New-York tribune., 1908-02-07
CANTRY QUITS HIS JOB
RESIGNS UNDER FIRE.
Sdys Insurance Men Raised Rates
Without Cause.

Fre Commissioner Francis J. Lantry sent hi.
resignation 20 Mayor Mcclellan yesterday after.
racr and il Mas accepted, to take effect on Feb
,z,ary 70. Mayor Mcclellan said he would no,
announce Mr. Lantry's successor until nexr
zees The Mayor did ask for the resigna.
fion Commissioner Lantry was satisfied that
hs would ask for il, and did not wait In his
letter the Mayor yesterday Mr. Lantry saws
.hat ne is credi5ly informed that the fire insur
,,e people have seized upon the present oc-
cssion. when tne Fire Department is under a
cloud because Of the bad record made at The
Parker Building fire TO raise their rates George
Y Bahb. Of The board of fire underwriters de-
-ies This assertion The correspondence be-
-zeen the Commissioner and the Mayor is as
foIloNs:
,s,, c-eo-se z Mcclellan Msvor
pear sir On January / 1895, l was appointed
the cfioe oL CoInmISsloner Of Correction. which
rfrer and January ], 1894. you honored me hy
- Appointment 10 that same Office and again
T., ~ occasion Of your reelection resppa6fed
NJ - that Office on January /. 1906.
re,rf-C nv administration Of thar department l
seecred ry best energies TO the faithful and com
r5ste performance Of al its duties and a manner
r To1s5elce and esteem Of ali who had relations with
= 81 rae penooCists who Were specially interested
in ihat branch Of the municipal service and OF the
---hll- generally. and the department. being one
,-s-lor nv the various grand j1rfes ernpaneled
s--ing ny long Term Of office. II my good
~ thsr competent body on my ADMINISTRATION
ne under your official observation. and 1 have
- nj thar. influenced thereby and your per
s-ai - k1ovledge Of myself further honored me
- snIointrnent 10 the office Of Fire Commissioner
- rs civ october 10 1905
have brought 70 the performance Of the duties
,r .hst Office an Of the same effort and energy and
s,rf administrative ability as possess. II any,
sErc even IN & greater degree and nave prlded
.sls on the feet that ] have brought that depart
e r ~ such state Of efficiency and had succeed
81 Il establishing such an esprit ae corps IA I
,-fe-nned force as would serve as an absolute
rmn-snTy that this city possesses as conscien.
So believe. the best fire department in the
No5o-~ the last few weeks however. through
,-5-s7snces beyond ny. i not beyond All human,
cant-ci criticism and arliTnadVer5lon son hsEe 1 neel
: r-,riS he idle discuss the aninlus oehind the
i VOL ~ have been credibly informed that the
ssrs. a,ca oa- oon1panies Of this city have laid
a.t5 n il pretext 10 increase thelr rae .,
e,e- hoI - which is Of direct concern to onr entire
oo--nurity. -.... .,,. +
o,zjrhsta2ding my conscientious peIIornahSs -. =.
~ ~. s,+ies a my office. atmosphere OF douot
and anxiety has BEEN % reSTf1 sTt,e Citizen to ay
- -Ss ead therefore. that so 1aI a. Itle @
+ion 01 TIE Fire Department Of tins city IS 0oh on
- here should he possible ground OF op-
.;o- rr7 lie rart ot the insurance companies %
o.hs- bodies or parties which may iaEe Ee.ai an
interest therein oL- +S u az rre C9rlr1lissoner OF
- ~ N1z- York take effect al your RS-iS
ne lH g FRANCIS J LANTHA-
u-e.
The MAYORS letter follows:
>ev York February 6. 1905
f5gu Francis LanIr so6Sle fl6S he receipt
peaT of ire 5th inst. IN which YOU lender
ycg- lss' s.aTior as Fire Commissioner fully un-
Eoa- E+S ne reasons you offer for your aeflon- 1 On
n scoeQrirg your resignation . I@H [e,,T lovaltv
se5r!@s - o,f may vel be proud ot your Tecorq
as Corl.nis ~, eonl= Of New York will Appreciate
49, motives in resignlng rom me NJ NJ NaVnr
,-,--,,-,issjoner I.antry is out through the
i-,as+fcs-ior by the Commissioners o. <AC0'Oil
-. @ordi,ion Of the hose Of the Fire Depart
r2v-ilT
1a--rz- did not make good showing III
i,r non, the Fire Department
II inc r-elir7ina-y report On their hndlngs ia
-. .-,-es-fration Commissioners Mitchel anu
r,,-7o- r-i-icised Commissioner LantrE- lheS
x,f5 ~ did not make sufficient attempts 10
~. --7-ez for hose from the Board q hSi
80 g-d Apnortionrnent and the boaFu oL ~
ss-~,e, that he did not show these -hoaroS '"0
.,ese7--- for new hose. that he did nol hilo"
~. +,a specifications for hose for the ne" i'sh
-. SIC service. almost ready in Manha'-
-.r and actually ready in BROOKLYN hau mo-
E.s --srared. that 81 per cent Of the hose OF
=. r: 7,.,,s--,,er7- was all that was service
nj. and that thirty lengths of hose purst at
,Ls Parker Building fire and twenty lehs%hS
-e-s burned o- otherwise destroyed
Commissioner I.antry visited Mayor McSiei-
l.- zlo~- time after the Parker Building nre'
on has not appeared at the office since.
"sH -ha- trash is absurd, was the coInIHeh'
- se--srz1 - the members Of the Board OF Ffe
T--5e-v-irers y hen asked concerning the alega-
tsorr made TX Commissioner Lantry against the
Insurance ror7raries. George W Bahb, preTi-
5e-- n -re Nor+f7 f7ern Assurance Company "I
Ior6a-. Who K also Al the head Of the Board
n Fire T-r6arv--i-ers said that the board had
---ovrf- 7-z errerts examined the condition OF
re Fsr- Terzr-r7ent 10 find out II there were any
5efcierriee in - and IF II discovered any IL
vou6 - ne work Of the board 10 report these
the rTal,er authorities. with recommendations
G. - ro-- such Deficiencies could ne overcome
st II the statement BY Commissioner Lantry /
hzt the fire rates had already been raised IN TINS
civ h said that such not the case ana /
thst The subject of raising the rates had never /
bssn discussed Of late ny the Board Of Fire In I
dsrwriters
Lsntrv is the Murphy leader Of the 18TH /
Assemble District Charles z Murphy has twice /
tre5 70 beat him In the state campaign two
wars aEo L.autrE refused TO support Hearst, ana /
ths Murphy men charged him with disloNaltN on ,
account - it Lantry was butcher by uade-
Es vas eleGsed alderman in 1892. on the with
e-sVal n John r Carroll in 1924 Lantry became
lssder ~ the old C2d The salary Of the Fire
Corl-isSioner s sI.500 II Is possible that the
aaror uln appoint him TO place suited to his
osrahIiltiez.