Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-04-18
me Ftre,nen,s MIDDLE.

The phase reached last night In the
City Council in the contest growing
out Of the fremen's muddle was moi
unexpected, in fact Il was rather un-
avoidable. The City Council, through
counsel, will have 10 60 before the
Superior Court Of Della ware, at George
town, ON Tuesday next to show cause
why the writ Of peremptory manda--
mus taken cut BY the combination
firemen's party. shall not BE- made
permanent. Should the City Council
not succeed In ovA throwing the writ,
Il viii be compelled 10 count the vote
OF The hre department by companies
sccording TO the Taco Of the returns -
made by the election officers Of the
respective companies. including that
Of the Fame Hose Company for the
combination ticket, which would OF
course make Alexander q. Cloud
chief engineer Of the Fire Depart
mont; Lewis Peeky, first assistant, and
James d. Dickers0n, second assistant.
Tho first and main question that
will be argued before the Superior
Court will Be whether the City Coun.
Gil In following the decision OF the
City Solicitor did right in going be-
hind the returns OF the Fame Hose
Company made by the election officers
of that company under the official seal
Of tho company. II the Superior
Court differ In judgment from City
Council and the City Solicitor, then
the officers elected by the firemen's
combination will be entitled to their
Offices.
The REALTORS or anti-combination
6remen, represented by the City Coun-
Gil, will have the same plea TO make at
Georgetown that was made before the
City Council, that is that the returns
made do not represent the vote as cast
by the Fame Hose Company, and q
strong point in their favor is the tact
twice proven by affidavit, once bcfor,
= notary public and again before tn,
City Council, that the vote cast wa
different from the return made. Mar
Towed down TO q fine point, the ques
tion tersely stated is: Shall majority
be prevented from enjoying the frui
rec: return of votes, though that return
is in regular order and officially at
tested?
But the question took on anothe
phase last night in the City Council
II did not come through the courts no
was ii given dignity by the reading o
voluminous sherit1's writs, yet 1t is n,
less potent and il is more easily under
stood. 1t was contained in The MOTTO
given by Councilman Dillin thai a
the next meeting of City Council h
would introduce an ordinance L
amend the present ordinance estah
fishing and controlling the Fire DE-
partment. How far this will go i
yeorganizing the Fire Department "
do not know. At the least 1t mean
that the firemen will not be permitte
the privilege hereafter OF electin
their own officers, and at the farihe,
it may mean paid Fire Department
In either case The officers OF the de
partmsnt will be those provided b.
ihe City Council. The first c!rcum
scribes the privilege OF iiremen. III
second ends the volunteer system. /
many respects either result ia to be r
GREETED, though the time seems TO hay
arrived when city the siZe OF wi
mington should have paid depar
Inent anyhow. The change Is me
10 lie regretted on account of the gre
efficiency 10 which our volunteer
partment has obtained. Upon the CO
stancy and integrity OF our volunte
firemen has Teposed the confidence
5000 people, indeed We might ST
they have been the strong arm up
which the towns OF this whole Peni
sula have depended in cases OF du
gerous emergencies. These tirem
we're under no obligations whate,
TO serve the public, TO risk lite a
limb In saving properly and Oft
lives, yet no emergency Las ever {
cured when they did not respo
nobly and with a)acrity. A paid
department. should the present trou
result In one, may be as efficient as
volunteer system has been, but 1t "
be more compulsory and the r.
fascination OF being fireman will
lost