Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-31
THE NEW FIRE SERVICE.
PROPOSED UNION OF THE FIRE
AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

The proposed malgamatlOh Ol thS v
lice and Fire Departments and the vest
ment of the duties and authorities Oh
Chief Fireman in the Chief OF PONCE 10 d
matter Of considerable discussion aiiiohg
Dronertv-hOlders. The advantages anu
disadvantages to result from the COM
Inning of the two departments are argueo
nv those in favor of, or opposed to. the pro-
nosad nlan. There seems to be consider
allie OpDositiOn to the plan on the part
~ some insurance men. While ac-
knowledging the want of greater EN-
cheney in the department as IL eXlsts,
there is a doubt in the minds OF many
that a combination with the police de-
partment will effect this end.
THE PLAN OF UNION.
In order to obtain knowl-
edge Of the details oil
the proposed new system, a MORNING
NEWS reporter called upon eX-Chlef
Roberts, who stated in response to IN
uuiries that the plan referred to in yester-
DAYS issue was the work Of special
committee of the Council of 1919, Gen.
&. NJ. SOrrel being Chairman, ana II was
ARRANGED and perfected after most eX-
baustiye examination of the whole sub
is,.t ssSubseduentIy, being well SATISFIED
as TO its merits" said Mr.. Roberts,
II brought il up again IN the Doaru
Of 1882. on both occasions a clear
majority Of Council favored 1t, there
being no question as to its practIcaDllty,
efficiency and economy, but in both cases
it was not carried into effect, for reasons
not necessary to specify, only TO remark
that thew had no relation whatever TO the
merits Of the plan"
WHAT AN EX-CHIEF SAYS.
THE police and fire service being neces-
sarIly cooperative the former bearing
to the latter relations similar to those eX-
listing between the pickets and sklrmsh-
ers and the artillery in a military Organl-
cation }. it is natural sequence oil THESE
existing relations to combine the Two
under one head. To do this, involves no
radical change-it is simply proposed to
assign a certain number OIL trained ana
skillful men, having the legal and moral
power Of policemen, to special duty with
the fire apparatus, and inasmuch as a
Iarpe norton of these mems time
would be idle, it is proposed to
utilize fair proportion OF this spare time
by EMPLOYING them as rOundsmen on the
police posts nearest their apparatus, leaV-
ing always in quarters sufhclent num-
bers to put an engine into eHectlNe
operation at any moment. Each man,
knowing his place and duties as well as
artillery i'm action, it is easy to see that a
few well trained men, properly directed
will be more effective than any number
handled and trained as at present
..What would be the additional expense
10 the city Of such a changer
with sub-Officer to command TINS de-
tachment, and crediting the hre service
with the pay of its policemen the addl-
tional expenses to the city will not be one
dollar, and by combining the TWO IL is
easy to secure for both higher degree OF
ability and talent than can be obtained
for either if kept separate and for the rate
OF nav at present assigned to each"
''What would be the relation of the new
department to the present systemW
1.-THE present volunteer organization
and the spare apparatus would be lett
intact as a reserve in case OF need.
With this explanation the whole system
should be readily understood, ana It's
relative efficiency as compared to cost
must commend it to any rejecting mind"
The plan of Mr.. Roberts is to put en-
eineers. drivers and tIllermen under full
paw. and to detail eighteen competent men
for fire serVice-siX men TO each engine,
which. it is claimed, are all that can pos
sibIy be utilized to advantage, leaving
the remainder of the fire department as II
exists, intact.
ments under one head, it is claimed that
there can be no more difficulty than IN
placing infantry and artillery under the
same officer. and that instead of impair
ing il will materially increase the EN-
cheney Of the fire service.
WHAT INSURANCE MEN SAY.
In order to obtain an expression OF Opin-
ion from other sources, the reporter called
upon representatives of several insurance
c0mDanies. The subject was introduced
to ex-Alderman II. IL. FOOtman with the
remark that there was movement to
! consolidate the police and fire depart
ments.
! think it is a GOOD idea. The matter was
| talked of some years ago to me by Mr.
| Joseph \. Roberts, who worked up the
| details of the plan, though L believe the
matter was first suggested by General
| SOrrel."
"Do you consider the scheme practi
| cal One"
ssThere would be little or no trouble In
making the arrangement a success, pro
| vided General Anderson, the Chief OF 20
| lice, would be induced to undertake the
organization of it. His capabilities as an
I organizer are simply wonderful, as were
| illustrated during the war and have been
| since. He is strict disciplinarian, and
| never fails to win the respect and alice
| tion of those who serve under him. The
/ idea, therefore, is generally approved, SO
/ far as can learn, by insurance men, but
| do not care to be mentioned as having eX-
! pressed an opinion upon the subject, as il
/ would look as though l am trying to intlu-
ence the action of some Of the members OF
| the City Council, who will doubtless give
| the subject careful consideration"
Would the consolidation increase the
expense of the city government
''If YOU mean to ask whether the aggre-
gate number of men in the police and fire
| department would not be increased by the
| consolidation, and If the expense would
| not be greater by the amount that would
| have to be paid on salary account,
should answer your question IN
| the affirmative. But what would the
additional expense amount to, compared
| with the benefits that would follow to
every property holder in the city! lie
might feel secure that in the event OF a
fire his percentage of loss would be re-
| duced to a minimum. reinsurance men,
| however, have no special complaint to
make against the present organization,
| for it has done remarkably well, compared
| with that in other cities, but we think the
| service could be greatly improved If 1t
were consolidated. | question whether
| il would not be bad economy to
refuse to make the consolidation.
| simply ON the ground OF
| a little additional expense. Understand
/ that some property holders have COM
| planned that the paid tiremen and the
| volunteers do not at times render prompt
service. owing to the fact that there is
often lack of harmony and disregard
! of responsibility and the rights of prop
ertv. Firemen have been seen fight
ing for advanced positions with the hose
nozzles when they should have been
using the apparatus for the prompt subju-
CATION of the flames. If all the
firemen were in uniform and under
strict discipline, as they should be, the or
ganizatiOn could be depended upon in
every emergency. The present Organiza-
ton is composed of excellent material.
Its members are an enthusiastic, hard
working and ambitious set of men, who
have rendered excellent service on many
occasions, but they lack unity in Organi-
cation and purpose. Hence, 1 should like
to see the consolidation effected"
WHAT AN EX-MAYOR SAYS.
In further interview with eX-MayOr
Wheaton, that gentleman stated that in
his opinion the departments should re-
main as at present divided.
'sTf any change is made" he continued,
s'let the Chief Fireman be made Fire
Marshal, and with the duties deYolying
upon him in that capacity, his response
bility will be arduOus enough. As to the
Chief Of Police, his duties are sufficiently
OnerOus. In combining the two depart
ments the work of one must be in meas
ure neglected in order that the work of
| the other may be accomplished"
sin event the efficiency of the fire de-