Evening journal., 1908-06-22
NOT PARTISAN,
SAYS Mr.. FORD
Denies Charges Regarding
Water Board Made by
Mr.. Van Trump
lie ISSUES A STATEMENT

Water Commissioner Peter ]. Ford.
an a letter to The Star. denies the
charge made by James C. Van Trump.
who was ousted from his position in
the Water Department, that Mr.. Ford
proceeded to make the body a political
machine" when he was appointed COM
missioner
Mr.. Ford intimates that Van Trump
Is a "sorehead,' and asserts that he
(Ford) kept Van Trump in the depart
ment service when there was a reason
Tor demanding his dismissal on
grounds that would have been approved
by every honest person in the city.
That reason was that Van Trump was
using the department service-team for
his own private business-doing his
marketing and other family errands,-
to the inconvenience Of the department
work and 20 the loss Of the city. Whca
charged him with this dereliction his
only excuse was that Others did it,
'His offense was not an isolated In
stance, but had grown into a regular
custom. He was not then dismissed.
Why? In the first place Il was urged
plumber, had been in the department
for years, and had done good service
and that If he was given another
chance no further cause for complaint
would arise. In the second place. 20
was a Republican and was a Demo-
crat newly appointed to my position
and 1 was particularly anxious to avoid
even the appearance Of partisan bias
~ 81 80
l insisted upon Van Trump's dismissal
and failed TO state the reason for such
dismissal, l certainly would have been
accused of acting from partisan mo-
tives. If / stated the reason, Van
Trump would have been seriously in
jured in the community / did not want
TO injure myself, and / did not want
to injure him. In those circumstances,
and hoping he would profit by the les
son, / was willing TO give him another
chance. And I'm this connection I wish
to say that I have made no appoint
ment, nor assisted In any dismissal for
partisan reasons. The Dickey appoint
lment was made for personal reasons.
/ in no sense dishonorable ones. nor do
I now believe the city's interests would
have suffered thereby; but it was gem
erally thought TO be a mistake, and
was revoked. But IL had no reference
TO Mr. Dickey's politics.
THE immediate reason for Van
Trumps dismissal may be stated IN a
few words All the commissioners
concede, 1 believe. that he was a fairly
good man in his place; but there was
the rub. he wouldn't stay in his place.
Upon Van Trump's promotion TO the
position of Superintendent, after the
advent of MIR. Knox into the depart
ment. he seemed to loose his head COM
pletely. Even after he was reduced
from the position of Superintendent he
continued TO make trouble by trying to
! go over the head of tho engineer, TO the
destruction Of discipline and the in-
pairment Of the general service.
"As to the other criticisms made by
Van Trump. care nothing at all. He
is not competent to pass judgment on
engineering. problems l am informed
by Commissioner Shaw that Van
Trump's alleged suggestion that he
should resign his position as foreman
of plumbers is pure fiction. He dreamed
it.
LET me say In conclusion. that the
recently fostered impression that Van
Trump was the backbone Of the Water
Department. ana that it will 60 to
pieces unless he is restored TO his posi-
tion is merely another product of his
imagination"
Water Commissioner Benjamin +.
Shaw in a statement says he has
found nothing partisan about MIR
Ford's actions in the department. "Hc
has been fair with me-"
Mr. Shaw said he was "soon con-
WINGED that Van Trumps whole aim
was 70 get Leisen ont OF the depart
ment. and he succeed him. Instead
of working with the chief engineer
found that he was working against
him; and the reason I voted to oust him
from the department was because II
his insubordination and repeated at
tempts to disorganize the working forcs
of the department. I fail to see where
Mr. Ford is using the department for
partisan purposes, though / have been
told by others that he is"
Arthur II. G. Garrett. a former COM
missioner, says:
Il think Mr.. Van Trump is absolutely
wrong in attributing partisan motives
to any act Of Mr.. Ford touching de-
partment matters. II was partly. II
not wholly. due to Mr.. Ford's influence
that Van Trump was retained on the
force"