The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-08
ENGINEER AND
FOREMAN FIRED
FROM FIRE DEPARTMENT.
PONDER DISCONNECTED ENGINE
FROM HEATER.

| Matter Reported TO the Mayor and
lie Was Fired for Doing So, Al
though He Had Already Quit
CampOs, Who Was Foreman, Was
Fired for Allowing the Engine
Disconnected in the House Over
which He Had Charge-SituatiOn
in Department Somewhat ReIiev-
ed-Maguire Won Everywhere Ex-
cept Against Mcfarland.
Foreman Campos and Engineer
| Ponder were fired from the fire de-
partment by Mayor Myers yesterday,
| Ponder being charged with Gripping
| an engine and Campos, the foreman,
with allowing him to do so. Ponder
| had already quit the department, but
the Mayor discharged him anyway, as
Under the regulations he was requir-
ed to give thirty days notice before
| quitting.
The discharges were made upon the
recommendation of Supt. Mcguire. who
learned yesterday morning of the en-
| CINE incident. The engine had been
| disconnected from the heater, so that
all the water in the boiler was cold.
The water in the engines is kept hot,
that steam may be gotten up quickly
in case of fire. After the engine was
| disconnected, it would have taken a
| great deal longer to have gotten up
steam and in case of a big fire serious
| results may have followed.
Ponder Owned Connections.
The matter was reported to Supt.
! Mcguire early yesterday morning and
he Immediately made an investigation
of his own. 1t was found that the en-
CINE had been disconnected by Ponder
Thursday night about 9 o'clock From
| that time until yesterday morning the
| engine had cold water in it's boilers
and there would have been serious
| delay in getting up steam in case of
| fire.
1t was reported to the Mayor at
noon, and the engineer who took charge
| of the engine after Ponder quit was
summoned before him. He told of find
| ing the eng'Ne disconnected and said
| he was unable to find the connections
| at all. The assistant foreman also APP
| peared before the Mayor and stated
| he had seen Ponder disconnect the en-
| CINE. Mayor Myers at once discharged
| both Ponder and Campos without
| hearing. The connections which Pom
! der had taken off and carried away
! were his own personal property. The
| connections that belonged to the de-
| partment could not be found until yes
/ terday morning.
| Relieves Situation.
The firing of these two men relieves
the situation in the department con-
siderabIy. They and the superintendent
did not get on well together and there
vas constant friction. There are 9TH
ers still in the department with whom
| the fire chief is frequently at outs
But it is thought the differences have
been patched up now.
In the fight that has just ended,
Supt. Mcguire came out with flying
! colors. He had his way with everyone
except Foreman Mcfarland. McFar-
land was able to muster friends
enough to have the fire chief overrid-
| den. However, Chief Mcguire says he
is satisfied with the transfer order
that he put into effect yesterday.
CampOs and POnder's Statements.
Ex-Foreman ]. e. Campos and ex-
Engineer T. B. Ponder of Engine
Company No. 1, stated to a Morning
News reporter last night that they had
been done the grossest injustice by
some one in statements given to the
public.
Both men desired to make a state
ment to set them right before the Sa-
| vannah public. Ex-Foreman Campos
said in regard to the engine at the sta
tion where he was foreman being off
the heater. that this was by an order
issued by the superintendent. II have
been in the employ of the fire depart
| ment for fourteen years. said Mr..
Campos, land every May orders have
been issued to take No. off the heater
| Orders placing it back on the heater
| civ
many instances on Nov. 1. Every man
at the engine house knows that. The
engine is taken off the heater to save
coal bill for the city. A week or two
ago Engineer Ponder got permission
TO put the engine back on the heater
at his discretion, to make some expert
ments with some new couplings that
he had. / ordered a ton of coal for
that purpose, and most of 1t is still al
the engine house.
I'm regard to the couplings which
were taken away, Mr.. Mcguire had
full knowledge that the couplings
which belonged TO No. / were taker
away and put on the new steamer
which arrived some time ago. They
are there yet. The couplings which
were in use on No. 1 were designed
and made at the expense of Mr.
Ponder, and belonged to him. The
city never did furnish any couplings
after the old ones were taken away.
notice that we were investigated anc
then dismissed for neglect of duty anC
maliciously imperiling the city. We
knew nothing of an investigation un.
til we saw the statement. Even the
negroes at Statesboro were given &
hearing, and l certainly believe tina
we should have had one, although
, neither of us wanted to stay on The
department after we had sent in oul
designations. We certainly would
have made an explanation that coulC
have but been satisfactory to tn,
most partial"
Mr.. Ponder said that he felt as Mr.
, Campos did. that they had been mos
! unjustly treated. and had been placed
in a very bad light before the people OF
{ Savannah. In regard TO his resigna
tion he said he sent IL in last Tuesda,
) to Mr.. Louis Garfunkel, who was rec
, ognized by every man i'm the depart
! ment as the real superintendent of tn,
Savannah fire department. Both mef
intimated that they were thoroughly
: familiar with the reasons for their dis
honorable discharge.