'BUSINESS BASIS'
MADE THEM SNICKER.
WATERWORKS EMPLOYES ARE
USED ONLY TO POLITICS.
GREGORY'S FACE.
"PULL" BETTER THAN EFFICIEN-
CY IN HOLDING JOBS.
Board of Public Works Gets Busy.
Chief Engineer John F. Sickles
Suspended Pending an
Investigation.
The board of public works yesterday suspended John F. Sickles, chief engineer of Turkey creek water pumping station, for "insubordination and good of the service." Last Monday, it is claimed, he discharged twelve of the employes at the station without authority, and has otherwise demeaned himself in a manner not satisfactory to the board. No action was taken yesterday by the board in the cases of the twelve men removed by Sickles.
"We are going to put the water department on a business basis and establish an order of discipline if we have to fire every man in the department," said R. L. Gregory, president of the board. "There is to be no politics in the department under this administration, and that's got to be understood. Last Friday when we ha a lot of heads of the different branches of the service before us, and they were asked if it were not possible to conduct a municipal water plant on a business basis, they all, with one exception, snickered and said it was impossible. The impossibility they claimed was attributable to politics, so myself and associates, Lynn Banks, Wallace Love and R. H. Williams, made up our minds right there and then to wipe politics from the plant and conduct it s we do our private business affairs. It can be done, must be done and shall be done.
"The deplorable condition of the plant, and the lack of discipline is directly traceable to politics. There will be no more using of the waterworks by politicians to serve their selfish ends. Qualification, not politics, is the basis on which men will be employed in the future to conduct the affairs of the waterworks."
Lynn Banks said that in view of the insinuations that the present administration is trying to inject politics into the water department, the commercial and civic organizations should send delegations to inspect conditions as they exist at the two water pumping stations.
"I am certain they will fin some things that will refute the charge that we are playing politics," said Mr. Banks, "and what's more, they will be convinced that the water plant in the past has been badly handled."
It is the intention of the board to continue the weeding out process until it finds men who can hold their jobs through ability, and not through political influence. There are indications that other high officials are slated to go within the next few days.
