The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-01
TO INVESTIGATE THE CHIEF.
Council Takes Action Upon the In
surance Mems Complaints.

surance Mems Complaints.
The fitness of Fire Chief Mcguire for the
position which he holds is to be investi
gated by the investigating committee of
council 1t is done by special direction of
council at the suggestion of the mayor, the
basis for the investigation being the
charges brought by the committee of in
surance men that Chief Mcguire did not
combine the requisite qualities for the
making of a successful fire chief, which
charges were considered by the fire COM
mission at recent meeting.
The conclusion of the commission was
that as no specific charges had been pre-
scented no action could be taken by that
body and Chief Mcguire was allowed to
make statement in which he charged
| that the action of the insurance commit
| tee emanated from Mr.. c. F. Prendergast,
and also made an attack upon Alderman
Hull, chairman of the fire committee. At
ter what had transpired 1t was no surprise
| that council should take the matter up.
After other business had been disposed
of at the meeting of council yesterday af-
ternoon the following communication from
| Mayor Meldrim was read;
To the Honorable the Board of Alder
men of the City of Savannah Gentlemen
Il have the honor to transmit to you, for
such action as you may deem proper the
enclosed communication from the commit
tee of the Southeastern Tariff Association.
No official information has been received
by me of any action that may have been
taken by the fire commission upon the
subject and am not prepared TO say that
under the law creating the commission
any duty devolved upon that body to give
me such information.
As l deem every communication, COM
ing from a reputable source, worthy of
consideration, l have caused to come be-
fore me one or two members of the depart
ment, with the view of ascertaining, If
there were sufficient reason, to burden
your body with a more thorough investi-
cation than l could give it, l found my
self embarrassed, in my inquiries, by the
fact that did not desire to encroach upon
the prerogatiVe of the commission, or even
to seem wanting in proper respect for a
coordinate branch of the city government.
was further embarrassed by the natu-
raj indisposition of members of the de-
partment to state anything for or against
the fire chief, and, therefore, 1 did not
press the investigation, except, so far as
to satisfy myself that l should submit the
complaint to your honorable body, that
you might make, or cause to be made, a
thorough investigation.
1t Is useless to provide facilities for fire
fighting If they are not to be skillfully and
efficiently directed; on the other hand ev-
cry official and employee is entitled to con-
sideration and fair treatment and there
fore recommend, that the attached COM
munication be committed forthwith to
your duly appointed committee, which
has been charged with the investigation of
the several departments of the city gov
eminent, and that said committee be d.
rected to fully investigate the fitness of
the present fire chief for the positions
which he holds, and if he be found unfit
that the fire commission be requested to
dismiss him from the service. l assume,
that if the evidence should show the I'M
fitness of the fire chief that the commits
sion will do its full duty and carry out
such recommendation and request as a
might be made by your honorable body IN
on the other hand, the fire chief is found
TO be fit and proper officer, 1 assume
that your committee will not hesitate to
so find. In either event, duty to the ser
vice and to the chief requires that this
investigation be made and that it should
be full and searching. Very respectfully,
your obedient servant, P. w. Meldrim,
Mayor City of Savannah.
The communication of the insurance
committee to the fire commission was at
tached to the mayors letter. and reads
as follows:
Savannah, Ga, June 10, 1S97,-Mr. Will
lam l.. Grayson, chairman, Mr.. r. S. Nell
Mr.. George w. Parish, Savannah Fire
Commissioners; Conference.-The under
signed, being a committee representing
fire insurance companies doing business in
Savannah, have been requested to COM
municate with you for the purpose of
bringing about much needed improvement
in your fire department. In view of the
If CT We
come to the conclusion that the trouble
lies principally with the head of your de-
partment, or fire chief. He has not the
experience and judgment necessary to sue
cessfully cope with fires, it being ac-
knowledged that your apparatus, as far
as il goes, Is of a high order. A city of
the size and Importance of Savannah
should have for its fire chief a man of
demonstrated fitness, that is, experienced,
a good disciplinarian and having some
knowledge of mechanics. We refer to the
head of your fire department simply in
his official capacity, and judge of his COM
potency by the result of his work. Our
conclusion from this standpoint is that he
is not a successful chief of the fire de-
partment, and the interests of all parties
demand your careful consideration, to the
end that a chief combining the qualifca-
tions specified shall be speedily provided.
We respectfully request that you consid-
er the advisability of employing some
man from one of the larger cities of the
country, say New York or Chicago, believ-
ing that the man with the requisite ability
cannot be obtained from the smaller
cities.
Our interests in this matter being mu-
tual. We tender you any assistance that
il may be in our power to render. Yours
truly,
John c. Whitner, Chairman,
Charles +. Dox,
w. T.. Chaplin, Committee
The mayors letter. together with the
communication of the insurance commit
tee was then referred to the fire investi-
eating committee, with Instructions to
proceed upon the line of the mayors let
ter. and to report to council.