Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-07-08
lamrdster fntelLgenrRr.
The Fire Department.

FRIDAY EVENING. JULY 8, 1881.
The Fire Department.
The reorganization of the fire depart
ment is a matter which is now fairly be-
fore councils for consideration through
the representations of the insurance COM
panies, and the petitions now being sign
ed by the citizens in favor of the paid
system. The notable reason which makes
our present organization unsatisfactory
is the prevalence of incendiary fires and
the recognized fact that the incendiaries
come from the evil element OF our popu-
lation that is found hanging around GER
tain hose houses, and even controlling
them through their constant presence
at the meetings. When an engine house
itself is fired during drunken orgie of
such wretches, it is quite vain to deny
their incendiary inclination and the
danger to the property of the communi-
ty which arises from the existence of
such firemen. 1t is true that vigilant
effort of the police force ought to suffice
to put those miscreants where they can
do no harm; but though the evil has ex-
listed for anumber Of years, it has not yet
been checked nor has any incendiary been
sent to Jail. Large standing rewards are
offered for the detection and conviction
of incendiaries, but they accomplish
nothing. One great trouble is that the
criminals and their friends have votes,
and the chances of their conviction, even
on the strongest evidence, are too slim to
encourage the detectives to hunt them
down on the contingency of the reward.
The police ought to know tue where
abouts of one fugitive incendiary at
least, whose place of refuge other citi-
zens have been cognizant of, and whom
they have the evidence in their hands to
convict, but they do not seek to lay their
hands on him. 1t is ScandalOus
state of affairs and exceedingly dis
creditable to the administration of JUS
tice. Against this department, rather
than against the fire department, our just
complaint rests. The rascaIs who claim
to be iiremen the better to crafty their
villainOus instincts will still exist among
us though we should do away with
volunteer iiremen their opportunity for
mischief will he lessened when their
meeting places are taken away from
them, and their prediction for fires may
fade when they don't have chance to
run with the machine; but they are
stilldangerOuS men to he at large.
Reputable members of the fire compa-
nies are the people particularly interest
ed in the organization of paid de-
partment. They now give their services
to the public without reward. and if
they are prevented 10y the evil conduct
of some members from getting the award
of public appreciation which is the only
recoml'ense of their labors, they certain
ly must feel desirous of withdrawing
them. And when. further, things have
Come to such a pass that members of
the fire department are charged with
being the cause Of most of the fires,
decent tircmen must wish to be out of
such an association. The very large
ma aj"ritynf our iremen are reputable men.
They control all the companies when
they are present in force at their meet
ings: and now is the time for them to
assert themselves and to cause their
companies I" join in the movement to
provide small force of paid firemen to
do the duty which the good citizen has
no Longer sufficient incentive to vOlun-
teer t"pcrform. Weare advised that tie
majority of the iiremen are not opposed
toa paid department and this is in
correspondence with our idea of what
their feeling would likely lie. Surely no
sensible man wants to work for the pub
lie without even The compensation of its
applause.