The Fire Commissioners' Two Failed Moves to Fire the Chief

At the regular monthly meeting of the fire commissioners last night Commissioners Kahaley and Meek made two futile attempts to oust Chief Hunt. The matter was introduced through two petitions, one signed by several insurance agencies and the other by some leading business men and citizens asking that Gardner Kellogg be made chief of the department in place of Hunt. The first petition was filed without comment and Masel moved to file the second. Jones seconded it.

Commissioner Kahaley then asked that the petition be considered, and moved an amendment to grant the request of the petition. Meek immediately voiced a second to the amendment. Jones said he did not care to argue, but knew how easy it was to get names to a petition. It might be that many signed to get rid of the man with the petition. He knew that some good business men had signed. Kahaley said a business man circulated the petition, and Masel replied that he understood the petition had been circulated by an ex-chief and ex-fireman. Kahaley then said he did not know that such was the case. The vote on the question was a tie, and Mayor Phelps, in voting against the amendment, said he recognized the petition as from good people, but he was not prepared to favor it on such short notice.

Then Commissioner Kahaley introduced a document signed by himself and Meek, charging Chief Hunt with using fraud in securing his naturalization papers and position in the department. In closing the paper alleged that the chief was incompetent, and asked that he be suspended pending an investigation. Mr. Kahaley moved the report of the charge be accepted and that the investigation take place Friday night. Meek immediately seconded the motion. Jones said he would vote against the motion because it would suspend the chief, who was the best man that had occupied the position since he had been in office. As before the mayor cast the deciding vote, and in doing so said he was prepared to vote on the naturalization business then as well as six months later. "I am not going behind a man's naturalization papers," concluded the mayor.

After considerable talk about rules for the Fremont company, it was decided to have practice on the second and fourth Mondays of each month between April 1 and October 1.

The report of Fire Commissioner Kahaley in favor of lot 8, block 17, corner of Rose and Harrison streets, for the proposed fire house on Kenton Hill was accepted and referred to the council. Accompanying the report was a letter from Mr. Carraher offering the lot for $1,800.

All "runs" from last night to tomorrow morning were cancelled, and the three substitutes were put on until after the Fourth, in order to give the city more protection while the firecracker reigned.

A petition was read for a fire alarm box at Yesler avenue and Yakima street. Chief Hunt said that a box was to be put in at the corner of Yesler avenue and Rainier street, two blocks east of the point named in the petition. Commissioners Jones and Kahaley were appointed to investigate the matter.

The resignation of John Bragdon, assistant engineer on the fireboat, was accepted and W. H. Bogardas was appointed to the place. J. V. Wyckoff was appointed a substitute, Mr. Kahaley objecting on the ground that Wyckoff talked too much, was inefficient and a hoodlum.

Commissioners Masel, Meek and Chief Hunt were appointed a committee to revise the rules of the department.