Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1907-11-30
Chief M'KENzIE
MAKES Statement
rurS DIrFERENr LIGHT ON rHH
FIRE DEPARTMENT
TROUBLE.

( dlarcly has the community been
g stirred up in anything local as
they have been In the contemplated
changes in the fire department. and a
number of the property owners call
ed upon the county commissioners
yesterday to voice their displeasure
at the condition of things. A num-
her of people also called upon Chief
Mckenzie to express their regrets at
the resignation of himself and the
boys. and they learned for the first
time how the designations came to
be submitted. Jack Mckenzie learn
ed through these people of how the
public considered the matter. and of
the one-sided impressions that had
been formed, and he felt called upon
to make statement in justice to
himself and the boys under him, and
to the public who are vitality inter-
| ested in the makeup and the deport-
ment of the department. Following
is the statement of the chief:
II wasn't aware until today that
the public did not know what these
designations meant. After began
presented the rules, J asked him to
go down to the fire house and talk
them over with me and the other
two boys. There were some rules
which we thought radical and i'm
possible to observe, the four hour
watch being the principal one. We
were willing to arbitrate and wanted
to draft set of rules ourselves, and
then compare them with his. We be-
lieved that if we could not live up to
the rules that our only course was to
resign. He said that he did not en-
pect us to live up to the rules to the
letter, and | asked him what he
wanted to give them to us for. He
then stated that he wanted them SO
that in case any trouble arose in the
department, he could refer back to
them.
Il also called his attention to the
rule which states that upon convic-
ton of any irregularity, the penalty
would be suspension or dismissal
from the service. l said that If we
were directly under him. that it must
be he would convict us, so that he
would be Judge, jury and execution
er. | said to him, that if he would
add to the rules that if after a fair
and impartial trial, if we were found
guilty, and then suspended or dis
missed, that would be agreeable. II
asked him if the team was not well
taken care of and it it was not in n
good condition. In answer to this, |
he said that we might not always be
there, and that our successors might |
not know how to take care of a
horse.
1t is the general impression |
among the public that the new men
have been appointed because we did
not want to stay. This is not So
We are willing to be governed by
the rules just the same as any other
department, but we think that the
rules ought to be modified to con-
form to the town and to our sur
roundings. We thought that the
least that Mr. began might have
done was to have given some heed
to our suggestions, and we wanted to
draft set of regulations and then
submit them to him, and to anv three
men of the town to act as arbitrators.
Mr.. began would not say yes or no
to this proposition; he simply went
to an evening paper that afternoon
and had the rules published. We
then supposed that there was moth
ing left to us but to resign.
There have been a number of the
taxpayers call on us to express regret
at our departure from the depart-
ment, and they then learned for the
first time how the matter stood, and
1t was from them that we learned of
the wrong impression that existed
In the minds of the public. We de-
sire to return thanks to those people
and the rest of the public who have
Interested themselves in us, and with
whom we have been SO long, and TO
assure them that We will always be
with them in the ranks of the volun-
teers. and will try to be first at every
fire. as We have always been in the
past.
Il G. M,KENrzIE >,