The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-09
THEIR PLACES TO BE VACANT.
FIRE COMMISSIONERS AND RECoRD-
FIR WILL BE MINIS joins.

The Council Has No Option in the
Matter, City Attorney Adams Says.
The Moment Any City 0fEoiaI En-
ters the Army He Is Ineligible to
Any Civil Position and His omce
becomes Vaeant-CounoiI Can Now
Name Two New Fire Commissions
ers-what win Become OF Chief
Mcguire Theus
The City Council win have the naming
of a couple OF fire commissioners shortly
That is. judging by the position taken by
City Attorney Adams. il viii be the duty
Of Council to name two commissioners to
nil the vacancies which will exist as soon
as Commissioners Grayson and Nell are
formally mustered into the service of the
United States
The same thing applies to Recorder
Hartrdge, who is about TO enter the serv-
ice with the Guards. There can be no ia
yoritism in this matter for the simple rea-
son, Mr. Adams said, that the voluntary
act Of these gentlemen in entering the
service Of the United states sewers their
official connection with the city.
Council could not retain them in It's
service. even if it desired to do So" said
Mr. Adams. 1T cannot even grant them
a leave of absence for sixty days or any
length of time. The moment they enter the
service of the United States army their
connection with the city ceases. They are
no longer competent TO hold any office. and
will not be until they are discharged from
the service of the United States It is not
a question of what Council is willing to
do. Council can do nothing"
The one thing which Council can do
however, is to fill the vacancies, and it is
likely that this will be done at the earliest
opportunity.
Both Messrs. Grayson and Nell, before
their departure last night fled appiica-
tons with the Mayor for sixty days leave
of absence. Mayor Meldrlm was at Tybee
yesterday and it is not known il he has
received the applications yet. 1t is not
Likely that a special meeting of Council
will be called TO consider these applica-
tions, Mr.. Adams opinion showing this 10
be needless.
1t win be necessary, However, for Coun-
Gil TO shortly consider the filing of the va
cancies created by the action of Messrs.
Grayson and Nell in entering the service
of the United States. The vacancies will
be filed by nomination by the Mayor and
confirmation by Council. Mr.. Grayson has
served not quite two and half of the six
years term from which he was appointed
and Mr.. Nell not quite two and a half of
hts four years term. The parties TO be
appointed by Council will serve out these
terms When the new commissioners are
appointed there will then be one commits
sion, all the members of which were named
by this administration, Commissioner Gun
ningham having been appointed by Mayor
Meldrim in January.
This, of course, brings up the subject
of Chief Mcguire. 1t is very evident that
to become entirely in sympathy with the
administration the commission will have
to dispose of the chief This may not be
as easy a matter as might be anticipated
The chief is pretty we'll fortified in his
position by the law creating the commits
sion He has been tried and acquitted by
the commission of the charges brought
against him last year, and has since been
reelected for another term of two years
He will naturally hold that the commits
sion cannot go back of his recent election
for the material for any charges which Il
might desire to bring against him. II
was an oversight on the part of Chief Ma
guire not to secure a military commits
sion along with Commissioners Nell and
Grayson and then the old Fire Commission
feud would have been at an end.
In Recorders case IL is likely that his
severance from his Office will be only tenn
| porary Should he return to the city dur
Ing the life of the present administration
1t is practically certain that his position
will be restored to him and with any sue
ceedlng administration 1t is safe to say that
his chances would be good should he seek
the position.