The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-16
TAGGART'S FIRE FORCE
sCANDALOUs CONDITIONS WHICH
WILL SURPRISE TAXPAYERS.
Bnrrett's Way of Flooding buildings
-"Jfm" HigniSht still Employed
Drunken Men Reinstated.

ana made subordinate TO the political ma
chine which the mayor has built up to con-
ttnue himself and ring in control of the
city government. The element of fitness
was not one considered in filling these two
forces with Taggart men. Services as ward
heelers were the best credentials for an
applicant. The public is familiar with the
large number Of cases of drunkenness that
has come up during the last two years on
the ponce force, and in a great many cases
the offenses have been so great, both on
the police and on the fire force. that the
Board of Safety has been compelled to take
action. The conversion of the fire force
into Taggart machine has been one of
the most dangerous menaces to the prop
erty interests of Indianapolis that has APP
peared. BY placing a man at the head Of
the fire department as a reward princi-
pally for political services. the department.
has reached the worst stage OF demoraIiza-
ton in its history. Any one familiar With
affairs at the different fire houses is cog
infant of this fact. Mr.. Barrett, who So
lcited votes for Taggart for mayor two
years ago among the fire department en-
ployes, was made chief, supplanting Mr.
Webster, ans experienced chief, who was
harassed out of office.
Mr.. Barrett has had great luck since he
has been chief in not having many impor-
tant fires to night, but in few fires down
town where he has officiated as chief the
water loss was enormous. and many Of the
Ola men under him are aware Of his crude
method OF ulrecting "a fight against a fire.
1T is a matter of gossip around the fire de-
partment houses that he lost his head at
the Marcy JeWery store fire on W ashlnS-
ton street some time ago and made d
ridiculous spectacle of fire hgnting. The
names IN this case were in the cellar had
not made their appearance above tie first
floor, but instead of cutting a hole in the
floor or attempting to get at the tire IN
the cellar, the chief turned heavy streams
into the storeroom, washing glass show
cases and articles to destruction. He even
turned the water tower into this room, and
this was before even a flame appeared
above the cellar. AS a result the loss by
llre was extremely small, but the loss by
water was very heavy
CAUSED MORE LOSS THAN FIRE.
Fire Chief Sweeney of Chicago, who is
celebrated in his line has a custom of hold
ing a watch at fire that he may wait
till the last possible moment for his chem
icals to arrive, in order that he may put
out the fire with the least damage 10 the
building or contents by water. The water
loss is as serious to a merchant as a fire
loss particularly when ne considers the
struggle he will have TO get what is prop
erly due him from the insurance COM
panies. This custom of Mr.. Sweeney of
course, is carried out only TO the extent
compatible with the general public safety.
AT the fire in the ola Sentinel building on
Monument place, MeSSrS. Schleicher ~
Martens probably would have had no great
loss had not the fire chief turned per-
feet flood of water into a place where d
chemical or one light stream would have
Sufflced. Ii is gossip among hremen mat
he lost his head on this occasion. 1ne fire
was in the cupola, ana could have been
reached with chemical and eXunguisneo,
and showed no danger OF destroying The
block, but the chief, when he saw a tame
panic-slricken and he mad the building
Hooded with water. The fire loss amounted
to few hundred dollars. while the water
loss, the damage to the Schleicher d Mar
tens stock, ran up INTO the thousands.
AT the Sander & Rocker tire on East
Washington street a similar CONDITION or
affairs existed. y chemical, properly di-
rected, would have stopped the ire, but the
fire chief flooded the building from the
is stated. me loss to the building from the
flames was slight, but the damage by
water was heavy. 1t is remark among
hremen that any chief can put out hres by
emptying lakes of water into a building
and thus destroying thousands OF dollars
worth of property
HIGNlTE STILL EMPLOYED.
The class of men which Iaggart has put
into the fire department has not gone very
far towards establishing confidence. Rich
ard Herrick, the clerk of the Board of Safe
ty, and Fred Mack have particularly man
lpuldl6u tue uEpdl llI6ili, NlC LII @iiNl NNAHS
recognized as the crafty head of the poti-
cal end. Some time ago the Journal called
attention to the fact that James Hignite,
who has caused the police more trouble
than any other saloon keeper in lndianapo-
lis, was appointed by Taggart to the nre
department recently. Hignlte mad MS IL
cenSe as saloon keeper revoked Tor very
grave violation of the liquor law. lie had
steadfastly refused TO heed the law. On one
holiday when there was considerable pub
10 dapppr the bie ailVVaV strike bping
Mayor Denny appealed to the saloon men
to close, The law required the closing, but
the danger was so great that the mayor
went as far as to appeal to the saloon men
for compliance In this instance. Almost
lousy obeyed the law that day, it not being
necessary even to have the police Keep
watch Hignite was one of the very few
who attempted TO keep open. His case has
been a notorious one in connection with
liQuor-law violation. The Democratic adj
ministration, knowing how strong public
Hignite was employed by the city denied
the Journals story and claimed that the
ex-saloon keeper had been given only few
days employment. The officials knew that
their statement was untrue. Hignlte is
still employed by the city on the fire force.
The first publication by the Journal OF the
fact was several months ago.
have been for NOT Whh mem he were
from the department, the Tdggart admins
tratiOn has reinstated them II they prove
their value to the machine. Jerry Shea, of
the old Is now at the central station, ON
MARYLAND street, was dismissed in lo97 for
inefflciency. His case is well remembered
by the hremen- Mr.. Taggart had him rein
stated.
few months before Chief Webster was
deposed he reported Captain John Fox, then
in charge of house No. 5, for lnenlclency.
At Ere on North Delaware street ne ala
not lay out a line of hose. This IS a very
made an excuse which the chief showed
was untenable. But Fred Mack, now
member of the Board of Safety. had Sc
cured FOX'S appointment years ago. FOX
made an excuse and ne was relnstated, al
though It was generally regarded as very
flimsy He was whitewashed by the man
who obtained his appointment
MACK'S BROTHER-IN-LAW
There is another case of public interest in
which MI. Mack's pull has figured. Mack
has a br.dher-in-law, Benjamin Beck, now
a captain in the department He was
duced to the ranks for his drinking habits
while on duty. He admitted the charge
against him. AS soon as his brother-in-law
became a member of the board he was
promptly put back in his old place as cap
tain. 1t is reported that Beck was before
pc airing in a drunken condition while at a
brother nremanS funeral He was ac-
quilted of this charge however His broth
er-ln-law Mack was also q member OF the
board at that time.
Another case that has caused some feel
ing has been the reappointment Of Thomas
Russell. He was reported for drunkenness
and was dropped Nov. 3 1891. He was
drunk on duty. 1t is reported that he came
to the boards office, in response 70 a sum
tried to get back into the department but
his application could not even be COnSid-