The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-01
THE FIRE FORCE CUT DOWN.
COMMISSION MAKES a REDUCTION
OF SEVEN MEN.

BE in Charge at No. 3 Engine
House-A saving of S3,845 Effected
by the Observation-Disclosures
Claiborne Succeeded by Mr.. j. =.
walker Reductions Had to BE
Made to- Meet the budget, Chair
man GraySOn Says.
The fire commission held its last meeting
of 1897 yesterday morning. A reduction was
made in the force of fremen, and new
electrician was elected.
Mr.. Joseph S. Walker succeeds Mr.. w
D. Claiborne as electrician of the depart
ment. Mr.. Walker was also elected cleo
trican Of the police department by the
police commission. He is the secretary and
manager of the Electric Supply and Con-
struction Company. ana is considered an
expert electrician. Mr.. Claiborne has been
the electrician of the fire and police de
partments for several years.
The reduction in the force was effected
by discharging three men, indefinitely sus-
pending two and leaving two vacancies
untitled. Foreman John j. Connolly of No
/ engine company and Engineer ]. f.
Doyle, of engine company No. f. two of the
Oldest firemen in the department are in
definitely suspended.
Assistant Foreman Tow and Fireman
OLeary of chemical company No. l, were
discharged for cause.
Foreman Connolly is perhaps the Oldest
fireman in the department, with the ex-
ception of Assistant Chief Mouro, and has
been a foreman for a number of years.
He has always stood high in the estima
ton of those who knew him, both in and
out of the department. Foreman Con-
molly has been expecting the ak to fall,
however ever since the investigation of
Fire Chief Mcguire last summer, when he
gave very strong testimony against the
chief. His suspension, which practically
amounts TO dismissal, can hardly be a sur
prise to him.
Chairman Grayson said the reductions in
the force We're made necessary by the de
creased appropriation.
The meeting was held to-day he said,
because it was thought that Commits.
sioner Parish whose term expires, was
better qualified by reason Of his expert
encc to pass upon the needs of the de-
coming commissioner, who is necessarily
unacquainted with the department"
THE reduction in the appropriation"
said Mr.. Grayson, "necessilates a reduc-
ton in the force and, while the board re-
grets that any of the men should have to
be dropped, there is no other way to re-
duce the expenses. The increase in the
force made in last June and the two addi-
tional apparatus put in service with the
expenses incidental to these increases,
make it necessary to either throw out
one or more machines, or to reduce the
force by a reduction of the men in the sew
seral companies. Ii was deemed advisable
to cut off one foreman, one engineer and
five men, or one full company. To do this
it was necessary to divide up the sus-
pensions, and one foreman, J. J. Connolly,
of the northern division, was suspended
In the southern division j. M Doyle, en-
gineer of engine company No. 4, was let
80. All of the companies have been re-
duced and engine companies heretofore
having ten men will now be operated with
nine men, Truck No. 1 has been reduc-
ed from seven to six. The southern divis-
ion is reduced one man in Nos. and 5,
while headquarters loses a man by trans
fer to chemical company No. !. The to-
tai force now consists of seventy men in
stead Of seventy-seven. We hope to do
good, efficient service with the means Civ
en- us, but l am in receipt of a protest from
the fire chief, in which, among other
things he says: Competent men cannot
be expected to remain W. h us when their
positions are no longer secure, and l can
not hope for the same good work in the
future with a force depleted Continu-
ing the chief says: I had hoped for an in
crease rather than a decrease in the force,
but l fully appreciate the position the
board is put in, and if I find that we can
q wit 10
force, 1 viii go on record and place the
blame where it properly belongs Give me
the men and | wiz do good work, but take
away men who are trained in the service,
efficient and intelligent, 1 do not think it is
fair to expect from me the same service
we have given during the last twelve
months.
AS the responsibility for the active man
agement and conduct of the department
devolyes upon Chief Mcguire, Chairman
Grayson said, the selection of the men to
be dropped was left to him and the board
acted upon his recommendation, with the
exception. Of course, of those DISCHARGED
for cause.
Order No. 81 was issued by Chief Ma
guire yesterday, making several changes
in the arrangement of the force
Foreman a. j. Toshach is transferred to
engine company No l, where he succeeds
Foreman Connolly. Assistant Chief George
Mouro will hereafter make his headduar-
ters at No. 9 engine house, on Oglethorpe
avenue, the old headquarters of the de-
parment where he viii perform the duties
of foreman Of engine company No. 3. as
well as exercise Il general supervision of
the house.
Fireman j. f. Hardee is transferred to
engine company No. 4 as acting engineer.
The daily inspection of stations by the as
sistant chief is abolished. and in lieu there
of, the toremen of the different stations
viii inspect the houses, apparatus, stock
and men daily a 10 O'Clock a. m.
No action has been taken by the fire
commission as yet in regard to the 5000
of bills which council declined to pass at
the last meeting on account of the fact
that i is he'd by council that the fire COM
mission has already overdrawn its bud
get Commissioner Cunningham will be
called upon to use his influence with coun-
Gil to have the question of the public prom
erty appropriation re-opened
Tn reduction in force, Chairman Grayson
stated, amounts TO a saving in salary Of
$3.50 In order to get within the budget
allowed by council he said the salary
reduction should be S. AL
Has Disappeared.
81 was troubled with rheumatism in nv
back, which was so severe that it was
V,af mo n