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

in power any party that he saw fit. He
SAID the idea of going TO q legislature
composed OF farmers who hardly know
enough to pass pals of water at fire and
OF politicians who are unscrupulous and
asking them to organize our fire depart
msnt was too absurd to even be discussed,
MIR. True said that 1t seemed to him
at the city of Portland through Its city
government was sensible enough to frame
a suitabls me ASSURE for the remodelling Of
the fire depar tment If they thought such
thing necessary. he thought the city
government was able TO care for these
matters.
Mr.. Shaw said that the resolution now
before the council implied that the coun-
Gil approved of the p resent bill or the
most OF 1t at any rate, and he should vote
against any resolution which implied
anything OF this kind.
DIR. Bowers said that there was good
deal in the pending bill which he APP
proved OF, and he believed IL would be
very fair to discuss this matter to some
extent and inform the members OF the
Legislature what the common council
would like. He said he believed In giving
the members Of the Legislature some def
mite information as to what the city
wants, hut he could Sea no reason in get
ting into q passion over the pending bill.
lie should vote against the resolution bs-
cause he did not think 1t went far enough
MrGriffin spoke in favor OF the passage
Of the resolution.
The resolution was then put to q vote
but was defeated by a vote OF IL to s.
Those voting for its passage were
Messrs. Griffin, Murphy, Sloman, Wood
side Fox, Wilson, Farnham and Phinney.
MIR. Comedian introduced a resolution
oisapprovinR OF the bill now pending at
Augusta relating to the remodsiling OF
the fire department and asking the Port
land represent tives OF the Legislature to
use all honorable means to prevent Its
passage. MIR. Comedian said he did not
approve of ths bill In question. he
thought 1t would be a dangerous thing to
have such bill pass as 1t would give one
man too much power.
EMr. Fox said he approved OF the bill,
He thought that it was in the interest Of
tax payers who want efficient service and
care little whether some flremen are dis
charged or not. What is needed to bring
about efficiency in this department Is dis
cipline. Within the memory of the men,
bers of this board degrading things have
occurred in the fire department.. We can
all remember when captain OF fire
boat pre-emptorily refused to obey the
orders OF the chief, and oowardy remained
at the wharf and saw the property of tax
payers burn up and ne was saved by po-
liticaI machinery after refusing to obey
orders.
DIR. Bowers said he thought 1t hardly
fair to put this resolution to q vote at
this tim Q. There were some things in the
bill he approved of and some things about
1t he did not like, but he believed 1t
should be fully discussed at this time.
Mi. Sloman said that he thought it was
change should be made in the fire depart
m ant in order to make 1t more efficient.
lie said that the firemsn nearly all ap-
proved Of some features in the pending
bill and he himself thought that there
were some good things In 1t, but he could
not approve OF the bill as a whole. He
said he should vote against the resolution
because be lid not wish to see the matter
dropped entirely.
Mr.. Wood side proposed that commit
tee OF five be appointed TO draw up a bill
which 1t wa 3 believed the council might
approve OF and submit 1t st a later meet
ing-of the council for discussion.
Mr.. Mclaughlin said that he didn't see
why there should be suoh a great cry at
this time for remodelling the fire depart
ment Is the trouble which disturbs the
council the fact that the Republicans fear
the result next Marchf II they do why
not walt until next March when with
Democratic mayor and city government
the fire department will be remodeIled
anyway and that too without the passage
OF any bill by the legislature.
Mr.. Murphy favored the appointment