The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-30
FIREMEN MUST NOT SHIRK.
DEVOTION To Duty MUST ALWAYS
BE THEIR MOTTO.


sam AppIebaum and John ID. Thorn
son Of Engine Company No. ; Dis
missed by the Commission for
Sinking at the Rice Mil Fire.
Firemen Pitts and Glass of Head
quarters Commended for Good
Work-The Commission May En-
gage "A Tug for service at River
Fires-A Badge to he Provided for
Those Who Are Privileged TO Go
Inside the Fire Lines.
Fireman Samuel Applebaum and John
i. Thomson OF steamer No 8. were dis
missed from the department yesterday By
the fire commission, on account Of their
conduct at the rice mill fre last week.
Charges were preferred against the men
by Fire Chief Mcguire Of disobedience Of
orders. and failure 10 render the service
which would naturally be expected Of
them on such occasion The reasons for
their discharge will be plainly sent forth
in the letters Of dismissal, which the two
men will receive from the chief to-day.
The dismissal takes effect Aug 1.
The charges preferred against Apple
baum. were that he twice left his post
OF duty on top Of the Duckworth ware
house. after receiving explicit or
ders from the chief to remain there and
assist the other fremen in directing the
streams from that point. The top Of the
Duckworth warehouse was unpleasantiy
hot about that time, and App.ebaum evil
IDENTIFY concluded that the heat was too
great for him. Severe heat is one OF the
things which a fireman is expected TO
q he ma lrn On M
face II is not of much value as a fireman.
This position was taken by Chief Mcguire
In presenting Applebaums case Apple
baum has been a member Of the depart
ment about two years.
Thompson will be informed in his letter
Of dismissal that Il is due 10 general in
difference to his duties as a fireman, both
az the rice mill fire and the Savannah
Grocery fire and on other occasions. The
| specihc charge against him was that
when called upon by the foreman OF No.
steamer to assist in handling a stream
az the rice mill fire he refused TO do so.
There were only two men handling the
hose from No. 3 at the time, while there
We're six men performing the same duty
for NO s. nearby. They We're called upon
by the foreman of No. for assistance.
Thompson was the only man who directly
refused. The other men, who were also
up before the commission on the same
charge, claimed that they did not hear
the call for assistance. 1t was a very
close shave for some of them
A. L. Collini, supernumerary, was APP
pointed a permanent member and A VI.
Rogers, L. b. Nell and L. A. Hester were
appointed supernumerares.
In direct contrast with the above was
the action Of the commission, instrucc-
| ing the chief to address a special letter
of commentator to A. l.. Pitts, relief
driver of the chemical engine No. /. ana
| Driver Robert Glass of No. engine, on
account Of their conduct on the night of
! the rice mill fire in answering the alarm
| from box 81. This was the fire in Law
| sons saloon at Margaret and West Broad
streets. The whole force was engaged IN
| fighting the rice mill fire at the time, and
| the two drivers were all that could be
| spared. The chemical engine was driven
| rapidly TO Lawson's place, where Pitts
/ stalled his horses in the sand on Margaret
| street, there being no one to hold them.
| He then tore the grating of the window,
smashed in the glass and went in with
| the hose. Glass acted as operator Of the
| chemical. When Chief Mcguire arrived a
| few minutes later Pitts had the fire sub
| dued, and was at the window grating get
ting breath of air. The prompt action
| OF the two men saved the firemen from
having another serious fire to combat,
| while they had the rice mill fire on their
| hands. The commissioners thought that
| the promptness, bravery and intelligence
| displayed merited recognition at their
| hands.
A communication was received by the
| commission from Smith a Kelly, owners
| OF the tug Regis, Offering the services Of
| was authorized to communicate with the
| owners of rug boats in the city for the
| purpose of ascertaining which boat is
| most suitable for such work and the terms
and conditions upon which II can be Sc
| cured for service both day and night.
| The chief was instructed to purchase 300
| feet of chemical hose from the Gutta Per-
cha and Rubber Company of New York.
1t was decided to place an alarm box on
! Gwinnett street, east of the Bilbo canal
| The street is not yet opened up to this
point, but II probably viii be by the time
| the box arrives.
The commissioners decided to adopt a
badge for the use of those who are priv
| ileged to come inside the fire lines during
| fires. This was done on the recommended
| ton of Chief Mcguire, who has had a great
| deal Of trouble with the number of people
| who crowd inside the lines during the
| progress of a fire and impede the work Of
the fremen. The chief was instructed to
have badges prepared and to distribute
them to newspaper Gnen, insurance men
and others whose business warrants them
in desiring to keep close watch on the
progress of the flames.
Chief Mcguire has very decided views
on the subject of the prompt performance
of their duty by firemen. THE members
of the fire department" said he may as
well understand once for all that a rigid
compliance with the rules and a prompt
and cheerful obedience of orders is re-
quired at all time. Devotion to duty is
one of the first requisites for a fireman
and the man who is lacking in the sense
OF duty VIII never make a fireman"
CITY BREVITIES.