Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-01-05
FORMER BISMARCkER
NOW fire MARSHAL
HARRY w. BRINGHURST RI
cElvEs HoNoRs FoM Sc
ATTLE PAPER.
Was City Engineer Of Bismarck over
Quarter of a Century Ago.

Quarter OF Century ago.
Old timers of the capital city will
be interested in the following clip
ping from the Seattle Post Intelli-
gencer OF recent date, which con-
tains the announcement of the ap-
pointment of Harry w. Bringhurst
former Bismarck resident, to the
position of fire marshal. Mr.. Bring.
hurst was formerly city engineer or
Bismarck and member of one OF
the local fire companies. He moved
to Seattle in 1889. The clipping fol-
lows:
Mayor George w. Dilling yesterday
announced the appointment OF Harry
w. Bringhurst to succeed Fire Mar
shall Gardner Kellogg, who retires at
the age of 70 years. Mr.. Bringhurst
was fire chief Of Seattle from 1906
to when he was removed to
make room for an apointee of Mayor
II. c. Gill.
Position Made Important.
Under the new fire patrol ordl-
nance passed by the city council,
which went into effect December II
last the position of fire marshal in
Seattle will be exceptionally import
ant. The fire marshal will have d.
rect charge of the executive features
of the ordinance which provides for
suborganization composed of the
captain, lieutenant. a pipeman and
truckman in each of the twenty.eight
fire districts of the city t oinspect all
buildings, new and old, keep plans
of them at local headquarters. in
spect fire hydrants. mains, fire es-
capes, ETC., to prevent fires.
WeII-Known Fire Fighter.
Mr.. Bringhurst, who takes office
today is one of the best known fire
fighters in the Northwest. When
Mayor Gill was elected, one Of his
first official acts was to remove
Bringhurst. The mayor brought
charges against the chief. alleging
criticism of city officials, permitting
firemen to be active in politics and
petty offenses The civil service
commission at that time sustained
two of the charges, criticising city
officials and failing to answer two
letters the commission had addressed
| to Eringhurst.
The commission at that time was
composed of George Listman, George
Zimmerman and H. T. Granger.
Zimmerman went out of office some
time ago and Granger went out Sat.
urday c. L. Baxter taking his place.
Zimmerman was supplanted by r. &.
Erskine.
Board Against Brinshurst.
Following Mayor billings election
there was considerable discussion re-
garding the proposed reappointment
of Branghurst as fire chief. The
personnel Of the civil service com
mission was unchanged at that time
and the commissioners let it be
known that they had formulated a
rule of their own that man dis
missed "for cause" could not be re-
instated under them. The matter
was dropped despite the agitation OF
leading business interests in the city
demanding Bringhurst's reappoint'
ment.
Recently many applications on the
subject were made to Mayor Dilling
and few days ago he was presented
with petitions signed by nearly 100 OF
the leading business, financial and in
surance men of the city, represent
ing many more firms, asking fo1
Bringhurst's appointment as fire mar
shall
Acting on the petition and his
knowledge of Bringhurst's competen
cy the mayor made the appointment
Brinqhurst's Experience.
Mr.. Bringhurst will be so years old
next June. He gained his first ex'
perience in fighting fires in Logans
port, Ind. working with the compa
MES regularly when he was even toe
young to join as volunteer. He as
sisted in organizing the Loganspor,
paid fire department and was later
an assistant chief in It.
Twenty-seven years ago Mr.. Bring
hurst was the city engineer of Bis
marck, N. D., and a member of the
pioneer fire company Mr.. Bring
hurst came to Seattle as a civil en-
gineer six weeks before the big fire
of 1889 and took an active part ir
fighting that conflagration as vol
unteer. He is an authority on fire
departments and fire apparatus and
his knowledge on the subject is at
tested to by the fire chiefs Of Port
land, Ore; Victoria. B. u; Tacoma
Chicago and many others.
Gardner keIIoeo's Service,
Gardner Kellogg, the retiring fire
marshal, has been connected with the
Seattle fire department since it's in
ception. He entered the volunteer
department in 1872. In 1884, whel
the department was reorganized. ant
the council provided for the election
of a chief the six companies chose
Mr.. Kellogg. He served until 1888
when he was succeeded as chief b!
Josiah Collins.
After the big fire of 1889, the de
partment was reorganized as pait
department and Mr.. Kellogg was ap
pointed chief by the council. He re
NAMED in Office until 1892, when
Democratic administration came In
He was reappointed fire chief ii
and served as chief until 1902
when he was appointed fire marshal