The Nome nugget., 1903-03-07
BALDWIN
 RESIGNS As Chief Engineer of tlle Fire Department. HOW " RESUL TED 4 Cheap and Spectacular Action of a CiGs!.nlinded
 statesman"
HOW IT RESyL TED

That Councilman Stevens never over looks an opportunity to cause disturb ance and make d mountain out of q mole hill to gain his end was evidenced at the special meeting of the city cOun- Cil on Thursday evening. called for the purpose of ad djusting the matter Of pay ment for the cook in the mess house in the fire department. With the eXcep- tiOn of Councilman Goodrich, every member was present, and nearly a full quota of the fire boys. including Chief Engineer Baldwin.
 That mistake had been made and q misunderstanding existed. was appar- ent. but to adjust the matter, which under ordinary circumstances could have been done without comment or furor, it cost the city one of its bet of ficers, namely the chief of the fire de- department, who rendered his esigna- tion then and there.
 The meeting was called to order by : the mayor, who announced the objo joct of the meeting. after which Archer moved to first hear from Chef Miller as to what was wanted and what under standing, if any, he had as to payment of salary. Miller claims that in October he had an understanding with Chief Baldwin that he was to get &60 per month for doing the cooking: that the paid men were to pay him 5000 per , month each and the other $ were to be paid for by the city; that in Novem- ber he went to get his warrant and was toll that it would ba brought over; that it did not come and he went to see Captain Baldwin about it; that he went several times. and finally was told to let it go until the first of the month. This, he says, he agreed to, but on the the first of the month neither the first , nor second warrant was forthcoming. Time went on and he finally spoke to JOurden and Stevens.
 When asked whether or not he knew that Chief Baldwin had no authority to make contracts of that kind. without consent of the council, Miller said no, but he thought Baldwin could arrange it.
 A somewhat different light was , thrown upon the subject when the statement of Chief Baldwin was heard. "There's more behind this than Mil ler's salary said the chief. He was interrupted by Stevens. but only for a minute, w hen Stevens was given to 3 understand that if he thought he could use him Baldwin, as the cause for a sensational boost and newspaper spread he was badly mistaken, and as the whole affair was nothing bat personal question, and a great deal moro than the topic at issue was behind it all and it would be threshed out thoroughly at some other time. He had intended that Miller should be paid and while he filled the same position last winter without pay, and was satisfied, when he first spoke to Miller in October, it looked as if there would be no trouble z to pay him $60 per month, and from the following source: In October the city council set aside $500 toward maintain ing the mess, being $l50 per month for the months of June. July, August and . September, provided by ordinance for 5 that payment. but after that date no more was paid. It was the intention said the chief, to have enough out of this sum. together with the amount to be paid by the paid members, to allow him. this salary. But the city didn't even allow the bills for the provisions until two weeks ago. and therefore Miller got no pay. Chief Baldwin ad- mitted that he had been little lax in ' not pushing the matter but when Mil Ter came for his warrant he thought it was joke. His plan was to figure out the exact cost of maintaining tie de- partment and pay Miller out of the bal ance. As to the statements made by Miller, the chief said several were