Evening star., 1901-07-30
COMPANY REORGANlZED
ACTION OF CHIEF DUTTON OF THE.
FIRE DEPARTMENT..
Investigation Into Affairs of No. o
Company Reveals Lack OF
Disciplinary Methods.


ing drastic measures to break the "hoo-
doo' which has lowered over No. o engine
company ever since its admission into the
District fire department. There has always
been something more or less wrong with
this company, and 1t has given the higher
officers of the department no end of trou-
bic. For some time past it has been ap-
parent that affairs in this organization of
the department were not running as
smoothly as might be desired Tor the best
interests of the service. Mr.. Dutton be-
came cogn!zant of the fact soon after he
| took up the reins of the department and
began the direction Of it's government. He
found, 1t Is stated that there was but very
little discipline maintained and that the
company was not in good condition in any
of its branches.
Matters were recently brought to a
climax when fine horse. valued at nearly
800 and assigned to the company, was al
lowed to run away and SO injure itself as
| to make 1t permanently useless. The horse
had been intrusted for exercise to Watch
man Dwyer, who was a brand new ap-
pointee in the department and inexperi-
enced In the matter of handling horses.
The exercising of the animals was not in
his province and should have been done, as
subsequent proceedings definitely establish
| ed. by the driver or assistant driver. The
| injured animal was destroyed several days
| erinarian, reporting to Chief Dutton that
| he could not be used for service in any OF
the District departments If he ever recov-
| cred. The horse was frightfully injured
about the legs.
Investigation Ordered.
Chief Dutton appointed board of fire
officers headed by Senior Assistant Chief
Belt to Investigate the loss Of the horse
and "such other matters as they saw fit.
Upon the recommendation of the board, the
| foreman of No. 8 was placed last on the
list of foremen; the assistant foreman, the
driver and the assistant driver were all
reduced to the rank of privates and trans
ferred. Mr.. Dutton has not stopped with
| the transfer of these former officers, but
has determined to go further and almost
entirely reorganize the company. Only four
| out Of the original eleven members of the
| company will be retained in it's reorgani-
| zation. The old members will be scattered
| among the companies of the department.
Engine Company No 9 is looked upon as
one of the most important organizations in
| the fire department. 1t Is located on U
street northwest between 10th and 18th
includes many of the most valuable resi-
| dences in the District, as well as an ex-
| ceptfonally large number of big apartment
| houses.
order of things the company will redeem
| itself. He believes the "hoodoo" will be
| shaken off for good, and that the service
| will be greatly benefited by placing this
organization in the best of condition. The
reorganized company will be under the
direction of Foreman Martin, who has been
! transferred from Chemical Engine Com
| pany No. I. Since his promotion to the
| rank of foreman Mr.. Martin has proved
| himself an efficient and energetic officer.
| The department has a great deal of con-
| fidence in him. He Is young and enthu-
| siastic In his work. and 1t is believed will
ms int in hos Of in oyy
| and important command. He was selected
as the one man to bring No. 8 up out of the
depths. Foreman Harper Of No. 8. who
has been placed at the bottom of the list
of foremen, has been transferred to Chemi-
cal Company No. l, to take the command
released by Foreman Martin.
The Transfers.
Assistant Foreman Holmes of No. g.
who was reduced to the rank Of private,
has been officially transferred to Engine
Company No. s. Private Hanlon of En-
CINE Company No. II has been trans
ferred to No. 8, and 1t Is understood that
he will be promoted to be assistant fore
man upon the recommendation of Foreman
Martin. This matter has not been finally
decided upon, however Engineer Moriar-
ty of No. 8 has been transferred to No.
II, and Engineer Wetzell of No. II goes to
No. g. Driver Cation of No. 8, reduced to
private, has been assigned to truck c, and
Driver Cotter of Chemical No. 1, has been
designated to take his place at No. 8. AS
sistant Driver Mcdonald of No. 8, reduced
to private, has been assigned to truck b.
Private Reed Of No. has been assigned
to No. 8, vice Mcdonald, and Private
Smith of Chemical Company No. 2 has
been assigned to No. 8. vice Private Walsh,
who will be transferred to some other
company in the department. The old men
who will remain at No. are Privates
Nally, Raum, Albin and Orpin. Watch
man Dwyer, the new appointee, who was
the immediate cause of the shaking up
through the accident which happened while
the horses were negligently intrusted to
him, will be allowed to remain with the
c0nonany also