Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-03-07
LAST EDITION
AYD0N'S INDIGNATION.
THINKS a CONSPIRACY EXISTS TO
DEFEAT His BILL.


niles ANY knowledge OF the Alleged
Conspiracy, and Explains His Presen,
and Previous Positions.
Jonathan w. Aydon, superintendent OF
the FIRE alarm system is said to be indig
nant at the selection by City Council of
Lewis +. Jervis to put the system In
order, he thinks Council should have
taken the trouble of consulting him upon
the matter bsfore taking the step as he
and Jeryis had been rivals for the posi-
tlon i've years ago. and the latter was
also an opponent % the Gamewell system,
and was at the time OF its introduction
an agent for the Stevens Company He
regards the laove as a conspiracy to de.
Feat the bill before the Legislature for
the appointment of a city electrician for
ten years
Mr.. Aydon has been sick at his home
for some time. and he says that before
his sickness the system was in perfect
order, but no sooner had he grown i'll
than it began to be noised about that the
system was out of order. he sent for
nd. j. Sharkey to consult him, but the
latter did not call. All the tests worked
satisfactorily up to February %, and he
thinks it strange that the whole system
should have gone into disorder in such a
short time
Recently he added, wire on No 5
circuit broke throwing the gongs in the
Reliance Engine and Delaware Truck
houses out OF service. Next dsy it was
reported that the whole system was
disorganized whereas there had been no
trouble except with the circuit. II an
electrician had to be employed during his
illness Mr.. Aydon thinks that one
Of Gamewell's men from New York
should have been secured.
Councilman William II. Blake was
seen by an EVENING JOURNAL reporter
this morning about the allegations of
Mr. Aydon concerning the exist nce OF a
conspiracy TO crush him and defeat his
bill before the Legislature.
ITO begin with, said Mr. Blake. "I
have been confined to nv house with
lumbago, and under the care Of DR.. Ogle
since before the mention OF Mr.. Aydon's
bill at Dover. | was not, therefore. in
much condition TO conspire with any
body to secure its defeat. -
Respecting my championship Of
William Jervis five years ago, / have to
say that / was actuated solely by a de.
sire to protect the lives and the propertv
of our citizens. Mr.. Jervis had been the
superintendent. He had in his employ a
competent lineman who kept the system
in : thorough order SO perfect that
scarcely any disorganization Of the system
ever occurred and little complaints were
made. was therefore loath to take II
out ofsthe hands OF tried and trusted
superintendent to put it in those of a
man who was practically ignorant of the
system. On account of the Importance
to the public Of a capable superintend
emit and the small remuneration ia the
shape Of salary attached l was in favor
Of keeping the position altogether free
from politics. The best man who ever
superintendent the system was William
Westbrook, a Republican. was in
favor of keeping him there but the Demo
cratic members would not have it.
Mr.. Aydon further states that went
to Samuel II. Baynsrd and offered, il Mr.
BaYnard would got seven Republicans to
support Jeryis, a Republican Iineman,
Samuel Chadwick would be appointed.
have only TO say that there is no truth in
that, and I am sure Mr.. Baynard will
hear me out. Mr.. Baynsrd, IS well as
1, was anxious to keep the position
apart from politics and used his Influence
to that end. When ! saw that il was
impossible for me TO do 50, l dominated
Mr.. Ayaon
LET me add have the honor to be
the father of the present IRE alarm
system of Wilmington. II is a good
system, and I was deeply interested in
it. 1t was not therefore 10 be wondered
at that I should be anxious to keep
superintendent who lad proved his eli
cheney, and was intimately acquainted
with its workings. I have nothing to
say about the present trouble as I am
unacquainted with u. have not seen
either Mr. Jeryis or Mr. Aydon for long
time, and am not elnssrned in any
project or conspiracy to down Mr..
Aydon.
Samuel Fl Baynard who was also seen
by an EVENING JOURNAL. reporter suit
stantially corroborated Mr. Blake's state
ments respecting his connection with the
matter at the time
The first notice that the firemen had of
the disOrganization OF the system was
about two weeks ago when an alarm
struck from box ~ At Delaware avenue
and Dupont street did not regis
ter, and the department had
to be notified BY telephone
Later an alarm from box s. at Fifth and
Adams streets, and another from box
at Tenth and Walnut streets, did not
register until struck several times. The
many tests have ia many instances
failed to register, although alarms from
the same boxes subsequently registered
all right,
Mr.. JeFyis and Lineman Haley tested
Eve box 8 tbs morning box IS 8 struck
at Q o'clock, box at 8 10, box AZ at o 80,
box "a at 10 and box So at 10 30. All
the boxes will be tested.