Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-07-07
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
FIRE MATTERS.

| FIRE MATTERS.
Attempt to Burn the American Engine
House.
| About 6 o'clock last evening fire wa.
| discovered in the cupola of the American
| engine house, on Church street near Eas
| King. An alarm was sounded, the fire
| men were soon on the ground and the
flames were extinguished before any great
damage had been done to any part of the
building except the cupola.
How the fire originated is not positively
known but it appears very probable that
| it was set on fire by some one we'll &C.
quainted with the premises, and probably
by one of the gang who make the house
headquarters for their debaucheries. II
is said that u party Of young men some Of
whom were intoxicated, were in the house
at the time the fire broke ont and fur
ther that a bundle of cotton waste partly
burned was found in the cupola.
DenunciatiOn of the American.
A well-informed citizen writes us as
follows: That Mayor MacGoniglc had
good reasons for saying that most of the
fires are incen,:iary, and that the incendi-
aries arc the worst element among the
tiremen, was proven conclusively last
evening in the attempt to burn tho Ameri-
can engine house. No one will venture
to say that the fire Was accidental, as it
was in the cupala where no one had any
occasion to go unless for the purpose of
having fire. Would it not be infinitely
better for the good name of the city and
for the credit OF the many gentle.
men WHO compose the other fire COM
panies that the American should be
disbanded or cut off from the city appro-
priation. We admit that at times the
American does good service at fires, but
then wo have enough other companies
composed Of good men that they can
easily be spared in the department, which
their conduct fully proves.
1t is notorious that the members Of this
company are supplied with beer by the
politicians from the time tho primary
election contests open until they close.
Whether by the consent of the company
or not, it still remains 4 fact that such is
the case. OF course this company has
some very good citizens aud gentlemen
among it's membership, yet they arc greatly
Overbalanced by tho rOwdy element, whom
it appears they cannot control.
How much better it would be to have a
paid department., then tho rowdy element
would be scattered, and have no place of
resort. Then We would not have these
drunken firemen going around after fire
begging for beer for the services they have
performed, and in some cases using the
name of reputable company SO that their
demands may bo more readily granted.
Under a paid department We would not
have the almost continual requests from
our citizens to buy ball or picnic ticket,
to contribute toward fairs, or repairs Of
the apparatus or houses Of different com.
MES.
We feel quite sure that 4 majority cf
fremen of this city (and when we say fire
men we mean the gentlemen composing
the different companies and not the beer
bummers and hangers-On) would vote for
a paid department.. and give it their hearty
support in any emergency, in case it was
The gentlemen Of the fire department.
we'll know that all that is said against the
firemen is not intended for them, and the
rowdy element should know that the citi-
sens are becoming tired of their conduct
= x <
Meeting of Firemcn's Union.
The following communication was
handed to Major Howell this morning:
LANCASTER, July Z, 1881.
To Charles ~ Lo,ceN, President Of the CITY
FIremen's luton:
DEAR SIR: We the undersigned men,
bers of the city firemen's union petition
you to call special meeting Of the union
1T an early day to consider the grave |
charges made against our department by |
certain persons representing certain cor
and to devise some means to !
protect and defend our department from
;hese assaults and calumniations.
[Signed]
p. S. GOODMAN, Shifllcr,
SAMUEL B. Cox, Sun,
DANIEL L. TREwITz, Friendship,
J. X. BARR, American,
WALTER NJ. FRANKLIN, Humane,
A. II. HAMMOND, Washington.
HARRY N. HOWELL, Empire.
Upon receiving the above call. Mr..
Howell directed the secretary to call a
Meeting of the union for Saturday even
ng at eight o'clock in the hall of the
Washington company.
Arranging for Reading.
The delegates from the several fire CON-
'anies to the state association have been
to meet in the office of Alder.
nan Barr to morrow evening at o'clock
n order to make arrangements to have
he Lancaster delegation quartered to-
ether during the sessions of the state as.
ociation in Reading next September.
The Siamese Y hose coupling, for the
urpose of uniting and concentrating the
treams from two steamers or plugs
trough a single line of hose, and of which
satisfactory test was made on the 4th of
uly. was made by Jacob r. Waters.
Wheat l;urned.
Yesterday afternoon field of wheat
'hich had not been cut, belonging to Eli ;
[ylin whose farm lies along the line of the ;
railroad, near tho water tank,
.ught fire from the spark of a locomotive.
he field contained between 12 and Is ,
,res, and least 6 acres of the wheat were
ltirely destroyed. The flames were ex- t
nguished by the hard work Of Mr.. I
ylin's employees and neighbors. t
Proposals Asked For.
Attention is called to the advertisement :
another column, asking proposals for
e erection of boiler house and four ..
'i!ers, at the Lancaster water works