The San Francisco call., 1899-07-02
A NEW DEAL
IN THE POLITICS
Of ALAMEDA
City Employe Sum-
marily Dismissed.
PAYING OF ELECTION DEBTS
UNWRITTEN LAWS VIOLATED
BY THE NEW TRUSTEES.
A. V. Fisher Discharged Without
Cause to Make Room for the
PAYING OF ELECTION DEBTS
A. V. Fisher Discharged Without
Cause to Make Room for the
Political Friend of a
City Official.

ALAMEDA, July This city is agi-
tated from center to circumference to-day
over the inauguration of a style of poll
tics never before attempted in municipal
affairs. A faithful city employe, whose
honesty and competency have never been
questioned, has been unceremoniously
dropped from the city payroll to make
room for the son of one of the political
friends of City Trustee
1t has been an unwritten law in Ala
media since the city was incorporated that
the tenure of office of every employe de-
pended upon his attention to and his
faithful performance of his duties Such
a thing as dismissing a public servant for
political reasons was never dreamed of,
and consequently the citizens are very
much agitated over the changed condition
of affairs since the new Board of City
Trustees came into power.
Last night after a secret session of the
Trustees A. V. Fisher, who has been book
keeper and collector of the city electric
light plant for a number of years, was
told that his services would be dispensed
with at midnight. The excuse given is
that he did not collect enough money
from patrons of the plant during June.
The fact of the case is that he was dis
charged to make a position for Ihomas
Thompson, son of the chairman OF the
Harmonic Hall party, which now controls
the Board of City Trustees.
According to the assertions of City
Trustee Schultz, chairman of the Electric
Light Committee. Fisher was let out on
the recommendation of Trustee Mackie,
who also recommended the appointment
of Thompson.
''Mr. Fisher has not fulfilled our expec-
tations as a collector" said Mr.. Schultz,
"and MIR. Mackie suggested that we let
him out. He has recommended Thomas
Thompson for the position. and we are
going to give him trial"
Mr.. Fisher was given no intimation of
his discharge; quite the contrary for when
The Call stated positively about two
months ago that he was on the decapita-
ton list of the new board the Trustees
assured him that this paper had no foun-
dation for its assertions and that he
would not be disturbed in his position.
Naturally, his summary dismissal has
created feeling of uneaSiness among the
city employees, who are wondering where
the next blow of the will strike.
City Electrician Weise will probably be
the next man to go. His position has been
offered to a number of well-known elec-
tricians, but none Of them would consent
to accept it.
There will probably be legal tussle
before Fisher gives up. He was appointed
by the Board of City Trustees. To-day he
cation in the handwriting of City Trustee
Mackie:
THE electric light committee has de-
cided that your services are no longer re-
quired."
The committee has not been empowered
to discharge city employees, and Fisher
referred his case to City Attorney Taylor
Mr.. Taylor advised him that without
ployed him the electric light committee
had no right to dismiss him.
The new appointee IS a son of II. a.
Thompson, chairman of the Harmonic
was the only Trustee elected at the last
municipal election.