The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-12
TIE ATTACK ON THE F1REMEN.
An Insurance Mans Charge Against
It's Ffflcieucv

Its Efficiency.
An unjust attack has been made In New
York upon Savannah's fire department by
an unknown southern special agent which
places Savannah In a most uuenv iable light
before the country, and which may have the
effect OF causing the rates Of insurance TO be
raised. The affair has caused something Of
a sensation.
The New York Commercial Bulletin of
Friday contains half-column article about
the fire department credited to an "experi-
enced southern special" which in most parts
is uncalled for and inaccurate.
The article starts out as follows: 1.-THE
| Improbable record OF this town and the
frequency Of general CONGREGATIONS during
the past few years doubly assures me that
| there must be something radically wrong ia
the workings of the fire department and
water works, and an unusually bad
moral hazard here. AS a result Of my
inquiries am sure the difficulty is with the
fire department; first, because of the in
adequacy Of the department, and secondly,
| because it is not headed by competent
chief; seconded by a full complement of
able-bodied men"
| A CASE OF BAD EYEsIGHT.
The experienced special" continues with
a mass OF statements and personal attack
| upon Chief Puder. The writer states that
from ibis own observation" the depart
ment Is composed OF very young men, some
merely overgrown boys in point OF physical
compensation, and not large and strong
enough to stand service at a fire OF any
considerable length.
This, said Chief Puder, "is either the re-
suit OF misinformation ON the part of the
writer, defective eyesight or a studied effort
on his part not TO state facts as they exist.
! The youngest man in the Savannah de-
partment is 26 years old, and every one is
strong and healthy. The experienced
special writer cannot name a single in
stance in Savannah since 1 took charge
where a fireman has not been able to stand
service at the most extended confagration. ="
Six men, the writer says, is the number
to each engine and reel. He fell just one
short OF the number. Seven is the compile
ment. The wiseacre then proceeds to offer
some suggestions. He says there should be
twelve men to each engine and reel and not
less than ten under any circumstances.
BAD CALCULATING.
Referring to the fire on Huntington
street during May week the Commercial
Bulletins correspondent says: 1.-TWO en-
gines became disabled after the
starting of the fire, and there being
pressure they had to rely on two
engines with total Of four streams, result
ing In loss, which could have been obvi-
ated with sufficient water and force greater
than would purchase and maintain three
engines for five or more years" Nobody
could take exceptions il the insurance writer
had Kept within the lines OF truth. Only
one engine broke down during the Hunt
| lngdon street fire, and eight streams were
kept steadily going. There was defect in
pressure from the water mains
for short while, but no
department could have handled the
fire better than Savannah's department
did undsr the circumstances. 1t began in
an untenanted and unfurnished frame
building where the lumber was fresh and
| of the most inf1amulable character, and had
quite start before it was discovered. The
adjoining houses were all large frame build
tngs, comparatively new, and a drought of
several weeks had taken every particle OF
moisture out of them, and high wind pre-
vailed at the time.
Chief Puder was complimented on all
sides at the time for the magnificent work
OF his department In checking the fire so
soon, and Mayor McDonough. who was on
the ground during she confagration, spe-
ctally complimented the chief and his men.
THE ATTACK ON THE CHEF.
Here is what is said OF Chief Puder: "The
chief OF the department was formerly fire.
man under the volunteer system, and as
hard-workinR fireman he was a success, but
as a chief he seems to lack that
ability TO direct force, and
does not seem competent to handle
a fire OF any consequence" This state
ment is untrue. Chief Puder was never q
fire foreman in his life. For ten years he
worked In the volunteer ranks as a pipe
man and for fourteen years he was engineer
of No. 2. company. His successes In hand
ling and controlling fires which threatened
to be confiagratious during the past four
years are sufficient answer to the charge
against his ability. He comes from a
family of fire-fighters, and has
brought the Savannah department up to a
state OF efficiency where it stands to-day.
A SCHEME TO RAISE RATES.
The real underlying motive OF sex
perienced speoials' article comes out plainly
in the last paragraph. 1t is q scheme, ac-
cording to those who are in a position to
. | know, to raise insurance rates. He says
Sin view of the rerating Of Savannah now
: being made | deem it an opportune
. time to urge the tariff association to
: rigidly apply the tariff, and especially
the efficiency charges for fire department.
The recent confiagrations and the inditfer-
ences with which many companies view
Savannah business. under present circum.
stances, will be a valuable factor in assist,
ing us in securing decided advance in rates
or the Improvements so essential to be
made"
Nothing was known about the pub.
lication here until yesterday whea
, the Commercial Bulletin arrived in Savan.
nah on the morning mail. 1t naturally
created a little sensation.
MAYOR M'DONoUGH'S OPINION.
Mayor McDonough and Alderman
Bailey, chairman of the fire committee
were indignant, and expressed themselves
in plain terms at what they considered an
, uncalled for and unwarrsnted attack. In
speaking Of the Huntingdon street fire
!, Mayor McDonough said the entire fire
fighting force of Georgia couldn't have done
more effective work thau the Savannah fire.
men did, aud he doesn't believe 1t could have
been got under control any quicker il the
whole volume of the river had been turned
on it.
Chief Puder naturally felt sore at the
. article. He said he never takes exceptions
to just criticisms, but he doesn't like to see
a man going out Of the paths of truth tt
: injure him to further bis own interests
/; THE special, no doubt said Chief Puder
lis some young man who wants his COM
q. pany to think he is smart and earning tht
salary paid him. Similar attacks have
\ been made on Atlanta and other cities fo
: the same reason"