5.
Nell. vice chairman; Hugh Logan.
Water-James NJ. Dixon, chairman
Jonas Mendel, vice chairman; J. IA. FOX
Park and Tree-Dr. George Il. stone
HaN I'd HHHn
man: W. w. Gordon, Jr., secretary; T. u.
Daffin and C.. 5. Ellis.
Board of Tax Assessors and fecelNeis-
Maj. John Schwarz, chairman; W "
Chisholm, vice chairman: }. II. H. Us
All the boards met at about the same
time between 4.30 and O'Clock, The
police commission met at the police par
racks where the front room on the lett
Of the entrance has been assigned them.
The commission was III session LOT some
Besides the election OF the officers
named, Policeman Il. i. Masters was ap-
pointed clerk of the board Having per
formed the duties of clerk of the de-
partment for the last year. Mr.. Masters IS
well qualified to mn the office OF clerk 70
the commission. The commission created
no new offices and made no announcement
of any intended changes IN the depart
ment. 49, oe
flee of the chief at the headquarters on
South Broad street at 5 O'Clock. After
organizing by the election OF Mr.. Gray
son as chairman and Mr.. Nell as VICE
chairman. the commission proceeded 10
the election of officers of the department.
Mr. Mcguire was elected IRE chleI', lhe
title of the head of the department nav
ing been changed by the bill creating the
commission from chief fireman 10 IRE
chief. Mr.. Mcguire was also appoii9lteu
secretary of the board. MI. George Nou.
70, who has been second assistant chleI
during the last several months, was e4ect-
ed assistant chief. The bills creauns
gfOuE
vide for the offices of assistant chleIs'
but the commissions are given the au-
thority TO create such offices as they
The commissioners discussed fire depart
ament matters for some time, but no other
changes were decided upon so tar as
known, and on new rules were promul-
gated. The salaries of the chief ana as
sistant chief viii remain as heretofore,
the salary of the chief being %VU per
annum and of the assistant chief $l,5UO
per annum. Mr.. Mouro Will remain Tor
the present at No. engine house on bar
nard street, where he has been statlohed
since his election as second assistant
chief This does away with the neces-
sity for another foreman at present rms
ARRANGEMENT is only temporary, however.
The new fire chief is well known, haV-
ing been a resident of Savannah since
early childhood. He was born in Charles
ton nearly 81 years ago, put trahsierIsu
his residence to Savannah very shortly
after. Mr.. Mcguire has always been ac-
lively interest in tirehghting. He was
from 1876 to 1883, and was for four years
secretary of the old Waiver Fire Company.
He did not continue with the plo ue-
partment when the force was put on a
pay basis, but continued his interest IN
the department. nevertheless. lie was IN
timately associated with Chief Puder dur
ing the latter's entire time as chief. act
ing as his secretary and making up the
annual reports of the department In
this way he kept constantly posted on the
condition and workings of the department.
Being a fireman at heart, he has made
study of everything pertaining to this
work and is posted on all the latest metn-
DDS and Improvement in firefighting. Mr..
Mcguire was an active member OF the Cit
liens Club from the time of 1t organlza-
ton, and was recognized as one OF It's
leaders.
owing to opposition to Chief Puder by
the insurance men and the fact that he
was not in sympathy with the success
fui party Mr.. Maguires chances for cleo
ton as chief last January We're regarded
as good, but he did not then seek the
office, and Chief Puder was reelected.
1t has been very plain for several months
that Chief Puder was not in harmony
with the administration, and it was re-
garded as a foregone concluslon that ne
would not be retained when the commits
sion entered upon the control of the de-
partment The only question was who
ton does not give satisfaction to every
body, it probably does TO the majority.
The new fire chief is not only a bright
and capable man, but is affable and cour-
teous as can be testified to by all who
have had dealings with him. He was Tor
several years clerk to Supt. Fleming of
the Savannah, Florida and Western rail-
way which position ne held until he re-
linquished it to become assistant chief Of
the fire department.
Had Chief Puder remained in office until
Wednesday of next week he would have
been in the service of the fire department
exactly thirty years. In 1861. at ID years
of age Chief Puder became a member
of the Savannah Cadets with which COM
pany he served through the entire war
Just after the close of the war the Met
ropoiitan Fire Company was organized,
being composed entirely of confederate
soldiers. For six years of his service with
the Metropolitan Company he was first
pipeman, a position which required nerve
and grit. June Z, 1875 he was elected en-
gineer of No. ?, commonly known as the
Waivers. The department was at that
time on half-pay, there being only three
paid positions TO each company. During
the yellow fever epidemic of 1876
he was one of the organic
ers of the Metropolitan Benevolent
Association, which was organized to visit
the sick and bury the dead. He continued
as engineer of No. engine
company until elected chief of
the department Jan. :, 1889
He has served just five years as chief