The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-04

! ton came off he was almost unanimous
ly defeated. Every company In the city
voted against him but one. Even the
Columbia, his own company. cast their
vote against him. John II. Sessford was
the second and last chief Of the volun-
teer fire department In April 1864, the
city council passed a bill creating a paid
fire department with steam equipm 2nt
Mr.. Peabody was appointed the first
/ paid chief
Success After Fight.
The fight to secure the passage Of the.
/ bill was an earnest one. 1t was finally
carried through the council and board of
/ aldermen. but when IL reached the
mayor, Richard Wallach. It was vetoed.
/ Jones B. Ellis was the chairman of the
! committee on the fire department. and
/ when the announcement OF the veto
/ reached the council ne consulted with
/ Mr.. Peabody. who was present. and
asked him what was to be done. Mr..
| Peabody suggested that they try 20 pass
/ Il over the veto.
| This was attempted but failed. Mr..
| Peabody then pointed out 20 Ellis that In
vetoing the bill. Mr.. Wallach had stated
| that he would sign the bill II the ap-
! pointruent OF the chief and board Of fire
| commissioners should be made annual.
and that the appointment Of clerk to the
/ board be with the mayor.
! The original bill provided that the
/ chief should be appointed for a term of
| five years. the members Of the board Of
! fire commissioners for i've years each.
/ but with the terms so arranged that
vacancy would occur each year. and that
the board should select their own clerk.
Mr.. Peabody therefore suggested that
an amendment be offered to the origi-
nal bill making the changes that the
mayor required This was promptly
1 done and that same day the amended
| bill was put before the board Of alder
men, who passed IL II was then taken
TO the mayor. who signed il without
further comment.
Put Out of Office.
Several DAYS later Mr.. Peabody was in
the mayors office. Mr.. Wallach spoke
20 him and brought up the subject Of the
! bill.
You are n fine fellow" he said. You
have IegisIated yourself out OF Office"
He referred TO the coming appoint
ments in July The original bill had TO
all iutents and purposes carried with it
the appointment Of Mr.. Peabody as
chief. He had been accordingly appoint
ed by the mayor.
/ But the terms Of the bill provided that
on the first day OF the following July
the mayor would be authorized 20 make
! a new list OF appointments. Mr.. Pea
/ body replied that he preferred getting
Ipaid department with steam equipment
to his own tenure In office. Mr.. Wal
llach was as good as his word, and when
the time came another chief was APP
| pointed to succeed Mr.. Peabody.
Last to Go Out.
The Columbia was the last company
TO go out of service. When the paid
Idepartment succeeded the volunteers the
/ Capitol HrI company was requested TO
Ivacate their house. This had been built
IoriginaIy by the Cover nment. but WIS
later burned to the ground The mem
bers OF the company rebuilt it with Gov
eminent aid.
| Tho amount Of improvements they had
put on was valued By them at $1,000.
Therefore. when they were ordered TO
vacate and turn over everything 20 the
paid company that was to succeed them,
they refused TO move, but made "A propO-
Isition that the new company should have
q place for their engine and apparatus,
quarters for the men, and the use of
such apparatus belonging to the old vol
unteers as might be useful
/ The city authorities commenced prepa-
rations to eject them by force. If neces-
sary. The officers Of the Columbia call
ed on Major B. d. French Commits
sioner Of Public Buildings and laid the
case before him. lie declined to act
I'm the matter. saying that he had moth
ingto do with IT,
! they next visited Secretary Of the In
terror U-pshur He said that he had no
authority to act I'm the matter. but that
he would advise them TO remain In their
old quarters as long as they could. lie
added that 80 was his best advice 10
them TO keep their eyes open, and If Sec
Rotary Of Var Stanton made the mat
ter a case Of military necessity" and
sent a company OF soldiers down on
them. to get out without loss Of time.
Remained at Home.
! However. Mr.. Stanton did not take
such extreme measures. and the old
company remained IN their home and
| continued TO run 10 fires along with
the paid companies for several months
after every other volunteer company I'm
The District was disbanded. The matter
! was finally laid before Congress. and
the committee on District affairs went
over the case and awarded the Columbia
| Company Gee for The improvements