The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-02-12

Of the chief engineer for three years. did
not approve Of his being given the pur-
chasing power or the power Of expanding
money without the sanction OF the city
government ana also favored civil ser
vice rule which would do away to some
extent with political preferment.
MIR. Marston disapproved Of the pend
Ing bill. and taking up the statement
made By MIR. Fox relating to the dis
obedience of orders of the captain OF the
fire boat, said that the captain Of ths fir!
boat displayed better judgment on that
occasion than did the chief engineer for,
MIR. Marston said 1t was the opinion OF
the property owners In the vicinity OF
that fire, and he was one OF them, that
by remaining at his dock the captain OF
the fire boat had done more to protect the
property In that locality than he would
have done had he gone outside as ordered
| by the chief. Mr.. Marston said thar
1 larger boats than the fire boat lying ct
neig hboring docks that night did not at
tempt to leave their bertbs because they
knew that they could not get away safe
"
casion been given the arbitrary power
granted him by the beill pending at Au-
ugsta he would have removed the captain
Of the fire boat, who was on that occasion
In the right, while the chief was In the
wrong.
Mr.. True spoke In favor Of the passage
OF MIR. Comedians resolution saying that
did the bill at Augusta pass 1t would put
at the mercy OF the chief engineer lot
of firemsn who are go1d men and who
should not be removed pre-emptorily by
any person without fair hearing.
Mr.. Roberts thought that the bill was
sIur upon every citizen Of Portland and
upon the entire fire department inasmuoh
as 1t would lead people to believe in the
one case that the city government Is not
brainy enough to draw up bill OF its
own, and ON the other hand because Ii
would insinuate that there Is but one
perfect man In the department today and
that the chief engineer. He thought that
this was too large a community to be
ruled arbitrarily by one man. Why not
choose the mayor for life while we are
about It? Have we q chief OF the fire de-
partment who is SO poor q man that he
cant stand up before the people every year
for his election MIR. Roberts said that he
did not mean to insinuate that this was
the case with the present chief or the de-
partment because he believed that he was
a good man who could stand up for his
election every year.
Mr. Sloman said that nearly every man
In the fire department favored this bill or
parts OF 1t.
The resolution Of Mr.. Conn sllan disap-
proving OF the bill and requesting the
representatives OF the legislature from
Portland to prevent It's passage II possible
was then put to vote. The ayes and
nays were called for and the bill resolu-
tion was passed by q vote OF 10 to Q.
Those voting against the PASSAGE OF the
resolution were az follows: 9riffin, Mon
roe, Murphy, Bowers, Fox, Wilson, Farm
ham and Phinney. MIR. Sioman was en-
oussd from voting.
TO CONFER WIT II BATH IRON
WORKS.
MIR. woodside introduced she following
motion and urged its passage:
Moved that special comm ittee of five
from this board be appointed to act with
similar committee from the Board OF
Aldermen and board of trade, for the
purpose of comforting with the represen-
tatives of the Bath Iron Works. with a
view of inducing that corporation to es-
tablish branch of its work In this
vicinity. Also moved that the clerk Of
this foard notify the Bath Iron Works of
the action OF this board.
In support OF this resolution Mr.. Wood
side read extracts from communication
he had received from Benjamin Thomp.
son, Esq, whom he had asked for some
Information relati ng to this matter. In
this communication mir Thompson
wrots:
~ want to cay that have been bur-
dened waiting for some one to move, and
present to the Bath Iron Works, not only
the suggest ion respecting the uneIceIled
facilities which we have. as location,
but also as place where there will neces-
sarily be great deal of important bust
ness to be done, and at the same time,
impress upon our citizens the Immense