New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-26
FIRE BUREAU ATTACKED
Appointments Political, Civil Ser.
vice ReformerS Assert.
SEND COMPLAINTS TO MAYOR
Give Specific Instances and Say
Chief Examiner Was Dismissed
from Buildings Bureau.

The Civil Service Reform Association.
which has been investigating the manner
in which places were temporarily filled in
the new Bureau Of Fire Prevention, has
sent a report in the form OF a letter to
Mayor Gaynor. The investigation was un-
dertaken several weeks ago, when it was
rumored Fire Commissioner Johnson had
allowed politics to play large part in the
naming Of inspectors and other officials.
The association noted seven specific in
stances that had come under its observa-
ton in which 1t said the civil service law
had been evaded. or politics. not ability to
I'LL the post, had been the motive leading
10 appointments. Presenting tabulation
of the appointments, the letter asserted
that:
The evidence presented in the accompany
ing table regarding the nature of the ap-
pointments that have been made has an eX-
uemely sinister significance. This bureau
was created 10 prevent the recurrence OF
such an awful catastrophe as the Triangle
Waist factory fire.
Popular horror and indignation led to the
passage Of legislation last year granting
Immense powers to this bureau. without
in the opinion of many-proper safeguards
for their exercise With it's large force Of
6uitdings, Installation OF Fl fire re- escapes and
FIRE safety devices and to -quire buildings
10 be vacated or condemned and removed,
it possesses unlimited opportunities for
graft, equal TO It's possibilities for public
good. II properly used il will be a public
boon; II Improperly public, menace
No organization political H. or private.
appointees necessarily have great ad-
vantage over competitors with each day IN
office they learn more OF their duties: me
subjects with which the examination must
deal.
We have carefully Investigated this ru-
nor as to the manner in which these tenn
porary appointments to competitive places
we're made" the letter TO the Mayor read,
and. incredible as they may seem in view
Of tho purpose and plain provisions of the
civil service law and the strong attitude
which you have assumed for your admins
tration In favor of its strict enforcement
we have found the following facts:
l. That of the eighty-nine persons who
according to the records of the Civil Service
Commission, have been appointed to TEN
porary positions in the Fire Prevention Blu
reau seventy were enrolled as Democrats
four as Republicans, one as a. member OF
the independence League. while enrolment
OF fourteen could not be found.
Patronage by Districts
2. That the seventy enrolled Democrats
were found to be distributed among hfty'
four of the fifty-nine Assembly districts In
Brooklyn Manhattan, The Bronx and Rich
rnond flor unknown reasons Queens was
. given no share I'm this patronage on a
N general basis Of one appointment TO each
vi district. although certain districts were IA
N vored with two or more appointments. The
attached table shows the exact division OF
the spoils
2. That the appointments OF the four Re-
rublicans are apparently equally as poliu-
cal as the appointments OF Democrats.
Each Of the four is from district repre-
cd bv wi IN Is p1pr
Of the Aldermanic Finance Committee or
the Committee on Public Letting or the
Committee on Salaries and OFFICES The
sion, or anti-Tammany, and upon these
committees In particular the department
IS dependent for additional appropriations
l. That aside entirely from the political
aspect OF these appointments, the eXamina-
ton shows the selection of men Of low
capacity. Twenty.eight received the bare
passing mark of 20 Only two received as
high as s.. The average percentage for all
;. That in Brooklyn Gor which borough
only We were able TO find a list OF the
Democratic district committees) five OF the
utive committees and another is president
of Patrick L. Lynch Democratic Associa-
ton
s. That the Republican appointee from
the Both Assembly District is apparently
the president of the district Republican
club.
Attacks Chief Examiner.
. That william j. McKeon. who has been
appointed chief examiner, at a salary OF
$500, was discharged after hearing on
March Y, 1870 from the position Of inspec-
tor of carpentry and masonry. Bureau OF
Buildings. Borough of Manhattan. for dis
missing a violation against certain premises
on 206th street, thus allowing the erection
of a frame structure prohibited by Sections
143 and IA of the Building Code, and that
the Fire Commissioner had been Informed
Of this fact.
Most of these temporary appointments
were made on March Is. The examination
for chief examiner has been set for May
q, for examiners June 6, while for inspec-
tors the letter to the Mayor said no date
had been set for the written examination.
The Mayors attention was called TO the
fact that In the civil service law, Section
TO- paragraph ], II was set forth that when
II was necessary 20 appoint persons tenn.
porarily to places to which there was nc
eligible list such persons should not hold
office more than two months and at the
end of that period of service under no cir
Cumstances were they TO be reappointed
The letter. which was signed by Samuel
II. Ordway chairman of the executive COM
rnittee of the Civil Service Reform Associa-
ton, and by Elliott II. Goodwin, secretary,
did nothing more than call the Mayors at
tention TO the facts presented. No remedy
was suggested or action recommended by
the association,