Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-03-22

Chicago taxpayers and property own
ers were last week treated To u yer,
unpleasant object lesson of the bless
inys of the llarrlsonian system o
municipal government.
The lesson consisted of the cripplin.
of the city Fire Department by cut
ting down the already inadequate ap
preparation demanded for the main
tcnancc of that force.
This was done by the Council IN pass
lns the annual budget last Tucsla,
night. ana Il steep increase In insuranc,
rates Is almost certain to follow.
The Council was not 10 blame in the
matter: there was nothing else for that
body to do.
The city funds had been depleted as
u result of the extravaganza and
wrctched financial management of the
city administration. and the determine.
tion of the Mayor that his pct barna-
cles and ornamental bureaus and COM
missions should he maintained In full
connection with the public pap at all
costs.
True. the city fathers seemed to have
been seized with Il deadly lethargy ut
the last moment. and as one observed
the cruel clipping of Chicago's noble
Fire Department one could not helm
signing for the days when the majority
or the City Council did not consist Of
Il lot of poor whipped spanicls crouch.
ing under the lash Of u petty dcspot.
hut the annual budget has been PASS
ed. and one result of IL will be- n very
serious Interference with the efficiency
Of the Fire Department.
So much for the united cndcayors OF
that trinity of municipal prodlglcs--the
Observation-Disclosures city admin.
is'ration.
Arising out of the contemplation Of
III" partial wreck of our Fire Depart.
m"nt comes the curious suggestion that
Mayor Harrison, for some uiIcyplaincd
reason or other. must have had II I'm"
Tor that branch of the public service
since the first day he took hold of office.
Certainly the conduct of this admins
fration from the very beginning points
strongly To that conclusion. From the
bouncing" Of Prof. Barrett down to
IN" Forcing out of Chief Swcnie, and
On to the deprivation of the present
able Chief. william Musham. of all
real authority over his men. the present
Mayor has shown small mercy to the
Fire Department.
Nh.n Chief Musham was put at the
mead OF the department the public
was In hopes that the Mayor would
mrzzle Llndblom, nj least so far as the
handling Of this force was concerned.
The public was sadly disappointed.
however, for Llndblom was allowed To
exercise full ana undisputed sway over
everything pertaining 10 the depart
lncnt.
Men could not get promotion in any
way except through the Civll Service
bureau. Their officers. 80 far MS being
In command or control was concerned.
amounted simply 10 nothing. The dc.
lalfmcnt was virtually nj the mercy
IF the Civil Service Commission. ana
lS result partial decentralization set
IN.
Now comes the crowning outrage Of
his long record of miserable mlsmau.
lgcmcnt and bungling on the part Of
'ur principal city officials: namely. the
'utting down Of the financial approprla-
Ion Of the iir" department to a figure
over than IL has been since the days |
when Chicago was a hfthratc city.
As result the brave iiremnu. who |
pend their nights ana days In watch.
ng over tn" lives aud property Of the
'cople, VIII have 10 lose four day,' pay |
very month throughout the coming
ear. II j. either this or fire dcpgrr.
irnt reduced numerically, which would
}" little less than a disaster 10 the tax
aging public of Chicago.
Naturally this deplDruhlc condition
i affairs causes the average citizen to
sS himself, what are We coming to:
Let MS take a general survey Of the
"'nlt5 Of the IIaTTisGn-W -Wulkcr-L,nd-
nom administration, aud We may Dee
Die 4" gain some idea as to this.
IAc bridges arr either closed as being
nSai" for traffic, or are rapidly falling
ITO decay our glnducts are I'm lust }
S bad condition II was ouly the
lhcr day that 70 street car filled with
roplr was near crashing through ono J
them, 80 rotten had the structure
cromc.
Most Of the streets ar" unpayrd. and
"a |