The morning news., 1897-07-08
FIRE CHIEF UNDER FIRE.
Continued from Eighth Page.

Sulre, after which Mckay came down
moved the ladder. went up again and put
the stream in all right. Murphy also re-
iaIed the Henderson incident when the
chief ordered Fireman Henderson to en-
Ter window when there were
Two men in front Of him on the lad
der. Henderson said he could not get in
and the chief told him to come down and
knock off. The chief, he said, acted
in an excited manner and talked very
loud. Murphy would not say that he was
drunk, but he thought his actions were
very peculiar. He gave an account of a
visit he made with the chief TO inspect a
house on Hunting gdon street by Invitation
OF the chief, when the latter required
some brickayers to quit work because he
thought the chimney was unsafe. The
next day Clerk of Council Manucy and
contractor Harris called on Chief Mcguire
ana had an interview with him, after
which the work was resumed This was
when Mr.. Mcguire was assistant chief.
Mcguire said when inspecting the Chin
ney, that he didn't know a d thing
about it,
Murphy was questioned as to the length
OF time required to get engine under
steam, and said 1t would take fifteen min
utes to get under a full head of steam,
but an engine could be gotten ready to
work In three minutes after leaving the
engine house. He said he was given no
against him when he was dismissed. He
was witness at the investigation of the
attack of John Haniey upon Chairman
Grayson at fire headquarters.
In answer to a question, Murphy said
he believed that he was discharged be-
cause he did not testify that he had seen
Hanley hit Mr.. Grayson
Assistant Foreman Andy Herman of the
aerial truck proved an interesting wit
ness He had been a member of the de-
partment eight years, he said. He was
acting foreman for a time, but somebody
else was appointed to the position.
There was a question of salary. The
commission refused to give him a fore
mans salary, and he was transferred at
his own request to his old position as as
slstant foreman of the aerial truck. He
was questioned as to the kirkland fire,
ana said the stream through the universal
nozzle failed to reach the third floor He
asked the chief to give him a hand stream
10 go up the ladder. The chief declined to
allow it, saying it was too dangerous. He
did not think it was dangerous. If he had
peen chief he would have ordered a man to
so INTO that window and put out the fire.
AS to the recent Smith Dixon fire, he said
the aerial truck could not be used as the
building was toe low The fire was on the
second story He and Foreman Mcfarland
put up ladder and started to go into the
second floor. They were ordered by the
chief to remove the ladder, that the walls
were too dangerous Herman did not
thlnk so. After the fire was out ladder
was put up to the same window. The wit
ness was questioned as to the advisability
or cutting hole in the roof He thought
! that would have been dangerous. AS to
the character of the department, he could
not say how many men there were who
were experienced and could go right to
WORK at hre without waiting for orders.
A majority were experienced men, he
thought 1t was very seldom he saw the
chief inside building at a fire. He did
not see him on the second or third floor
Oh the Dixon building until the fire was
| out The witness was questioned as to
| the use of the aerial truck at the Hull fire
where he said considerable valuable time
was lost. When the ladder had been erect
ca 20 ITS full capacity, the chief
insisted that he should run it
up higher that If any more strain
was put on the cable it would break The
chief replied: Break the d. thing. then
You oughtn't to have things that will
| oreak. The chief seemed excited and
nervous The truck stream was not a
good one, there being a kink in the hose
| on account of a saddle for the nozzle
made by Foreman Toshach He did not
think this saddle was any good
hlernan said he was asked to sign a ne
tltion against the repeal of the commits
slons, the petition being presented by
Clerk Seymour, who said that Chief Ma
guire mad sent him, saying 1t was not
tne commission, but his Job that he was
| trying to save. Herman refused to sign
IT, saying he had voted against the COM
missions, and was opposed to them. He
gave an account of his candidacy Tor
foreman of No. and afterward of No. 2.
Chlef Maguire consulted him on both oc-
| casions, he said, and promised to recon-
mend vi Of
afterward appointed at No 4, that he was
no good, and the same of Campos. who
was appointed at No. q The rules re.
quire that the appointment of a fore
man must be on the recommendation of
the chief Both Strobhart and Campos
were Cltlzens Club men. Strobhart was
very active in behalf of the club.
Kiernan was then acting foreman at
NO. 4, where Strobhart was assistant fore.
man. He asked Strobhart the next dav
what he meant by leaving the house at
that time, and his reply was that the
chief had ordered him to do so. Strob-
hart left the night before while Kiernan
was off on his regular leave OF absence.
me witness said that on the
day OF the state and county
election In October the men whose day
It was OFF were kept in quarters. He had
Jerry O'Leary were kept at headquarters.
but two other men, Pitts and Taylor.
were let of. He asked Pitts what he meant
by taking his day off and the latter re-
piled that he had not done so. His at
tention was called TO the leave OF absence
lying on the tables and stated that he
did not sign IL and knew nothing about
II. His name had been signed. however.
but 1t was not Pitts signature.
Kiernan said he had had nineteen years
practical experience as a fireman, having
been a member OF the Charleston depart
ment before coming to Savannah. He said
that the men who composed the force
under Chief Puder we're good, experienced
men. A good many Of them are there
yet. Some having been discharged and
rci1stated As to Christ church fire, he
said, In answer 10 a question as 10 the
best procedure 10 have taken, that he
would have tried TO get I'm at the front.
IL no had not been able to get IN there,
no would have gone In at the rear He
would have put a ladder I'm the back. A
good stream could have been sent from the
back window to the front OF the build
ing. The proper thing TO have done was
to get inside the church TO fight the fire
n the men could have stood t. He was
busy with the truck and did not 10 in
Two lines Of hose. he said were carrled