Fire Chief Ousted in Late-Night Commission Coup

The grand finale in the long-drawn-out fight in the fire commission was ended last evening when the combination of Commissioners Meek, Masel and Kahaley won the day and chopped off Chief Allen's head. The work did not finish here, for ex-Chief Gardner Kellogg was named as the choice of the commission and the city clerk instructed to place his name before the city council tomorrow evening for confirmation as chief. Pending the action of the council, Capt. W. H. Clark, of engine company No. 2, was placed in charge. The resolution adopted says Chief Allen was incompetent, but Mayor Phelps and Commissioner Jones declared that Allen had not had a chance to show what he could do, and the fire commission had not given him the support that was due. Another interesting feature of the meeting was a motion by Masel to accept the Baker Fabric hose that Chief Allen said was unfit for use, not having stood the test. In support of his motion Masel said that when the hose for the fire boat was accepted, it did not quite come up to the demands.

The majority of people interested in the fire department from a personal standpoint were present in the chamber of the aldermen when the meeting was called. There was uncertainty as to whether Mayor Phelps was in the city, but his appearance settled the question. Commissioners Kahaley, Meek and Masel were not much behind in showing up and Commissioner Jones soon presented himself.

At 8 o'clock Mayor Phelps called the meeting to order and said that he had just returned to the city, tired out, and learned that a meeting of the commission had been ordered. He did not feel like attending, and unless it was imperative that business should be transacted, did not feel like proceeding. It was not a regular meeting, and he had no idea of the nature of the business to be transacted.

Meek produced a paper containing the call and handed it to the mayor, who read it. As the call did not enlighten him, the minutes of the last meeting were brought out and read, and the mayor asked if there was any special business to be transacted. The moment he finished, Meek offered the following resolution:

'Resolved, That Chief Allen be and is hereby removed and the office of chief of the Seattle fire department be declared vacant, for reasons of general incompetency, in the opinion of this commission, to manage the affairs of the Seattle fire department, and that pending the appointment by this board and confirmation by the city council of a chief of the department, and owing to the doubt in the minds of the commission as to whether we have an assistant chief officially acting, this board does hereby designate James Wallace, a member of the department, to take charge of the department pending the nomination and confirmation of a chief of the department.'

Masel moved the adoption of the resolution and Kahaley seconded it.

The mayor called for Corporation Counsel Scott, who was in the adjoining room, and asked him to look at it from a legal standpoint. Mr. Scott said the only way to elect a chief was by the vote of the commission and confirmation by the council. It was not in the power of the commission to put any man in charge of the department temporarily.

Kahaley said he had an opinion from the assistant corporation counsel, and by his manner indicated that it differed from Scott's. 'The assistant corporation counsel agrees with me in this matter,' said Mr. Scott. 'A man cannot take charge of the department until he qualifies.'

Kahaley said that there was cause stated for Allen's removal.

'I am not talking about the power of the commission to remove the chief,' said Scott. 'You can't turn the department over to Tom, Dick and Harry.'

While Mr. Scott was looking over the charter provisions relative to the fire department, Meek, Kahaley and Masel held a consultation.

Mr. Scott finally told the commissioners they could not appoint a man then and there and have him take charge of the department, but if the chief was removed, the ranking captain in the absence of a regular assistant chief would hold the reins.

Kahaley moved that the resolution be amended so that Capt. W. H. Clark, of engine company No. 2, the ranking captain, take charge.

After considerable talk Meek accepted the amendment and the mayor was about to put the question when Capt. Clark, who was in the audience, arose and asked the commissioners to substitute some other name. Kahaley told Clark it was not an optional matter; he was the ranking captain and would have to take the position.

The mayor called the question on the amendment and it was carried by a faint acclamation, but when the vote was taken on the resolution Meek, Kahaley and Masel voted for, and Jones and the mayor against.

Jones explained his vote by saying that he had nothing against Clark, but believed the action proposed was ill-advised; that Chief Allen had not had the support of the commission; that it was not showing respect to the council, and that Allen had not been given a fair chance.

Mayor Phelps was very emphatic in his condemnation of the course pursued by Kahaley, Meek and Masel, and openly declared they had not made any effort to support Chief Allen. Instead they had thrown stumbling blocks in his way, and now everyone would have to admit the department would have been perfect or very near it. The mayor continued:

'It is not true that this young man is incompetent. He is a brave, bright, wide-awake young man. If he is displaced by my doing, I have given him all the support I could, and for that I shall support any one who holds the office of chief. So far as it is in my power, I will right the injury done him tonight. I think it unfair that during the show of the improvements of the city such an underhand piece of business has been done. I vote no.'

Things were getting pretty warm. Before the work was half over, Masel handed another resolution to Mr. Coryell, who read as follows:

'Resolved, That we have knowledge of a large number of citizens who believe the efficiency of the fire department will be materially bettered by the appointment by this board of a man qualified. That we have given no thought as to the proper man, and after due deliberation have selected Gardner Kellogg as chief of the Seattle fire department, and hereby direct the city clerk to forward the name of Gardner Kellogg to the city council at its first meeting for its consideration.'

Kahaley moved the adoption of the resolution. The commissioners do not aim to do an injustice, nor had they desired to get him out of the department. He did not think Allen was the proper man for the place, but Kellogg was. All desired was to place the department where it was when Kellogg was put out.

Chief Allen, when called on to give an account of the test of the Baker Fabric hose at headquarters, said that one length burst at 250 and another at 300 pounds pressure. The expansion rings were tightened on one length, and it stood 400 pounds before the coupling blew off. He did not consider the hose fit to be put to the department.

Masel thought that as hose for the fire boat was accepted when it did not come up to the specifications, no harm could be done by ordering the hose put in use, and made a motion to that effect, but was not seconded.

Sullivan was told to appear at the next meeting and show cause why he had wished to withdraw his resignation.