Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-07-18
! STAY ! I: / | 8EM |,
The Fire Department Decides
That Emder Has Au- .5S
thority at FIRES. .. s

.5# thority at FIRES.
The city firemen held q general
meeting Friday evening at the city
hall, and about 70 members were
present within q dozen Of az many
as ever took part In annual or other
meetings. The meeting was called
to order by Chief Emder, who
stated there was some conflict at
fires by the giving Of contrary orders
by different firemen, and he wished,
for the good of the department, to
have the firemen generally consider
the matter, and that he was willing
to take any reasonable course that
the department advised. Secretary
Med then read some resolu-
tions that had been passed by three
OF the companies that had met re-
Gently, declaring the sentiment OF the
members to be to stand by the chief
who had been elected by the depart
ment. F. w. Lyon was then called
upon, and asked for Information
about the provisions OF the city
charter and ordinances regarding
the head Of the fire department. He
read sections OF the ordinances. and
declared that the election OF Emder
as chief of the department., and his
subsequent confirmation by the
council, gave him lawful authority
to order and control firemen, and
the selection of Bentfeld by the
council as chief fire warden was
illegal, and did not give him any
power over the firemen. Other fire
men were called upon, and the uni
versal expression was that the de-
partment should stand unitedly
back of Emder. There was a gem
eral desire for harmonious settle
ment, but a decided determination
to stand by the department.
Several citizens were present who
were not active firemen, and some Of
them were called on to express their
views. Mayor Vasaly was the only
one who responded and he ex-
pressed his great affection for the
firemen, and his bold willingness to
tell anybody how he stood. u
After further remarks by firemen a
motion was made and unanimously
passed, by division" of the house,
declaring that the members Of the
department. would sustain Emder
as chief. ,~> Z -
A motion was carried authorizing
Chief Emder to appoint a committee
OF one fireman from each company
to confer with the council, and at
tempt to get q satisfactory SETTLE
ment of the chief matter without
further conflict in authority.
h The question oforganizing q relief
association was conside Tered at some
length, and generally favored. "A
motion was carried instructing the
committee already provided for to
also take such steps az necessary to
organize the association, and make
report to later meeting. z. =
Just before adjournment Mayor
Vasaly thought something had been
overlooked. There were no alarm
ing resolutions passed, and the fire
men seemed in very good humor.
Threats were few and mild. Now
that isn't what vasaly wants. So
he voluntarily took. the floor, and
called the attention Of the firemen to
the fact that there were two elements
In the council, and that he had no
complaints to make about Alder
men Mecusker, Moeglein and Lane,
and he urged the firemen to remem-
Der those officials In the future. The
remarks were ill-placed, untimely
and especially uncalled for in the ma
yor. In his official duties he loses no
chance to stir up trouble, and he
hopes for a further row and division
in the fire department.. He had no
right whatever to urge the firemen
at the meeting Friday night to "re-
member certain aldermen that are
Ills close friends In politics and city
tricks. He has an abundance Of
ways Of working his political games
without using the courtesies Of a
n 30 r. I,S