The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-23
TRIBUTE TO Mr.. CONE
His Services as Fire Com.
missioner Rewarded
Last Night.
GIFT FROM THE DEPARTMENT
Likenesses Of His Colleagues and
other officials Framed
Together.
GIFT FROM TIE DEPARTMENT

The last meeting of the old Board OF
Fire Commissioners took place last even
ing when the term of John +. Cone ex-
pired and every captain of the different
engines and every mar attached 70 head
quarters was present. COMMISSIONS
Brennan opened the meeting by announe-
ing that there was a committee present
that Mr.. Cone would like to hear from.
Assistant Engineer Denmead then
said:-.I desire on behalf of the officers
and members of this department. for the
kind and courteous treatment you have
shown to every man in this department
and to show the esteem we have for you
to present to you this picture OF the ex-
ecutive members of the department, and
we sincerely wish o success in every un-
~dertaking you may attempt in the fu-
ture.'
The picture given by the men is very
large and handsome: indeed. it is a YER
table work of art. There are thirty-seven
small pictures altogether in the frame,
n they represent the following gentle
observation-disclosures Brennan, Mills and
Cone, Chief Conway, Clerk Esterbrook,
Assistant chief Engineer Denmead, Bat
TALON Chief John Hogan, Battalion Chief
William H. Kerns, Superintendent OF
Telegraph John Speicher, Telegraph
Lineman Martin Speicher, James
Humphreys, Inspector OF Horses Will
lam H. Arrowsmith, John Lochner,
Medical Examiner; Captain George Muir
dock, Engine Co. No. L; Captain W. H.
Brennan, Engine Co. No. 2; Captain Geo.
Dingler, Engine Co. Nc. 8; Captain Lyman
j.. Quackenbush. Engine Co. No. A. Cap
tain John Watt, Engine Co. No. 5; Cap
lain William ]. Newly, Engine Co. No. 6,
Captain H. I. Bissell, Engine Co. No Z;
Captain Frank Cleveland, Engine Co. NO.
S; Captain Edward L. Swick, Engine Co.
No. g; Captain w. H. Lowell, Engine Co.
NO. 10; Captain R. J.. Brehm, Engine Co.
No. IL; captain Thomas S. Holmes, En-
CINE Co. No. IL; Captain Frank Aumack,
Engine Co. No. u; Captain Robert Sloan,
Engine Co. No. IA, Captain Clair Birch,
Engine Co. No. 10; Captain George III.
Quinn, Truck No. l; Captain John H.
Harms, Truck No. 2; Captain John G.
Martin. Truck No. 8; Captain George
Flick, Engine Co. No. A; Captain w. F.
Miller. Engine Co. No, s.; David Van
Wart. Daniel ]. Mcmahon, deceased;
Charles Mullikin, attached to Fire Head
quarters.
Mr.. Cone, in reply to Assistant Chief
Denmead. said:-f
ssMr. President, the officials, the com
mittee and meAbers Of the Fire Depart
ments OF Jersey City, feel deeply touched
by ycur gift and the work Of art that you
present to me this evening, and it goes to
snow the high esteem in which you have
held me in the past three years of my adj
ministration as a member of this Board.
/ also feel what it Is for a man to have
his work rewarded with such a handsome
gift, and it is evidence that l have been
d faithful officer of the department dur
ing my term. If | lave failed in n
point it was the fault of my mind, and
since I have been d membe MI colleagues
and myself have always tried to do every
thing for the benefit of the people OF the
CRY and the interests of the Department.
I am sure by the large gathering here to-
night thai every man in the Department
is my friend, and l lave always treated
and recognized every man in the Depart
ment as an equal from the highest to the
lowest.
The past three years have been the
I1lCSI DlSdS4lll JSdio L W.
official life, and even though the major
ity of the Board was on the opposite
side in politics l was always given due
consideration by my colleagues in every
thing that came before the Board, and
there were very few times that members
differed upon any policy that was for the
good of the community and the safety of
the people. 1 am prepared to say 10Y
that during the past three years there
was never any discrimination against any
of the men in the department, and the
justice that has been meted out to the
men Who nave been before the Board has
been in accordance with the character Of
their offences.
There is another important thing in
the department that i must not let slip
by, and thai is. the disbursements and the
proper auditing Of the disbursements.
fact that the whole money measured out
to his Board is by no means a liberal
appropriation, n notwithstanding this
/ am proud to say that the members OF
this Board have never said a word about
the lack of funds, but by being economi-
cal / can say that the records of the
Board show a good balance on
hand. This is a record that few
cities can boast of, and / hope that at
the end Of the next three years the rec
ords will be the same as they are at the
close of my term, and I wish to thank
Clerk Esterbrook for his good Judgment
and the noble work he has done for the
past years, and I am not afraid to say
that his advice was very often accepted
by the MEMBERS, and there were times
1t was used most beneficially, and I dom
think any man could fill his place bet
ter
Mr.. Cone also spoke in terms of praise
of Chief Conway, Charles Mulliken, SUI
perintendent Speicher and all the cap
tains present. He closed by saying he
regretfully had to leave the Board. and
he a hoped to remain another term
but higher powers deened it necessary
that another man should take his place
and, said he:-"I know the incoming gen
tleman will make a first class Commits
I sioner and a good worker.
President Mills then spoke about tht
condition Of the department four years
ago, and showed how much it has beer
| benefited during Mr.. Cones term, and tht
| speaker added that he regretted very
much to have Mr.. Cone leave the Board
Commissioner Brennan made a shor
address, and aid he could not say yer,
l-mlrch. but that he a always found Mr.
Gone to be a friend and a gentleman ii
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