Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-03
r. H. Trent Now
\ CritiCises His
\ Policy ..
Tuesday. DccemNcr 81

that Fire Chief ThurStOn has played |
politics in his department and init |
nations that he has used his power !
as chief to make firCmen rent frOlE !
him cottages neaf the various lire
,tauGns. were vigorously and indig- !
nantly denied by Chief Thurston this
morning.
Attempts made to get Thurston's |
scalp and to have him ousleG Dy the |
mayor and the supervisors seem to
have been renewed recently, and to-
day there were several stories oil
deals and compromises by which
Thurston will be put out or his de
partment used for Democratic pat
ronage. The supervisors soon to take
office say today that there is little
likelihood that Thurston Will be re
appointed by the mayor.
Why. don't the papers tell the whole
story about the fire department in po-
lftics?r questioned r. H. Trent, in an
interview this morning.
"A very prominent Republican came
IN me today to ask that | use what
ever influence | might have with
Mayor Fern to get him to reappoil;t
Chief Thurston. He thought 1t would
be a shame for the Mayor to inject
politics into the fire department. con-
tlrued Mr.. Trent.
Il asked him IL he had not heard
that MIR. Thurston had been using his
position to do politics; and that al
though he had been twice appointed to
his position by Mayor Fern, he did MS
leyel best to beat Fern in the last elec'
ton. IL Is said that Thrrston not only
went out OF his way to canvass
against Fern, but that he made every
member of his department wear Park
er badges on election day.
= Another thing that is being urged
against Thurston is that he makes a
practice of acquiring property contlg-
u.us to the fire stations and buns
cottages to rent to the employees OF
the department. Some people rear :tnat
the. chief might be In danger OF being
influenced in his treatment of his men
by the fact that they are, or are not
contributing materially to his monthly
income as tenants.
aThere Is lot of talk about the
efficiency of the fire department ana
In a recent published interview a
rember Of the board OF fire underWrlt-
ers iutimated that IL Mr.. Thurston
were not reappointed rates might he
still further increased, tnGtead OF low
cred as promised for so long. But now
toes Il come that the rate for the new
concrete Excelsior building, only a
hsIf block from the central FIRE sta
ton has been put SO high that the
t,,,,,ars declare they will not insure.
Link Chips In. ~
YES" chimed in L. L. MeCanaless
who was present while Mr.. Trent was
making the foregoing statement
'.Yes."- said the candidate for the gov
ernorship, 81 have 100000 worth o
property in the city-some OF ~
concrete buildings-but | Will not m
4 sure II because the rates are SO hlsh
That does not speak very well tor TN
cfhciency of the fire department, or
Ie,st for the confidence OF the board o
underwriters in the fire department,
of" concluded Mr.. Trent, any o
those things that are being urge
arain,t Mr.. ThurEton- are not true
would like to see him deny them owe
his signature in print. II they at
t,na however, think II belittilne u
him now to cry politics, wnen tne'
seems to be some possibility OF MS W
inc asked to lie in the bed ne nd
made for himself.
Thurston Replies .
u, ronIv tn the above statement
Mr. Trent Fire Chief Thurston sal
this morning: a,
Mr.. Trent intimates tnat
compelling firemen to hve IN co.Ioes
own near fire stations. mere Is IN
a word of truth in this. lake u
seven cottages / own near the faian
staten. Three firenen occupy tnre
If these cottages. l charge tue
fiftaen dollars a month rent. Slmllf
cottages across the street rent al
hipher figure. On the Asylum roe
there are two cottages that a
dunIicates of mine. They rent
Iam told. for twenty dollars mont
7 conf dget more money for those &C
+.ces of mine, but | hav enot Il
hnor+ RI raise the rent on the IRENE
ond without doing that | can not raj
tho rent of the other tenants As
matter of fact the firemen are out u
Glad TO get these cottages. lheN d
thus enabled to have their tamlii
close by. and the arrangement is so
for them, and good for the departing
as well, as the men are a ways CLIO
nv when an alarm sounds. II a
one doubts this statement iel Ihs
- ask the firemen who are INlns
those cottages.
while am on this subject J W.
To say that built those cottages
the suggestion of the firemen the
solves, Several firemen wanted
live near the fire-station and CO..
not afford to pay the rents IN 81
WAGES as Palama and Makiki, part
nIarlv the latter. | was asked II IN
wore any way in which they could
cottages cheaply thereupon, t'
mn the idea of building these Gotta
and renting them at low figure
defy any man to show anything
GOOD results to the department II
This policy l don't make money
~ the cottages as | could II ren