The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-12

grandson. Joseph Lyman Partridge 6rom
1904 10 1901, aged ninety-fve years. cover
ing "A total period OF % years. with an
extra fifteen years interval or lapse
This gentleman, Joseph Lyman Part
ridge, was the father of Colonel Partridge,
and died about "A year ago, after long
active life Of good health, proving the eX-
traordinary vitality Of the family stock.
a record OF the descendants shows re-
peated connections with such represent
ative New England families as the DUO
leys. COttOns, StrOngs, DWlshts' brdu-
streets and HuntingtOnS.
Colonel Jobn Nelson Partridge. incoming
police commissioner. was employed III On
importing house in Boston AT the DeSIhIllLs
OF our civil War. He was aIn e tn M foy
first to respond to LincOlns nrst can IOI
troops and was commissioned nrst lleuteh-
ant to serve in the Twenty-fourth Massae
chusetts Volunteers, when was part oI
the Burnside expedition landing at Roanoke
island.
After the war he took up his residence
in Brooklyn and began work in the big
warehouse esta Adjustment of Woodruh q
Robinson at the Atlantic docks.
Colonel Partridge has distinguished fam
lily connections on every side. His brother
DR. Edward l.. Partridge, OF No. - FittL
avenue, is a well-knOwn physician and OF
the same thorough type of man as MS
brother. Their mother Is stlll living at Jle
age of eighty-fOur Their father, Joseph
LYMAN Partridge died i'm his ninety-sixtn
year a year ago He was an accomplished
horseman. like all the Partridges The ex-
one of the strongest of the family traits
and when we consider that they have been
in the habit of living from seventy-hve
to ninety-fve years for nearly three CEN
turtles it is not strange that Colonel Part
ridge has the capacity and appearance
of a man twenty years younger.
CAREER IN A NUTSHELL.
Colonel Partridge's life may be condensed
as follows:
Went to the civil war in 1851; was dis
charged with honors in 1864.
Took up his residence in Brooklyn in 1865,
entered the warehouse business al a clerk
and became manager, which position he
held with great satisfaction TO the firm
until he was called TO higher duties.
Joining the Twenty-third Regiment as a
lieutenant, he became colonel in 1880. re-
signing in 1882 to be reelected five years
later and resign in 1894.
His service as fire commissioner In
Brooklyn extended from 1882 to 1888.
Then he served as police commissioner
in that city from 1884 for two years. He
was president of the BROOKLYN City and
Newtown Horse Railroad Company from
1886 to 1897 and was vice president of the
Excelsior Terra Gotta Company in 1898
But the most Important work of his life
outside of his military service was for the
State of New York as superintendent of
public works That department had been
subjected to severe criticism when Colonel
Partridge accepted Governor Roosevelt
appointment and began his work of reform
in 1899.
He not only greatly increased the effici-
ency of the canals, but improved the whole
| canal system of the State, and at the same
| time greatly reduced expenses. He made
| the unprecedented record of putting the
| canal system on a civil service basis. He
| appointed good men as superintendent.
| held them responsible for their employees
and the work performed under them.
Here is what he had to say on the sub
| ject:
| ''Al employees must be citizens OF the
| State and should be selected from localities
| conveniently near to their work They
must be honest temperate in their habits,
| orderly. well behaved and physically able
! to perform the duties to which they are
| assigned They will be required to render
/ to the State the full service belonging to
| their several places"
And this is but one of many Instances OF
| Colonel Partridge's efficient and patriotic
1 work in eleVating the service of the State
| and municipalities, making labor and the
| contract system respectable, strange as II
| may seem.
| And he accomplished these wonders by
| quiet methods. His first step was to free
| his department from politics. purify and
| weed out the personnel, making good ap-
| pointments after competitive examinations
| and then promote the men most efficient.
| Without brass bands or stump speeches
| loudly proclaiming reform, Colonel Part
| ridge pursued his work on business lines
| just as If he were at the head of a great
| mercantile or manufacturing enterprise
| Although the process seemed slow at first
| astonishing results had been effected at the
| END or a year In this way ne SURPRISED
| even his friends by bringing order out oil
! political chaos In Brooklyn, building III
| the police force, reorganizing the fire de-
| partment gently but effectively, like the
| sun melting frost bound rivers. In other
| words. no matter how corrupt the depart
| ment how demoraliZed its system, he
| gave every one to understand that his or
| ders were TO be obeyed. He nursed thing!
| into shape rather than hammered them
| amid confusion and threats of reveng,
| from disappointed incOmpetents
| Such are some of the points in the caree
| of the gentlemen who is to reorganize thu
| New York police army.
| When Colonel Partridge steps in and Mr.
| Devery steps out those curious New Yea
| landers examining the moss on the Brook
lyn bridge will no longer see fauntins
above police headquarters the historic
| legend:
4
'NUTHIN' DOM"