McDonough New Chief at Boston

McDonough New Chief at Boston

As announced in this journal last week Chief John Grady of Boston became fire commissioner on March 10. His appointment was confirmed by the civil service commissioners. When he retires as fire commissioner he will receive an annual pension of $2,000 as chief of department, which position he held for three days. Former Commissioner C. H. Cole resigned to take effect March 7. The mayor informed him on March 6 that the reduction in salaries of department officers would go into effect on that day. The commissioner declined to put the reductions into effect and notified the mayor that his resignation would take effect at once. The mayor instructed Election Commissioner J. M. Minton to serve as acting fire commissioner pending action of the civil service board on Grady’s nomination. Minton at once appointed Grady chief of the department to succeed John A. Mullen, resigned, which will allow Grady to receive a pension of $500 more per annum than he would receive if he retired as deputy chief. His salary as commissioner will be $5,000; the chief’s salary is $4,000 and the deputy chiefs $3,000 each per annum.

The first official act of Commissioner Grady was to promote Junior Deputy Chief Peter F. McDonough to chief of department. District Chief John O. Taber to senior deputy chief, and District Chief C. W. H. Pope to junior deputy chief. A few weeks ago former Commissioner Cole created the position of third deputy chief for the Dorchester section, where such an official is not necessary. Commissioner Grady has abolished the position, which has been filled temporarily by a district chief. The large districts of the Dorchester section include the recently annexed Hyde Park section. The commissioner has rearranged and made a new district known as “the thirteenth district.” The old thirteenth district which was the marine division, was abolished some weeks ago and each fire boat was assigned to the district in which it was stationed. The several vacant district chiefs’ positions will be filled at once. The appointments of chief of department and deputy chiefs were at once confirmed by the mayor, as they do not come under civil service rules.