The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-10-26
CHIEF BARR RESIGNS,
Democratic Manipulation Throws the
Fire Department Into Hope
less Chaos.
ONLY DEMOCRATS TO GET JOBS

| Aid. Schlenker Declares That This is
Democratic Administration and That
the Democrats will Exercise Their Rights
Peter Peters Elected Member of the
Department and a General shakeup is
Made by the Committee.
Partisanship has taken charge of
the fire department of the city and, as
could be expected under such circum-
stances, chaos is the ruler.
The work of the Democratic commit
tee appointed by the Democratic Coun-
Gil has already begun it's work and
before it's 1abors are ended it is prob
able that the entire fire department
will be demora1ized.
The committee appointed by the
Mayor and Council, consisting of the
Chief of the Fire Department, one Re
publican and five Democrats, held their
first meeting Thursday night and the
deliberations and results of the meet
ing show how plainly politics have
been introduced into the affairs of the
department. The most astounding re-
suit is the resignation of Chief of the
|
was handed to chairman Priddis just
before the meeting. 1t has not as yet
been formally presented, but will prob
ably be presented at the next meeting
Of the committee, which will be held
Saturday night
The resignation of the Chief has
been brought about by the action of
the Council in overriding all prece-
dents and throwing the department,
which is equally vital to all people OF
the city, into the hands of political
ring looking only for the advancement
of their friends and party interests.
| Of course the meeting of the COM
mittee was stormy and, while the re-
porters were not invited to be present,
the doings of the committee are COM
mon property today. In the mad rush
for the division of the spoils the Dem
ocratic members forgot decorum and
everything else and sought only to
! find advancement for their friends.
There was no holding it back. In no
uncertain words the Democratic alder
men declared that it was Democratic
administration and if there were any
positions to be given out they were TO
go to Democrats. The one Republican
present made only a feeble protest to
the action of the partisan ring for it
was all too evident that anything he
could say would be only adding fuel to
the flames and hasten the utter de-
struction of the department.
At the outset of the meeting a great
deal of discussion was INDUCED in by
the members on the matter of uphold
| ing the committee in their action in
accepting the resignation of the two
! firemen and while no action was taken
the lines were so closely drawn that it
is evident that if the matter ever comes
to a vote there will be no hesitancy on
their part to turn down the committee,
as we'll as the Chief of the department.
For over an hour they wrangled.
Many men we're suggested for the
positions. Peter Peters, a man who
has been a member of the volunteer
hook and ladder company on the North
side, was chosen for a position at the
Central station. Several other candid
ates were suggested, and in this con-
nection the rank party feeling was
shown by the Democratic members of
the committee Aid. Sch1enker had
been considered as one of the men who
was in favor of the best MEN for the
phases, but in the light of the turn
things took last evening he can only
be considered as one of the assistants
of the Democrats in their effort to
place the entire department in the
hands of Democrats. When the matter
of election was reached Aid. SCh1enker
surprised his fellow members by de-
c1aring that he was elected by Demo-
cratic voters, in a Democratic ward,
and that this was a Democratic admin
istration, and that if there was a
Democrat on the north side who was
qualified for the office and wanted it he
should be elected.
Aid. Preddis pleaded for moderation
and stated that the committee in the
past had always selected men regard
less of political affiliations and that
this should be continued by the COM
nlittee. No action was taken in regard
to the reinstatement of Driver Rice,
and it seems that his connection with
the department is at an end.
The resignation of Chief Barr will
come as hard stroke to the depart
ment and cannot but cripple it for
some time. Mr.. Barr has been con-
nected with the department for many
years, and through his efforts the
department has been brought to point
where it is considered one of the best
in the state. Barr was the idol of the
volunteers, and all the men in the
employ of the city were proud to serve
with him. He is a fearless fighter and
is always found working with the
boys whenever his services are de-
manded. His resignation will be felt