Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-29
EIGHT F|REMEN TO
Be ADVANCED SOON
Three Go from Rank of Lieuten-
ant to That of
Captain.
MEN WERE SUCCESSFUL
IN CIVIL SERVICE TESTS
Five First Grade Men Are to Get
Lleutenancy Bars on Oc-
tober First.

Eight transfers will go into effect
In the Newark fire department some
time during Wednesday of this week,
but they will not be of the kind that
harrow firemens souls or cause a feel
ing that the changes are being made
as a reprimand for sins of omission
or commission. infraction of depart
ment rules and regulations, or even
for showing disrespect to superior
officers.
The men to be transferred are to
be subjected to the shifting ordeal
for entirely different reasons. Each
Is to be advanced in rank, promoted
because they successfully passed the
civil service competitive examination
While each won his spurs in the fight
for highest honors under civil service
tests, each was originally appointed
to the department under the old sys-
tenn when the fire commissioners were
permitted to use their own judgment
as to the relative fitness of men and
has proved a worthy member Of the
department. Not a blot, not a de-
merit mark can be found on the REQ
ords of any of them.
Those who came under the Of
flcial favor are: Lieutenants John
A. O'Connor, Christopher LEM and
Peter ]. McKiernan. They will be-
come captains on October l. First
Grade Firemen William Maier, Pat
rick F. Smith, Edgar A. Young, Peter
=. Cunningham and William l. Carey.
These will enter the lieutenant grade.
Won Honor for Rescues.
John Alvin O'Connor is barber by
( trade, but took CALAMITY to the hard
er work of fireman. He is a native
S of Middletown, New York, and was
( born June T. 1874. He was appointed
TO the department December 10, 1901,
and has been q member of Truck
Company No. 4, Truck Company No.
7. Engine Company No. and Engine
Company No. II. On January Is, 1909,
he was promoted to a lieutenancy.
On March 6, 1907, O'Connor's name
was ordered on the roll of honor for
rescuing Elmer Grant, aged seven
years, and Eugene F. Donnelly, aged
five, from drowning in the Morris
Canal The rescue took place Febru-
airy 81, 1907.
The children had been playing on
the ice, which gave way. allowing both
to go to the bottom. O'Connor, who
was on his way to meals, had his at
tention called to the plight of the
youngsters. He plunged, without
hesitation, through the aperture in
the ice through which the children
had disappeared and succeeded in
bringing the bodies of both to the sur
face. The children were resuscitated
with difficulty.
Christopher LEM became a member
of the department June IL, 1900. He
was born in Newark October 2, 1871,
and by trade is a stock cutter. He
served in Truck Company No. g. En-
CINE Company No. and Engine Com
, pany No. II. He was promoted to a
Tt.1x t. orI Dc
free of casualties or credits.
Peter J. McKiernan was born in
Newark March l, 1857 and on March
/, 1897, he entered the fire depart
ment. He was a teamster before be-
coming a fireman and as driver of
Engine Company No. 2 gained repu-
tation for skill in handling the rib
bons. On December Is, 1906, he be-
came a lieutenant. eli has served in
Engine Companies Nos. II, 5 and L.
He met with no casualties and had no
credits.
William Maier was born in Newark
January 20, 1876, and is by trade a
butcher. He was appointed to the de-
partment September %, 1903, and has
served in Engine Company No. l and
Chemical Company No. 1. No credits.
No casualties.
Patrick S. Smith is a native New
arker and was born January l, 1881.
BY occupation he was a salesman.
He became a member of the depart
ment on August 81, 1905, and has
served chiefly in Truck Company No.
4. On July q, 1909, his name was or
dered on the roll of honor for assist
ing in the rescue of three children
from burning dwelling at SO Num-
roe street, February 2. 1907.
Edgar A. Young was born January
IA. 1881, in this city. His previous
occupation was that of teamster. On
June 20, 1906, he was appointed to the
department and assigned to Engine
Company No. 20. He served also with
Engine Company 81. His record shows
good, consistent work, but with no
credits or casualties.
Unusual Distinction.
Peter f. Cunningham has the dis
tinction of being the only man in the
department who was advanced a
grade off-hand by the commissioners
for good fire duty. While on day
off and dressed in his Sunday suit he
discovered a fire and, directing that
an alarm be sent in, he constituted
himself a fire department and pro-
ceeded to get the inmates of the
building to safety, and was CALAMITY
. battling the flames when men and
apparatus arrived upon the scene.
Cunningham was minus a nice hat
and q nice suit OF clothes. He was
born In Factorville, Pa. June 81,
1871. and became Newark fireman
June 20. 1899. BY trade he is a pol
isher. He has served in Engine Com
pany No. s, Truck Company No. 3,
Engine Company No. and Is at pres
emit driver for Battalion Chief Will
lam A. Exall.
William J. Carey came close to
/ sharing the fate of others of his COM
rades who were killed at the Wiener
Z fire in Mechanic street April %, 1904.
{ AS it was his hands and body were
Z confused by falling walls. Carey was
born in this city October %, 1873, and
was appointed a fireman December II,
1901. His previous occupation was
that of shipping clerk. He has served
Z continuously as a member of Engine