Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-18
APPOINTMENT WILL
RAISE EFFICIENCY
[Continued from FIRST Pare. ]

| Continued from First Pagc.l
Park Commission might refuse tc
serve as City Planning Commission
Ffremen's Action
The Firemen's Union which met in
the Friendship firehouse, criticised the
action of Council in substituting Mr.
Halbert for Mr.. Spicer and adopted q
resolution to that effect by vote OF
% to 1. Following is the resolution:
Whereas the Republican members
of City Council have seen flt to oust
Charles F. Spicer, as assistant fire
chief and appoint in his stead one Ed
ward Halbert, and
Whereas, Charles f. Spicer being
an able and efficient fireman and the
first man for the position of assistant
fire chief. it is hereby
Resolved, That II is the sense OF
the Harrisburg Firemen's Union that
the City Council has made a great mis-
take in appointing Edward Halbert,
as assistant fire chief and we believe
that his confirmation next Tuesday
will be detrimental to the interest of
the fire department and that we as
a body protest against this appoint
ment and ask the members of Council
to withdraw the name of Edward Hal
bert and retain Charles Il. Spicec, as
our assistant fire chief
Halbert Proved Efficient
Mr.. Halbert is considered an efficient
fireman and has taken particularly
heroic chances from time to time at
big fires. Harrisburg folks who stood
through the long hours of the Grand
Opera House fire recall the desperate
although unsuccessful fort of Halbert
to rescue nearly frantic stage hand
from the top window of the playhouse
\ rI,tl L. a. 4
ly cut Off all hope Of escape.
| Commissioner of Parks and Public
Property Taylor declined to discuss the
situation at all to-day. He wouldn't
talk on the subject of either Forrer,
the Fremen's Union or the Halbert ap-
pointments.
MIR. Forrer will remain until April
l in accordance with what l told him
sometime ago and mean to put in a
resolution carrying him over for an
other month, at an early meeting.
This will give him the additional time
to make what plans he wishes. AS
for the action of the Firemen's Union,
Mr.. Taylor smilingly shook his head,
really / can't discuss that
| The Planning Commission
! You mean to appoint the men,
bers of the Park Commission as the
first City Planning Commission, do you
not?" Mr.. Taylor was asked.
well that is the plan but I don't
care to talk on that subject just yet
as ] don't know whether the commits
sion would consider the action relative
to Mr.. Forrer an affront or not"
President Charles A. Disbrow, presi-
dent of the Park Board, only said he
regretted the dismissal of Mr.. Forrer,
and believes that the Commissioner of
Parks made a great mistake in re-
moving one who has been efficient and
capable. Whether the Park Com
mission would take any further action
in the matter, Mr.. Disbrow said he
doesn't know.
In a statement issued to-day Mr..
! Forrer extends sincere thanks to the
Park Commission, the newspapers, and
the people of the city for their help
and co-operation-and good-by to
the thousands of youngsters of the
city. Here is the statement:
MIR. Forrer Says Good-by
In view of my long service in
the park department of the city
and the kindly cooperation ex-
| tended to me in the great work of
development that has been per-
formed since I was chosen to the
superintendency of the park sys-
| tenn, / deem 1t only proper that I
| should briefly but sincerely thank
| the members of the retiring park
commission, the newspapers of
the city and the hundreds of men,
women and children who have so
heartily supported me at all times
| in my humble efforts to promote
| the efficiency of this important
branch of the city government
The members of the park board
have at all times been enthusiastic
/ and energetic. Nobody who has
! not been associated with them can
appreciate their devotion to the
trust reposed in them nor to the
amount of time and work they
| have given to the up-building OF
the park system, and this with
out pay, and ofttimes, have fear
ed, without much thanks.
The newspapers have at all times
stood ready to do their part. The
great work of public education to
the use of parks and to the value
of public Fairgrounds and recrea-
tion places has been accomplish
ed through their instrumentality
and the hundreds of columns of
space they have given to the free
advertisement of what the park
officials and councils were trying
to do.
Thanks For the Children
1t is needless to say that l sever
my connections with the park de-
partment with extreme regret.
Especially Is it hard for me to
think that 1 am no more to en-
JOY the summer playground and
camp work among the hundreds
of little folks whom have count
ed among my best friends. 1t is
my sincere hope that they will
find in my successor as sincere a
friend as I have tried to be and
that he will appreciate their kind
ly advances as much as I have
done. 1t may not be amiss here
to extend my thanks to the boys
and girls who made my recent
enforced stay in the hospital
pleasant with flowers and showers
of post cards, all of which have
kept and treasure among my dear
est possessions.
In return for these many kind
nesses I have endeavored to give
my best efforts to the city and I
will lay down my duties in the full
consciousness of a work done as
we'll as l knew how to do it and
in the belief It has met with gen.
eral approval