The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-04-26
Fire Department Discipline.

not necessarily for publication. but
i for the information of the sditor.l
Fire Department. Discipline.
To the Editor of The Gate City:
The chief OF the fire department in
his annual report having recommend
ed that "all agitators and disturbers
keep their hands off of the depart l.
'ment," it Is but fitting that the citi-
zens Of Keokuk know who the DIS
turbers" are and what they are trying
to do. They are the civil service
commissioners and they are trying to
save unnecessary expense in the de-
partment and to have the duties and
privileges of the men fixed by rule
instead of depending on the capric-
iousness of the chief.
On April Z, 1915. the citys council.
by resolution ordered the West Keo-
kuk station not to respond to first
alarms in the main city. This was
resented by the chief, as shown by
his published statements after the
Daugherty and Taber fires.
The members Of the department are
allowed one day off each week out
must respond to fires. This day is at
present fixed by the chief To punish
Yeager Of the West Keokuk station
for not responding promptly to a file
on his day off, the chief changed his
day from Sunday to Wednesday.
Yeager appealed to Commissions
Hilpert, who, not liking the respona-
Utility OF deciding the matter. refer.
red it to the civil service commits
sion. They found Yeager blameless
and recommended the return Of his
Sunday. On a rehearing, held at the
OF NJ Tnh aI ~
made the charge that on his Sundays
off Yeager was so much under the
Influence of intoxicating liquor thai
he was unable to attend to his duties.
When asked for particulars, he al
mitted that this was not OF his per-
sonal knowledge, and that he had
made no investigation. The commits
sion investigated and found the
charge wholly false.
Both the chief and Commissioner
refuse to reinstate Mr.. Yeag-
er, although Mr.. Hilpert has made
the statement to the commission that
all that was the matter with Andar-
son was that he was offended at the
council order in regard to the West
Keokuk station. This reinstatement
is beyond the jurisdiction of the com.
mission.
Some other requests Of the COM
mission which have been refused are:
1. The examination Of the old
steamer and IL it is unfit for use, It's
sale. The city buys expensive polish
ing material to keep it bright withoa.
knowing whether or not it is of any
value.
2. The use of the chemical to re.
spond to fires in West Keokuk. Many
fires there aye beyond the fire limits.
g. A two weeks vacation for each
man each year.
A. The employment Of men who are
on the waiting list The department
is using men who have never taken
the examinations and is keeping them
longer than the legal time.
3. The fixing of the days off for
the men by rule and changing the da!
each quarter, so each man will have
the same privileges.
6. Allowing each man one day III
each two weeks entirely free from
duty.
The commission has no personal
interest in this matter. We receive
no money compensation for our work
or time. We think lot of the boys
in the department and want them To
have square deal. We may be IN
error in some things, but we do not
think SO. The people Of Keokuk HAYS
to pay the bills and the boys work
for them, and 1t is only fair that the
people be told the facts.
TINT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION,
BY RALPH B. SMITH,
Chairman.
Keokuk, Iowa. April 25. 1917