The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-05
LOWELL GETS THE POST
Fire Commissioners Elect
Denmead's Successor
After Many Bal
lotings.

After January IS Chief Conway's as
sistant will be Captain w. H. Lowell, who
at present is attached to No. 10 engine
company in the Lafayette section of the
city. The position has been vacant since
| the death of John T. Denmead, who died
| last October.
Captain Lowell was born in Warren
county fifty-nine years ago. He was ap~
pointed stoker OF No. 10 engine in 1871 and
foreman in 1873; in 1877 he was dismissed
for political reasons. In 1879 he was re-
appointed foreman of the same company.
| When the department was made a full
paid one he was elevated to a captaincy
at salary OF $1,000 a year. Since he has
been member of the department he has
| never been brought before the board for
misconduct or failing to perform his duty
and is We'll liked throughout the city, and
especially among the men of the depart
ment. The salary of the assistant engi-
neer is $1,000 year and Captain Lowell is
certainly a happy man today
Since the Commissioners first began to
pallol TO I'LL the berth with a Republican
four weeks, ago, the meetings held within
tnat time nave been very amusing. Com
missioner Mills from the beginning started
to vote for his son-in-law, Captain Clair
Blrch, and at every meeting and every
ballot that was taken his name was in
evidence. This caused his Republican col
League, President Brennan, TO wonder how
the appointment could ever be made, as
the Democratic member Commissioner
Erickson would not go into any deal
AT the first meeting, four weeks ago,
twelve ballots were taken, each of the
three Commissioners voting four times
seeing that there would be no agreement
President Brennan said that the balloting
should cease and the meeting adjourned.
RMS was agreed to. A week ago last
night another meeting was held, when
selghteen ss ballots were cast, all the mem
Ders OF the Board being present and each
voting six times This time Commissions
er Errickson became disguised with the
way the voting was going and again the
balloting ceased, and the meeting adj
Journed until last evening.
1t was just $50 O clock last evening
wnen President Brennan raped his gavcl
and called the meeting TO order. After
tranSacting the routine business of the
Board a recess was taken for the purpose
Of auditing claims. The recess was the
shortest one on record. the Commission
ers Med out in this order. Erickson
Brennan and Mills, the last mentioned
wearing little smile which increased III
nounced by the Clerk. Had the electric
nights gone out at this moment in the
meeting room, Commissioner. Mills face
was red enough to light up the room It
was an awful shock and was not eX-
pected SO soon.
On the first ballot the vote stood
i52llSH, e@oiilii anu Oiii5ieF, Inc second was
the same only the names being reversed,
little. The third had a new candidate
and the vote was:-Birch, H. O. Bissei
and Quinn. The fourth and fifth had
the same candidates as the first two bal
lots taken, and last, when read by the
clerk was:-Clair Birch, W. H. Lowell
and W. H. Lowell
The result was received with tremen-
dous applause, I'M which Commissioner
Mills did not join. President Brennan
then announced that the appointment
would take effect on January Is. Cap
tain Bissell, who has acted as Chief Com
ways assistant and performed the du-
ties of the office to the letter, will re-
main at Fire Headquarters until Captain
Lowell assumes his new duties
It is said on good authority that Com
ErrickSon-s The Democratic
member-vote was three for Quinn, two
for Dingler and at the last ballot he
voted for. his old time friend, Cap
Lowell, and happened to strike the same
rame as Commissioner Brennan. There
are number of talkatiye people going
around saying there was a deal made be- {
tween Brennan and Erickson, but it is !
emphatically denied This morning
Leader Robert Davis said there was no
deal and the appointment was a square
one.
At the next meeting another vacancy
will have to be filed, that of a captain
in No. 10 Engine Company If the Com
missioners intend to put man in this
deserving of it, both for bravery and a
good record, it is said they will appoint
John w. CoStigan, who at present is
Chief Conway's driver Costigan today
is the only man in the department who
can show a prize for an act of bravery.
him by the Loriilard Tobacco Company
number of years ago