The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-17
FIRE MARSHAL'S
DEPARTMENT.
New Law Is Now In Operation
In Ohio.
CHIEF HOLLENBECK Is BUSY
Getting Everything In Running Order
Much Work Ahead For the chief
Marshal and His
Deputies.


Much Work Ahead For the chief
Marshal and His
Deputies.
From STAFF Correspondent.
Columbus, Aug. 14.-If the efforts Of
Fire Chief Marshal 8. D. Hollenbeck
and his able corps Of assistants are
any criterion. the new fire law will
prove to be successful.
Although the measure became effective
Immediately after its passage last
since August /; but during this period,
IL the reports that have come to Mr..
Hollenbeck are to be believed, the
legislature acted wisely in enacting
such q measure. Before the end of the
month the machinery of the law, 1t is
expected will be in first class work.
ing order.
In planning and arranging the de-
tails Of the department Fire Marshal
Hollenbeck labored under q great dis
advantage The law in numerous In
stances e. a lite vague and to properly
execute its purposes 1t Is incumbent
upon the chief marshal to use whole
lot Of good judgment. One clause
specifies that record shall be kept
of all fires, but no method Of proce-
dure is prescribed as to how this shall
be done. Many other features are like
wise faulty and 1t il probable that at
a future time the law will be amended
and its defects remedied.
Funds to cover the expenses Of the
department will not be available un-
til December, when the N per centage
Of the gross receipts Of the fire in
surance companies operating in the
state, from which tax the department
will be supported, will be paid in.
Meanwhile, the necessary funds will be
furnished by Mr.. Hollenbck. In the
conduct Of the affairs Of the depart
ment 1t will be necessary to observe the
most rigid economy for year or more.
until there Is a comfortable sum ahead
from the tax collection.
Mr.. Hollenbeck says there Is a vast
deal Of work ahead for both himself
and his deputies, and he thinks 1t will
be necessary to divide the state into
smaller districts and make more Of
them. There are now seven districts
but there should be twelve, but this
| arrangement was not made on account
Of the extra expense 1t would involve.
The law states that mayors, chiefs Of
fire departments and township clerks
shall aid in the investigation Of fires.
| There Is no compensation for these
| officials for the services mentioned and
| a written report must be made. The
mayors and chiefs Of fire departments
|
| measure, realizing that it Is a safe
| guard Of public interests, but with the
| township clerks 1t Is different. The
maximum salary they can receive Is
$3.50 per annum and they have q vigor-
GUS kick coming, because Of the extra
work the law makes for them. Chief
Marshall Hollenbeck receives on an
average Of from 10 to 20 communica-
| tions daily from township clerks, in
| quiring about compensation and OBJ
jecting to working for nothing. 1t re-
| quires much tact and diplomacy to
placate these officials. Mr.. Hollenbeck
directs a personal letter to each kicker,
pointing out that the law does not leave
| it discretionary with them to observe
it's provisions and that failure to act
accordingly Is punishable by q fine.
Utmost care is taken not to ruffie the
temper Of these recalcitrants, and
| thereby secure better cooperation in
the enforcement of the law.
Cleveland has a fire law Of it's own
although 1t Is subject to the general
law, under the control of the fire chief
and most satisfactory results have
been obtained. This system facilitates
the operation of the new law to quite
an extent.
The department is now investigating
| several conflagrations, presumably OF
an incendiary origin, but for the pres
ent the details will be withheld. Two
or three of these suspicious fires have
been reported by Deputy Marshal
Henry w. Hart, of Akron, of the Fifth
district. II the evidence warrants It,
prosecutions will follow Immediately.
Mr.. Hollenbeck will confer with his
deputies in the near future. District
reports are made weekly and those re-
ceived TO date indicate the law Isl work.
ing all right.
Fire Marshal Hollenbeck Is of the
opinion that some plan will be devised
perhaps by the next legislature, where
by all officials, having ex-officio powers
| under the new law, will receive pay
for their work AS it is now they are
not even allowing postage for forward
ing reports.
It is unofficially stated that School
Commissioner l.. d. BOnebrake has de-
cided to appoint Prof: n. II. Cheney, OF
Chillicothe, to succeed Il. M. Bennett OF
Pickaway, as member Of the state
board OF school examiners. Prof
Cheney is superintendent Of schools al
Chillicothe, and strong presshre was
used in his behalf. Mr.. Bonebrake, sc
the story goes, made the appointment
reluctantly.
Those who are pushing the movement
declare that fully 1900 from Columbus
will attend the Republican meeting al
Youngstown next month. The inten.
tion is to take q special train from
here. As many as can will stop al
Canton on the return trip.
In, paroling Davey, the Stark county
man, the board Of managers of the
penitentiary, have made themselves the
objects OF criticism from some sources
In referring to the matter, an item In 9
local paper says:
"Davey's crime is regarded as wantor
and even while the friends of the
prisoner were asking his parole, the,
admitted that he was a bad man while
under the influence of liquor. The
. colored man he shot had not offended
him in any manner, except that he re-
, fused to do his bidding"