The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-29

%lSsS HHes@ and to diseases Of the organs
distinctly feminine. 1t contains
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machine to subserve the ends of a faction
and, as the result demonstrated, a minor
ity faction. The effective force of the
several engine houses were depleted in Or
der that tiremen might engage in the work
OF corraling negro voters, debauching them
with drink and money and marshaling
them at voting precincts.
The testimony of old and experienced
hremen is positive that had fires sprung
up on these occasions they must have re-
sponded with crews utterly inadequate to
successfully cope with CONGREGATIONS. The
chief seems to have personally engaged in
some of this work. The outrageous char
acter of these performances is intensified
by the fact that where the firemen on re-
lief were opposed to the chief in politics
they were called in on the eye of elections
in order that his henchmen might have
freedom to work al the polls and disport
decorated with the insignia of the faction
to which the chief belonged. When fore
men declined to sanction such proceed
ings they were overruled by the chief and
one painful instance presents itself of a
fireman excused from his duties for polt-
zeal work on what appears to be forged
application, unindorsed by the foreman
but approved by the chief. Others were
astensiby suspended, the real object be-
ing to grant them time for politics.
On all of these occasions the taxpayers
of Savannah, including the majority fac
ton, have been made TO pay the wages of
these men whist engaged in the effort to
defeat their wishes. The department be-
came utterly demoralized, each man real
izing that unless he could measure up the
partisanship exacted by the chief he was
in constant and imminent danger of dis
charge. The morale became weakened
experienced men were discharged without
a hearing and without any ascertainable
cause, and their places filled with inexpe-
rienced men. One of them, with no rec
ord as a fireman and fresh from the PEN
itentiary of Georgia, was put upon the
force because he had participated with
the chief in drunken debauch and obtain
ed his promise of appointment in recogni-
ton of his physical assistance when the
chief. through liquor, had become inca
FACILITATED for successful individual loco
motion. The wonder is that the depart
ment is fit for any work at all.
LAS demoralizing as this political domi-
nation has been it Is not the greatest Of
the forces which is weakening the effici-
ency of the department. In the place Of
the regular discipline of an organized body
has been substituted the arbitrary will of
one man acting upon his caprice and strik-
ing blndly simply to exercise power The
triiing reasons for the suspension or ex-
laHfE aE
ton of the grossest INSTRUMENTATION in
others can be explained only on the
grounds of politics or such moral incapac-
Hy to deal with questions OF right and
wrong as your committee hesitates to as
cribe to anyone. Prominent as a deter
mining cause of the want of discipline and
the general inefficiency testified to by the
witnesses must be the intemperance of the
chief.
From 10 O'Clock on the evening OF Sept
%. 1896, until l o'clock on the morning Of
Sept. %, he was traced by witnesses in
the stages of progressive intoxication I'M
TIL from a staggering condition al the
latter hour, he was found at the Hull
fire few hours after spewing into the ex-
change area. His conduct at that fire en-
phasized his condition. Profane, unrea-
sonable, excited; nothing but the practical
INSTRUMENTATION Of his men prevented him
from destroying an expensive apparatus
belonging 10 the city He was again in
toxicated on the day of the fire In the dis
trict messenger building, and the fire.
quency OF his visits to bar rooms was
testified to by many witnesses. Your COM
mittee is forced to conclude from these
facts that Mr. Mcguire is unfit to hold
the position, the duties Of which he is now
called on to discharge"
References are made 10 the testimony
giving names of witnesses and pages upon
which testimony is 10 be found
Third. Incompetency-It appears from
the testimony OF expert witnesses that
pretty much all of the considerable fires
during Mr. Maguire's incumbency have
been mlsmanaged. This Is true OF the Sa-
vannah grocery fire and the fire at A. b.
Hull a Co., when valuable time was lost
through the conduct OF the chief The
management OF the Christ church fire.
from the evidence, was picturesque The
fire began In the organ loft at the western
end and ran thence along the ceiling to-
ward the east on the north and south
side. The Are was fought from Congress
and 81. Julian streets by washing the out
eide OF the walls. The firemen are unani-
nous that Il was proper and feasible 60
fight tho fire from the Drayton street
window. Not satisfied with wasting the
water from the pavement on Congress
street hose was carried through the house
OF citlzcus resulting IN claim TOT Jam
age OF $500 against the city This proceed
ing an expert fireman characterized as
senacless.
The Kirkland fire could have been check
ed by an act which the chief should have
ordered, but which he forbade when a
fireman volunteered. The water damage
at the Dixon fire seems to have been rem
dered gratult0us by the chiefs failure not
only 20 appreciate the emergency, but 20
recognize u when presented 20 him. The
granary az the Planters rice mill could
have been saved n water had been divert
"a 10 u from n doomed building. There
has been no Instance presented 40 our con-
alteration indicating bis competency. On