The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-10
He MAY OPPOSE MAGUlRE.
FRED sCHWARZ HAS AN EYE ON |
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.


TO DO with the Disbnndment of tn e
Protection Hose Company - Was
Also Another Cause of Irritation.
The Ex-VOIunteers See the Mayor
and Tell Him They Did Not Mind
Disbandment, But They Objected
to the Manner in Which They
Were Thrown Out-superintendent
Mcguire Says Mr.. schwarz Is Only
Joking.
VIII the disarmament of Protection
| Hose Company No. result in opposition
to Supt Mcguire at the next election?
| From remarks made yesterday by
! Fred Schwarz, foreman of the dis
banded company, it is not beyond posi-
| bility that this result may come about
Mr.. Schwarz is partly inclined to attrib-
ute the action of the superintendent in
disbanding his company to the fact that
he entertained the idea of becoming a
candidate having reached Supt. Maguire's
ears. There was also another reason,
he thinks, which was somewhat political
in its nature.
delegation of the members of Pro-
lection HOSE Company NJ. l. WllNu was
disbanded by order of Fire Superintend-
ent Mcguire last week, called upon May
or Myers yesterday morning and had
conference with him. The members of
the delegation stated that they did not
seek reinstatement. They did not partic-
ularly object to having their career as
volunteer firemen terminated, but it was
the manner in which this was done that
caused them to feel aggrieved. After
having rendered faithful service for
twelve years they thought that they were
entitled to more consideration than sim
ply a curt note of dismissal from the
superintendent. They also expressed
some surprise at the fact that this ac-
ton has been taken by the superintend-
ent without consulting either the Mayor
or the Fire Committee.
Mayor Myers endeaVored to smooth the
ruff1ed feelings of the eX-volunteers and
assured them that If they had been treat
ed with any discourtesy he had not been
party to it. He had consulted Supt.
Mcguire about the matter, he said, and
the latter had disclaimed any intention
of discourtesy or any personal motive in
his order of disbandment. 1t was simply
a question of providing more efficient fire
protection for the section of the city east
of the park than could be rendered by
volunteers and the superintendent had ex-
ercised the authority vested in him as
the head of the department to dispense
with the services of the volunteer com
pany.
The members of the deega ton, who
called on the Mayor, were Fred Schwar5.
foreman. f. C. Way, assistant foreman;
G. V. Snedeker. secretary; NJ. j. Brig
noni treasurer, and P. J. MorrisSey. The
other members of the now defunct com
pany are John Schwarz, Jr., F. A. Sned-
eker A. A. LINER and c. j. McCauley.
The members of the delegation We're seen
at the exchange by a Morning News re-
porter, and discussed their grievances
freely.
What We object to-" said Mr.. Schwarz,
is being dumped unceremoniously out of
the department after having rendered SER
vice to the best of our ability, and service
that has been frequently commended by
the superintendent. There were times
when the superintendent was glad to have
our assistance. We responded promptly
to all alarms in our district. Two or three
of the members had fire alarm gongs in
their houses, so that they received the
/ alarms promptly, and others could be com
municated with by telephone. In the day
time usually about half the company re-
sponded, and at night the full force, or
all who were within reach. We received
no pay. and were al considerable personal
expense on account of this work. After
the work we had done and the interest
we had taken we felt that we were en-
tiued to some consideration"
Mr. Snedeker and the others present ex
pressed themselves on the same lines as
Mr. Schwarz. They were asked about the
report that they attributed the superin-
tendents action TO a personal motive .
There were two reasons for thinking
this" said Mr, Schwarz. "One was that
l had made remarks to friends of mine
in a casual way, that no matter which
side won in the next election Mr.. Mcguire
would not be reelected superintendent
and that If there was to be a vacancy, l
! saw no reason why l would not make as
good a candidate as some others. l have
no doubt that these remarks reached the
superintendents ears, and this may posi-
bly, account for his action. There was
! another which Mr.. Way can tell you
! about"
This matter said Mr.. Way, was my
ordering away from the hose line q young
man who was not a member of the COM
/ pany. and is not connected with the fire
| departm He was interfering with me
/ in my work. and I did not want his as
/ sistance. He compained of this to the
superintendent, but when ] spoke to the
/ superintendent, he upheld me in my ac-
| ton, and said that | was entirely right.
| This was two or three months ago. and
| the superintendent may have changed his
mind about the matter since"
| The young man alluded to is Louis Gar
! fuukel a young politician who is a c'ose
| friend and associate of Superintendent
! Mcguire, and who makes speciality of
! keeping up with the fire department, and
who seems to enjoy rendering active as
sisiance to the fremen at fires.
Superintendent Mcguire was asked about
these reports and stated positively that
they had nothing whatever to do with his
action in disbanding the volunteer COM
pany. 81 had heard of MIR. Schwarz's re-
marks he said, but / treated them as a
joke Mr.. Schwdrz is a baker, not a fire
! man"
Superintendent Mcguire said he saw no
reason why the members of the hose COM
! pany should object so strongly to being
! disbanded unless it was that they lose
the jury exemptions which they have here
tofore enjoyed by reason of their con-
nection with the fire department. 1t Is
doubtless true that this was an object
with some Of the members OF the COM
! pany.