Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-22
FiIREpfEN NEXT.
Lest Nights Police Article mas Sdt
 Fire Fighters Thin lksse.


 .''We've done nothing but watch that board since it was appointed" ]" remarked member of thetire depart mealt last night, after reading the ar ticle in the Democrat regarding the rise and fa11 of Chief Egan. He ciainl- ed that he has been a member Of the department for several years and at no time during his connection with it has jhe seen so much Hneasiness among the men as exists at the pres yent time. He also added that this was true of the policemen Nobody knows" he continued. "a when he'll be called before the board and dropped because somebody doesn't like him Look at Jack Devoy's case. With the possible exception of Ed Kane, and don't know but he can beat him, Jack: Devoy is the best driver in Water bury; but that made no difference. Certain parties didn't want him and he had to go, with a dishonorable dis charge at that to help him through life, The trouble insthe fire depart 'ment is due. to bad blood between the officers and the men. V The chief never had any use. for Devoy and the cap- tain knew this and kept after Jack. A few more of the boys will get their medicine before long, too, and they won't be ordinary tiremen. either. If I don't miss my guess Terry O'Brien and Barney Byrmes will have to walk the plank. Why, the chief scarcely recognizes OsBrien. IN don't think he spoke to him about it the last time he was away, and I know he didn't re- port to him when he came back. He let Terry find Out all this himself. I shouldn't be surprised to see the three assistant engineers, O'Brien, Byrnes and Walker, bounced and Captain. Dodds made assistant engineer. No. the chief has no use for O'Brien and Byrnes. Walker doesn't care about the joba understand. and from the looks of things Bobwill be apt to accompany Terry and Barney. It is a case of get ting even all around and any man the chief has the sIigh htest feeling against will be down and out before George Drfggs and eorge Beach retire. Van sKeuren is blamed for all the dirty. work on that board. butI have 1t from one right in the game that Van Keu- rep has very little fo do with what is going on and that he's the fairest man on the board.'
 This led up to a general talk about proposed changes during which some body remarked that inside of twenty five years every other man and wo- man about town will be a pensioner, for succeeding boards will want to do nice things for thelrs friends and to make room for them those whom they found in office will have to be pensioned off, seeing they cannot be discharged While much of what was said was wide of the mark, still there was enough in 1t to make any or(Tin- ary citizen sensible of the evil of life. tenure in office and pension funds. People who never earned over $1.50. per day will have to help make up pension funds for retired officials who always commanded good wages and who had much better opportunities of making provision for the rainy day. chan the average person who has to chan the average person who win have to come down with his share Of the. cash to pay these gentlemen of leis- ure, no matter how things fare with hiFnSnlf md family TT <