Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-22
SUPERINTENDENT IS
PUBLICLY REBUKED
CAUSTIC COMMENT MADE ON
HIS ACTIONS
Severe Reprimand Administered for
Urging Council to Change Name
of Position in His De-
partment

Publicly reprimanded was the pun
ishment meted out to Francis Frank
houser, superintendent of the fire
alarm telegraph, yesterday by the fire
commissioners.
Lineman e. B. Anderson also re-
ceived a reprimand.
The trouble grew out of the efforts
made by the superintendent to keep
S. L. Strock, an electrician, from work.
ing in the department. Frankhouser
entertained some feeling against the
young man and Strock charged that
he permitted this prejudice to result
in violations Of the civil service rules
since he was on the eligible list and
should have been put to work.
The commissioners took umbrage at
the action of Frankhouser in recently
inducing the council to amend an ord
nance changing the title of repairman
to battery man, so that Strock could
not qualify.
1t develops that the civil service
commission can, at it's discretion, as
sign men to a position in which the
name is changed but not the duties.
This will land Strock in the place re-
gardless OF Frankhouser's opposition.
Board Makes Report
The report presented yesterday by
the board was as follows:
Superintendent Frankhouser is
charged with keeping the complainant
out of the position of repairman to-
which the latter seems to have been
legally entitled. The testimony fully
showed this to be true, and it is un-
fortunate that Mr.. Frankhouser COM
mitted such a blunder. He is a capa-
BILE man and has the necessary techni-
cal ability and experience for the
position, but evidently lacks good
judgment in mixing himself in such a
mess as this.
1T appears plainly that Frank
houser would not appoint StroCk to a
position to which he was justly en-
titled and instead of attending strictly
to his duties did some politics and. as
complainant charged, finally induced
the city council to change the ordi-
nance in order that the position of
repairman to which Strock was en-
titled would be entirely abolished.
There is some doubt in our minds
about this charge, but superintendent
Frankhouser is. a politician in addition
to his being an electrician and he can
be credited with this job if not
charged.
Dissension There
like in many other departments
there appears to be in this a dissen-
sion, and the testimony of r. B. And
erson, connected with the department,
showed disrespect and almost insub-
ordination during the trial.
1T showed that superintendent
Frankhouser is not able to control his
department, and the action of the
witness Anderson calls for our con-
demnation of the way he showed dis
respect for his superior.
Therefore, we conclude that the
superintendent Franhouser, is guilty
of the charges preferred and in the cir
cumstance that no other eligibes are
now on the civil service list for this
position we cannot very well dismiss
him nor suspend him, but we recon-
mend a severe reprimand by the
mayor. with the further recommends
ton that should Frankhouser show no
better control of his office in a period
of sixty days from date that he be
dismissed from the service.
Call an Examination
I'VE also recommend that the board
of civil service commissioners be re-
quested to call for an examination of
eligibles for this purpose as soon as
possible.
I'VE also desire to announce that
inasmuch as we have not had sufficient
time nor data to inform US as to the
wisdom of the suggestion of Strock TO
request the city council to amend the
ordinance affecting the position of re-
pairman In question, as soon as we
possibly can a recommendation win be
maze. unless such position Is not
needed.
I'VE further recommend that Line
man 70. 3. Anderson be reprimanded