Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-02
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
MIR. GUODHAE'S EEJUINDEK.
How he Proposes to Ee"-,:an::e tho Fare
Department..


How lie proposes to Ee"r,:an:*e tho Fare
Department.
EDITOES INTELLIGENCEE PerGlit me
to thank you for your generous and plain
criticism OF tie fire department in your
last evenings issue. The fremen feel
that they have y true friend in the man
who tells them Of their faults, without any
i,esitancy or acrimonious spirit.
The editor does not believe that the Lam
caster department can bc made as prompt,
efficient, fratcrnal and subordinate as the
Reading department. TO this belief Of the
editor | take strong exception. My asso-
citation with the best members Of the de-
partmcnt has impressed me with the fact
that there exists good elcmen, in all the
companies who are capable of preparing,
manag ging and controlling the department,
it proper compensation, in the shape OF
city appropriations, is granted. l need
| only ask the editor to sean the roll OF the
City Fircmcn's Union here he will find
representative men-men with pune char
acters, inspired by laudable lnotiyes-aud
combined for the city's good. ! have had
a seat on the floor of the Reading Fire
mems Union, which has made that depart
ment what it is, and have listened to tic
deliberations of its members and With
out any disparagcment to them, / Can say
cordially that the Lancaster Union has as
much earncstncss and rs much ability rs
the Reading Union, and what they accom-
plish We can accomplish. Ious,y, where
are the organizers? answer, liz the City
Firemcn's Union, backed and encouraged
by scores of respectable citizens i'll every
company. The senior editor Of the INTEL
IIGENCmE knows what was accomplished Iii
| I r ot lnac
in this city through the persistent efforts
Of one or more individuals. The editor
says that members of my own company
have hccn charged with iuccnd;arism, on
substantial evidence Who charged
tilcmo Who furnished the evidence! Was
it not members of the company, who fer
retcd out the case, who forged link by
link the chain that could bind them,
and when they had gone as far as was pos
si5lc the police authorities instead of COM
pleting, by their indifference allowed it to
die cut.
The ultimate effect was = we'll organized
and thoroughly reformed company. Can
not the other companies be reOrganizcd in
the same manner? The Humane, thanks
to tho efforts Of 4 few individuals, climi
mated its bad element. and now ranks
among the first in the city. The president
of the Sun, but 4 month ago, by 4 fearless
and prompt action on his part. secured
the designations of it's bad clement, and
the Sun once more takes its place i'll the
line Does not the editor sec in this g the
evidence Of the capacity for self govern
mcnt" in tho Lancaster department ::
Now, Mr.. Editor, if this much has been
accomplished unailed what can be done if
the co operation of the city authorities is
given to the department? The esprit d"
corps is ripe for perfect REORGANIZATION.
Allow me to give my ideas how this reor-
| canizatiOn can be secured and maintained.
The Department. needs demand an ctli-
cient, able and fearless chief engineer who
can give his whole time to the depart
ment. Assisted by 4 volunteer fire police
brigade at the fires he can control the
companies, stop the water fights and
maintain discipline.
Make the fOremcn OF each company re
sponsiblc for the acts of his company at .
fire. If his members are inSubOrdinatc he
shall be required to report them to his
company and they shall be summarily ex-
PEELED. If the company refuses to expel
them the chief engineer shall suspend that
company for three months and from three
months appropriation. If at the end of
that time they are not expelled and their
names furnished tho chief the company
shall bc disbanded. If the expelled mem
bers arc admitted at any time into another
company they shall be expelled from it
under the same penalties for -compli.
ance. The chief engineer shall be fur
nished with the names Of every member
of the department. The names of ex.
PEELED members and new members shall
be furnished him flom time to time.
All drinking or drunkenness or disorder
ly conduct about the engine house. shall
be punished By expulsion under the same
penalties to the company as above cnumer-
atcd. The fire police Of each company
shall be charged to sec that this ordinance
is Obcycd. Members Of companies who
dun sufferers from fire for money. or COM
way. Now. Mr.. Editor will not Il
sober Judgment acquicscc to the above and
conclude with us that the department can
be reorganized? Vicious, disorderly men
cannot submit to such laws and continue
to bring disrepute upon the department..
They will he forced to subordinatiOn or
expulsion the penalties upon the com
panics will compel an adhesion to the Or
dinanccS.
If the committee or reorganization of
the department had conferred with repre-
sentative fremcn, instead Of relying upon
themselves, this much mooted question
would long since have been settled. The
firemen have been ignored in all cndeavors
to reform the department., when they
should have been the first approached be-
cause the most interested.
If city councils desire I strong, efficient
department ut 4 moderate cost, let them
appoint committee to confer with
similar committee from the Firemcn's
Union, and l can assure that they will
evolve ordinances and rules that will be
satisfactory to our citizens and which Will
elevate our department to front rank in
fire circles. As it now stands we have 10
system. Whose fault is it Certainly not
the firemen's, and they now demand
perfect system or paid department. Be.
fore choosing one or the other let this
subject be thoroughly and intelligently
ventilated in council and press. Respect
fully, p. 5. GOODMAN,
Sec'y City Firemen's Cnicn.