The daily gazette., 1881-05-26
Yz1fxzu.s u.scenvrrr1ou.
The Question 81 Dlstrlstans the
City DfseasssA-A Unaninaaty Of
( OpAnfen en che oubtess.


City DAseasssA--A UnanAnasty ei
| 0pAnisn en sAs subject.
1 Pursuant to . call Of the Washington
Fire company for . convention of the
various companies Of the Departn EMIT
discuss the proposed ordinance district.
ing The city, FIVE representatives from
4 the FfieDdship; Reliance, Delaware,
rhesnix, Wstsr Witch and Washington
nst N ths Washington Engine House
last evening.
Tho nssti,.g vas called st 9 o'clock,
and on motion Of John Williams, Of the
Delaware, WilliA1 Hanna, Of the W ash-
ington, was called TO the chair, and on
motion Of John r. West, Of the WASH
ingtOn, John Duty, Of the Reliance, was
elected SECRETARY.
William AcFsdden, Of the Washine.
teUss cousmittse, stated that the cosven-
tisn had bs6n called for the purpose Of
protesting against the ordinance district
Ing the clty. The company Of which he
is . member was opposed 10 It, because
hey thought It would take all the activ-
| tty ont OF the department.
Chief Engineer Tazswell presented
the following letter from William II.
Blake, chairman Of the Fire Committee
OF Council, which wss read and accept
ed: -.
COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL, }
WILMINGTON, May rs, 1881.
SAMUEL g. TAzEwELL, Chief Engineer
Of the Fire Department:
Dear sir: You being the chief officer
Of the department, would request you
TO have this letter read to the convention
OF firemen that 10 TO assemble ct the
Washington engine house this evening.
First. lam opposed 70 dividing the city
In four districts, - think four districts
would work injury to the department.
Second an vary much in favor Of
two diStriCts, northern and southern, tor
the following reasons: Should there BE-
. small lire IN the Ninth ward or in the
Eleventh ward, would 1t not bs an
injustice to the Taxpayers to have the
whole department at either place whom
one.half Of the department. would be all
that could be Of any use, and by having
AL the department at either place the
greater portion Of the city would be
without proteotion.l Besides bSnefitlng
the public the companies will work
greatly TO their own Interests, ~ there
will be . great saving Of their horses,
tuoi euu npPhfatu5s ououiu bI60 ufe
occur, and the chief engineer require
more compeUiee In either district he can
very readily call for moro by sending Q
second alarm. By working the department
In the way propose, the citizens win
respect the department more and instead
Of mSktpg paid department they will
very mach oppose It. 1 am . taxpayer,
end assure ycu an bitterly opposed
10 paid fire department, secsnss We
| nn nnu :
II costs much less TO run Il than paid
dspartmsnt, ! do not dssirs to do harm
TO sshe department, but on the
contrary II u my wish to place IL where
Il should hays hsen tan years ago. Did
net Mr.. Mccall, Mr.. Hanna and Mr..
MoCrea ell ask Council for . are aiArms
telegraph and neither Of them could ret
it, WORKING after them have at last
obtained IL for the department, and
hope you will, one and all, assist me In
trying to place our volunteer department
second to no other department IN the
United 6tasss. With great respect,
WILLIAM II. BLAKE,
Chairman Fire COMMITTEES.
After the letter had been read, Mr..
Williams, OF the Delaware, said he lust
heard gentleman remark that what Mr..
Blake says looks all we'll enough on pa
per, but why does not the City Council
give the Chief Engineer Of the Depart
inent moro poweip He 10 good officer
and Council should support him. They
never have done 30. The flremen want
cd 70 work to the intereat Of the tax-pay-
ere.
Mr.. Stevenson, Of the Friendship, said
that the company be represented had In
structed the delegates to vote against
f.fr III ff.a r,fu
ed Council to give the Chief Engineer
more power.
Mr.. Duffy, Of the Reliance, said that
biz company WA opposed 70 tho propos-
cd MEASURE.
Mr.. Agnev, Of the Delaware, stated
that their committee were present, but
were In manner not instructed. When
the proper time came they were prepar-
ed 70 vote against districting the city.
Mr.. Walker for the Phoenix said thar
his company was opposed to the distrioi
Mr.. DouRhsrty, OF tho Water Witch,
said that the committee OF that COM
pany we're present prepared to vote on
ALI questions In regard to distrioting the
Er. MoFadden Of the Washington
said that bis company was emphasIcaliy
opposed to the district system.
A lettes was next read from the Wee
oscoe, stating shat the osmpany had de-
Cidsd not 70 send delegates.
SMr. Price, Of the PhOnix, snid that
ho could net see why the chairman Of
the Fire OOmmtttee wanted 70 district
tho city. The department would soon
get the alarms BY telegraph and that
would stop ali monkey rum, ,and further
mora, y would knock all lifs out Of the
depaftment. =--a
NJ. Williams, Of the Delaware, said
shat the Chief EnGinser being present
be would hks 70 hear from that gentle
man. A. the Chief arose 70 reply 70 the
request hs va Crested with hearty ap-
Hs said that be was very much on
posed to Mr.. Blaks's move. Il might
have been done ten years ago, when the
department was more tnalined TO be dis-
orderly than 1t present. II the city 10
dtstrioted the bottom Will drop ont Of
the department.. 1t will take ali the
vim out OF the companies. II he would
only furnish the Chief and his assistants
with Soma means OF getting to Ares IL
would be much better. The committee
had not msds any arrangements to put
alarms In the oficials' Houses. Under
the new system the Officers will have no
means Of knowing when there 10 an
alarm. II Q drs should ooonr In the
northern District, what means have the
officers OF knowing? and n Il ts Q big
one thsy could mot get there In time -
sound second alarm.