New Britain herald., 1921-08-15
FIRE BOARD MUST
 CONSULT HIS HONOR
(Continued from First Page).

or the city and could not be reached to state his views in the matter.
 Tn spite of Commissioner Donahue's statements that he was to leave the Ire board, the weekly payroll of the department went to the hands of the comptroller today under the commits sioner's signature
 MT. Macomber made the following statement this afternoon
 My sudden removal as chairman of the ire board came following an expressed imitation to recorn- mend certain modified plan of two platoon system at the next meeting of the council.
 For some months past the board has been working on the two platoon matter and the mayor is perfectly right in stating that I had said that l didn't believe in a system requiring a lesser number of men than that ad- vocated in my report for the year. However, he did not say that I re- peatedly told him that should the board see their way clear to the adoption of some modified plan which would be practicable and efficient as we'll as would urge it's recommends tion. To that end we have been
 
 a plan which We thought. would be workable. Some time ago I received an in timation from the mayor. that he l intended to terminate my Connection with the fire board and I daily ex-- pected my removal as chairman but l as time passed and nothing was done about it and I still remained as chair man I felt something would have to | be done on the two platoon system in order to complete it's installation | by the first of October. I have felt l continually an opposition from the mayor to the installation of the sys- tenn at as early date as October first. In fact, Mayor Curtis told me f1at1y that he did not wish it to be in oper- ation at that time and I told him that I didn't see how the ely could repudiate the resolution of the com 1 mon council or the later vote at the city meeting. though the latter did |not mention any specific date. con- ! sider it at least a moral promise of the city's land neither I nor the board cared to see it broken.
 Cooperated With Mayor.
 Regarding my refusal Gas the l mayor states) to cooperate with him I will say that I have several times taken up matters pertaining to the department with the mayor and al ways have given my own views and the views of the board but have never received in return anything definite
 in the way of opinion even on the question of the adoption of the two platoon system. On this question the mayor was frankly antagonistic and IT gained the impression in talking with him that he had some modified form of Two Platoon System in mind
 'I believe he promised one of the commissioners to present tentative draft of his plan to our board. We have never received that plan and the board finally felt that in justice toe themselves and the city the matter I could no longer be delayed.
 No Action Desired
 ''If the mayor had only hesitated ;ong enough to ask me over the phone Saturday whether we were going tc recommend our original plan or modi- fled form he would have learned that the latter was out intention. But no as soon as it became apparent that we were going to take any action at all on the two platoon system. no mat ter in what form, he notified me o1 my removal
 ."The board has been unremitting in it's efforts to secure the two platoon system within the time limit but be- came disgusted at the open opposition l that we received in some quarters and the dilatory tactics employed to block Tour aim.'