The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-27
TWO POSITIONS ABOLISHED
THOSE OF DRYER AND S1OKER IN
 THE FIRE DEPARTMENI.

The Fire Commissioners Block Two
 Raises An Salaries i4 aie by the COm-
 mon CounciI-Fire Alarm Signals to
 be Quickened-No Charges Against l Assistant Chief Perkins,
 ! The fire commissioners last night took
 action rendering of no avail part of the
 action of the common Council in fixing
 schedule of salaries for the fire de-
 partment. That schedule raised the sal
 aries of the stokers and drivers $50 per
 year over what the men holding those
 positions now receive The fire board
 last night voted to abolish the positions
 Of stoker and driver, this to take effect
 on December 31 at midnight. The new
 schedule of salaries adopted by the
 common council takes effect on Janu- ary l. The stokers and drivers will in
 consequence of the action by the board
 last night be hereafter on the payrolls as hosemen, and although detailed as stokers and drivers they will only re- ceive the same salaries which they have
 been receiving while scheduled as stok- CTS and drivers.
 The matters of building new floor a No. 5's house and of rebuilding one of
 the old Silsbee No. 2 engines were re- ferred to the committee on houses and apparatus. The board has for some time been desirous of improving the fire alarm signal system by quickening the stroke of the fire bells, thereby do-
 ing away with what are often costly de-
 lays owing to the fire companies being obliged to wait, on account of the slow striking, to ascertain the locality In which the fire is. Last night the matter of speeding up the fire alarm system and putting the bell towers on special circuits was referred to the committee on fire alarm telegraph with power.
 William J. Merrick was appointed permanent member of the department to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Fireman Began, who was killed by being thrown from hose wagon at the corner of James and Lombard streets sometime ago.
 Chief Fancher of the fire department stated last evening that the statement published in an afternoon paper that charges had been preferred against As sistant Chief Perkins by Captain Will liam P Daley of chemical engine com- pany No. was absolutely untrue. The chief said that no charges had been pre- ferred. He said that he heard Monday evening something about alleged trou- ble between Assistant Chief Perkins and Captain Daley. and that he questioned Captain Daley concerning the matter. The story published in the afternoon paper was to the effect that Chief Per- kins, at fire on Grand avenue last week, criticised Captain Daley and kicked him.
 Chief Fancher said last night that when he questioned Captain Daley about the matter the latter said that on the night of the fire he was playing a hose in the cellar of the building where the fire occurred and was working in cramped quarters at the time, being obliged to lie flat on his stomach He said that Chief Perkins, desiring to have the hose used in the upper part of the building reached through the cellar window and touched him to attract his attention. He did not know whether Cnlel ENerklnS lOucHeu Dlill WltH HIS IOul or with his hand, as 1t was so smoky that he could not see.
 Assistant Chief Perkins stated last night that he did not kick Captain Dal- ey nor touch him with his foot. He said that Captain Daley had crawled cellar window and was lying flat on his stomach on q pile of coal in the cellar that reached nearly to the | He said that Captain Daley was playing a hose on the place where the fire had started and the cellar was full of smoke. Assistant Chief Perkins, having noticed that the fire was spread | ing to the upper part of the building, went to the cellar window where the | captain was at work, and, reaching through the window with his hand, he | shook the captains leg to attract his attention, after which he ordered Cap tain Daley to take the hose to the up- per part of the building. Assistant | Chief Perkins denied that any "hot worlds had been exchanged between him and Captain Daley, as charged in the article in the afternoon paper re- ferred to. He said that nothing was done except in the line of his duty. At the close of the meeting of the fire board last night Sias J. Metzger, clerk If the board said that nothing was done 1t the meeting concerning the matter, and that if did not come IlD