The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-14
public DOESN'T KNOW IT
Figures Show a Small Attendance of
VOluteer Firemen at Fires.
PECULIAR STATE OF AFFAIRS
Only an Average of Four and Half Mem.
bers of One Company do Duty, Leav.
ing Its Permanent Men Out of
the Figuring.

At conference held yesterday by the
promoters of the paid fire department
idea the slim attendance of volunteer
firemen at fires was discussed; in fact,
for several days this argument has
been used as a reason for establishing
a paid service. 1t Is contended that
the general public and even city officials
would be astonished if the true state
of affairs in this connection was known.
The Tribune has obtained and pre-
sents below the official record of attend
ance upon fires of members of the Phe-
nix Chemical company, Neptune
Engine company and the Hook and
Ladder company, each a representative
organization of the central city, South
Side and West Side, respectively. The
figures show the average attendance of
each company to be from to 10, and
II the permanent or part-paid men are
left out of the reckoning there would
not be enough men present in many
cases to handle the apparatus.
Truth in Black and White.
Since Aug. 2, the day the Phenix COM
pany first used its chemical engine, it
has responded to sixteen alarms. A
total Of 115 men, an average of seven
members, were on duty, 2G per cent. of
the total membership of twenty-seven
At the big Lackawanna avenue fire and
the fire in the Howley Bros. building
seventeen and eleven members respect
lively attended, and leaving these two
instances out of the reckoning the aver
age attendance is only six again, the
average is only five, leaving out the
company's two permanent men.
The Hook and Ladder company has
fifty-three members, but upon the most
liberal figuring only 10 per cent, or an
average of ten, have been present at
the nineteen fires since June II; the
total number attending was 1913. Eimi-
mating the Davies & Griffin, Robinson s
brewery and Lackawanna avenue fires
only an average of nine members re-
sponded and the average is reduced tC
seven if the two permanent men and
the driver of the chiefs horse are not
considered. The company's biggest
record was made at the Robnson's
brewery fire, when twenty-five mem.
bers were on duty. One of these was
Charles Robinson, proprietor of the
brewery, four were employees of the
establishment and three were we'll
known business men of the central city
who are members of the company anl
drove to the fire in carriage.
Record of Neptuncs.
rln I.
twenty-nine members and since Apri
2 total of 24S members responded tC
thirty-three alarms. This shows al
average attendance of but seven, or 2.
per cent. of the membership. The aver
age is reduced to four and one-hali
members If the engineer, stoker anC
paid man are not considered.
The figures mentioned above are not
haphaZard, but were obtained from
the official fire record books of the
three companies. Averages and per.
centages would be greatly reduced il
In the figuring it had been considered
that many members announced MS
present at fires arrived while their fel.
lows were reeling up the hose ol
jumped upon the apparatus for a re.
turn ride to quarters where their names
were taken as being present at the
fire. In several instances where the
records show four, five, six and sever
members present, the engine, chemica
apparatus or ladder truck left theil
houses with only the permanent mer
aboard. There have been instances
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