Daily Republican., 1881-05-26
DISSATISFIED FIREMEN.
They are Opposed to Having the
CITY Divided into Districts.

n IVA tiC pun f'oS Va NohSiA
ering the proposition to divide the city
into fire districts, which is contempla
ted by the City Council, was held in th'
Washington engine house, last evening
The following fire engine companie.
were represented The Friendship
Reliance, Delaware, Phoenix, Wa
Ter Witch and Washington. William
II. Hanna, of the Washington company
presided, and John f. Dutty, of the Re
lance company, acted as Secretary.
', William McFadlen, of the Washing.
ton Company, stated the object Of the
meeting.
The following letter, presented by
Samuel G. Tazewell, Chief Engineer OF
the Fire Department, was read
WILMINGToN, DEL, May %, 1881.
SAMUEL G. TAzEwELI., CHIEF ENGI-
NEER or THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Dear Sir You h";n. The chief officer
of the department., would request you
to have this lcrter read tu the conven-
ton of hrrmeH, v nlCi is 10 assemble at
the Was stlingt0n "ngjn" house, this even
ing.
First. ! am opposed to making the
city INTO four districts, as think that
number Of districts w@u.d work injury
to the tire department.
Second. am very much in favor of
two districts (northeru and southem)
tor the following reasons: Should there
be a small fire in the Ninth or Eleventh
wards, it would be an injustice to
the tax X-payers to have the whole depart
ment ut one place, when Une-half of the
department would be all that could be
of any use BY havin. the whole de-
partinent ut one p,ac" III" greater por-
tion of the city would ne without pro-
lection. Besides beuttitting the fire
companies, it will save their horses,
fuel and apparatus. Should Il large
fire occur in one district and should the
chief engineer OF the hre department re-
quir" more fire companies, he can pro-
cure them from III" other district by
sounding second alarm. The citizens
will respect the tir" department more if
it is worked in he manner that pro-
pose il should be. Instead Of organizing
u paid departtnr Ht they will then oppose
it. am a taxpayer and assure YOU
that | am bitterly opposed to paid de
partment, because we now have Il very
good department, and II costs less money
to run it than it would the other.
| do not desire to do harm TO the de-
partment, bur, on the contrary, it is
my wish to place IL where il should
have been tcn wears ago. Did not MessrS.
Mccall, Hanna and McCrea ask Council
for fire alarm telegraph, and none of
them could get it? have, at last, OBJ
tanned it for the department and hope
you will all assist me in trying place
our volunteer department second to no
other in he United States.
With great respect,
WILLIAM II. BLAKE,
Chairman of CDuncil'S Fire Committee !
The roll was called for the purpose of
ascertaining how many companies
were opposed to having the city divided |
into districts.
The result was as follows:
Opposed Friendship, Reliance, Phu-
nix, Water Witch and WaShington
Not readyto express al opinion-Del-
aware.
Chairman Hanna explained that the |
Fame Hose Company lad not been in |
vited to send delegates because She had |
not responded TO calls, asking her to
send representatives to conventions held |
upon previous occasions.
The following letter was read
WILMINGToN, DEL, May 23, 1881.
To THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS oE
THE WASHINGTuN 5. /. L. & II \ l..
CO., 40. !, gentlemen
At special meeting OF the WecCacn
S. +. f. Co., No. s, held May %, our
decided not TO send delegates
to the convention, held for the purpose
If considering the reliStricting Of the
,ity. CHARLES II. SuLLoWAY,
Secretary.
The chairman Of the delegates from
each company represented, with the eX.
,eptiOn of the Delaware, stated that
hey were opposed 10 dividing the city
nto districts. The Delaware'S dele
gates said they We're uncertain.
Samuel &. Tazewell, Chief Engineer '
If the fire department, made few re- I
Marks in the course oi which he said
hat the fire committee Of the City {
Council had never consulted HIM in re- ;
gard to the introduction of the tire I
llarm telegraph system. He remarked, t
n conclusion, that if the city is divided {
nto districts, the life will be knocked |
'ut Of the fire department. t
a motion, THAI the chairman of the '
delegates of each company represented, l
meet and draw up resolutions against |
Iividing the city into districts, was car t
led by the following vote: 5
;Ayes-Friendship, Reliance Water
Nltch, Phoenix ana Washington. a
Observation-Disclosures i
The committee consists of Joseph e
'erkins, of the Friendship; John f. e
DUFFY, of the Reliance; A. J. Dough e
rty, of the Water Witch, VIM. McTad- \
Ell, ofthe Washington; and WIN. Wal
er, of the Phoenix. /
The convention adjourned until Fri $
ay evening, at 7.30 o'clock. t
The committee on resolutions will t
leet tonight. The Delaware company /
'ill not be represented. &
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