Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-02
NEWS FOR FIREMEN.
Gossip About the Vacancies to
Be Filled Tomorrow.
Capt. Joseph Bruso, Jr, Tenders His Resig'
nation from Engine Company No. 2
HS James X. Madden's Case.

ment, which will be held Monday morn
ing at department headquarters, will b.
very important, to most of the members
ments are expected to be made to fill va
cancies for Which there are many can
didates The latest acquisition to the de
partment apparatus Ladder 4, will bt
placed. in commission at the meeting
and at least three permanent men ap
pointed to handle the machine until il
goes into active service. The men to be
selected are a captain, driver and tiller-
man. All three will be selected from the
permanent force, but to whom the ap
pointments will go is a matter Of con
lecture. Ladder 4 will be stationed ii
the building on Webster street, sharing
1t with Engine 5. The ladder is placed
at this part of the city to take in
alarms in the southeastern and south
western sections, which are now an
5wered by ladder truck from the cen
tire of the city.
The alarms of fire from these sections
Of the city are not many, consequently
a berth with the new company is con-
sidered in the light of sinecure, in
comparison with the companies in the
centre of the city. Because of this fact
there are many candidates for the posi-
tons. 1t is said that any of the present
captains of the ladder trucks would
gladly receive an appointment at the
head of new truck, and, of course,
each of the lieutenants of the ladder
companies would jump at the captaincy
as it is a promotion and consequently
more reInunerative office. The engin-
GERS have not given any indication Of
their intentions in the selection, but
whoever goes to Ladder 4, one of the
lieutenants will be raised to a captain
cy Lieut., Chadwick of Ladder 3 is
working hard for promotion, but both
Lieut. Divol of Ladder 2 and Lieut.. Nc
Cauliff Of Ladder l have their friends.
Lieut.. Divol was at one time captain of
Ladder 2, and it is possible that he may
again be promoted. His reduction was
made at his own request, but it is sup
posed that he, will be willing to assume
the duties of the Office at present.
The apparatus which will be known
as Ladder has been running from Lad
der Is house for the past six weeks, but
yesterday was taken to New Worcester
and placed in it's own house. While in
Bigeolw court the machine was drawn
by two horses but will now be rugged
with a three-horse hitch The horses
were purchased some time ago and
have been broken in to their work at
the houses of Engine 2, Engine and
Engine 4. Although the company goes
into commission Monday, it will not an
swer alarms for at least two weeks.
Chief Vaughn believes that a captain
should be allowed to select his working
force, in view of the fact that he is held
responsible for his men, and consequent
y the new captain will have to get a
working force together before apparatus
will answer alarms Then again the
running card will have to be revised.
The driver for the company will proba-
bly, be one of the older drivers in the
service, and his place will be filled by
the appointment of one of the spare
drivers
The working force of Hose 2 will also
be made complete at the meeting. Since
the suspension of Capt. Maher and
Lieut.. Boles, this company has not had
its full quota of regular men, although
the company has not been shorthanded
because at the request of Chief Vaughn,
James H. Madden, a former foreman in
the department, has assumed charge of
the company The vacancy caused by
the subsequent discharge of Lieut. Boles
was filled by the appointment of Will
liam Cavanaugh. There is still a va
cancy in the captainey. James H.
Madden, who has been in command of
the company, has just finished a term
as councilman, and much has been said
about member of the city government
holding a position, the salary of which
comes from the city treasury Mr..
Madden's name has not been entered
upon the pay rolls of the fire depart
ment, and, owing to his connection with
the city government, he has not re-
fceived a cent for his services, although
it is not expected he will put in the past
months work for naught. 1t has been
known for some time that Mr.. Madden
was a candidate for the captaincy of
Hose 2, but some of the lieutenants in
tile department who are looking for the
place, point to the fact that Mr.. Madden
Is beyondfth age limit, and consequent
" Ineligible to appointment to the de-
partment.
There is a rue to the effect that APP
pCintees to the fire department must be
unoer 40 years Of age, but where the
engineers believe it is for the best inter
ests Of the department the rule has
been set aside. Mr.. Madden is 46 years
of age. He has never INDUCED in spir-
it3us liquor and is in the prime of life.
At the meeting of the engineers, stomor-
row, Mr., Madden will be appointed
permanent man, and it is expected the
appointment will be confirmed by the
city council in the evening. AS APP
pointmentS to eaptaincieS must be made
from the permanent men, Mr.. Madden
will be eligible to the captaincy after
his confirmation, and it is likely that a
special meeting OF the board of engi-
neers will be held Tuesday and the APP
pointment made.
For some time, Hose has been in bad
shape, and Chief Vaughn thinks that
the selection of such a man as Mr.. Mad
den, who has had more than a score of
years service in the department and
has been a captain, would be better
than to put in a lieutenant young in
years and experience, who might be I'M
able to check some of the practices, but
on the contrary, be carried along with
the crowd.
Another vacancy to be filed, and one
which will not be created until the
meeting is held, is the captaincy of En-
CINE 2. esignation of Capt. Joseph
Bruso, Jr., Is in the hands of Deputy
Chief Coleman, clerk of the board. Capt.
Bruso resigns on account of i'll health.
He has been incapacitated for duty since
last spring and there is some doubt if
he RECEIVERS from the stroke of apopleXy
which affected him at that time He
has been connected with the depart
ment off and on since 1860. and has
been at the head of Engine for num-
Der of years. His departure from ac-
tive service removes one of the links
from the old volunteer department to
the present modern one. Capt Bruso's
successor will very likely be Lieut.. G.
T. Irvine.
The present year. will probably sec
many changes In the fire department
and it is hoped that by the end Of the
year the department will be inithe best
condition 1t has yet attained. AT pres
ent there are but three hose wagons
which are drawn by but one horse.
These are the wagons of Engine 2, En-
CINE and Hose g. These will be changed
over to double bitches during the year