The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-20

nlHlt lHt1 went pIl " Ttiitt now
Sproats was sometimes late in getting
to fires because of his not being around
the house when the alarm was sounded
| This brought on a general discussion,
| which developed the fact that at the
| fire at A. 3. Eynon's house, Just across
| the road from the engine house, neither
! the engineer nor fireman of the COM
pany were present and the engineer of
| the Nay Augs had to be called to run
| the engine. The engine was not put
| into actual use because it was found
I after she had been fired, that there was
no water In the boiler, which latter was
| blamable TO the permanent men.
1t might be OF interest to note here
that A. b. Eynon's house was, on the
day In question. almost destroyed. al
| though the fire broke out in the middle
| of the day and the house Is just across
| the street from the Franklin quarters.
| WARNKE TOOK IT OUT.
Assistant Chief r. W. warnke said he
| took the engine out two out of every
three times. The fireman and engineer
worked at such distance from the en-
gine house that the driver would have
| to wait twenty or twenty-five minutes
for them If he was not around to take
| their place.
Sproats, the accused, was then put on
the stand. He admitted that the trip
had been disconnected at night, but
said 1t was by orders of the chief. The
company got new team about two
months ago and until such time as they
We're broken in 1t was not thought ad-
| visable to let them be released at night
when no one was at hand to see that
| they got into their places. AS to the
harness being on the floor he explained
! that one Of the new horses became a
little fllghty and knocked 1t down. He
tried to put it back in place, but could
| not do so without assistance. He went
| down to his boarding house and got
Bert Schenk, the barber, to come up
| to the engine house and help him re-
| arrange the harness on the drop. Kline.
the other permanent man, was there
| at the time, and he would not ask
him for assistance. He and Kline are
| not on speaking terms.
| To a question by Mr.. Fellows he ad-
mitted that he played cards with young
men in the company's quarters, but
'Niiit' thit uiS ''yS tOth part III
| game. The damage to the doors he
explained resulted from the narrow
ness of the driveway, 1t being almost
| an impossibility to back the engine in
without striking the door -jambs.
| Kline asked Sproats at this juncture
| where he was on last election day
when the alarm came i'm at o'clock in
the morning. He replied that he was
| on Main avenue just one block away
Mayor Bailey tried to get the witness
to say that he was at the polls but was
disappointed.
| Bert Schenk then told of his connec-
tion with the harness incident and
both sides announced that they had
| no more evidence to Offer
| One Of the committee suggested
that John II. Reynolds be asked to tell
what he knew about the charges. Mr.
Reynolds accepted the invitation with
| alacrity and in q straightforward,
well connected manner gave a resume
| of the company's troubles. There
| have been two factions in the company
for years, he said. The old members
feared that II they allowed young men
to join they would gain control of the
company and weed out the old men,
bers.
| THERE WAS KICKING.
| The papers and board of trade were
kicking about the limited membership
of the company and they took him and
Fred Warnke in. They said they in
tended to build UP the company and
he proposed three new members, Will
/ WripIpv Ganrua nharlnrfap
J. Neave. Then he got the letter warm
| ing him to withdraw them or they
would be blackballed. Then a crisis
came. Snyder was permanent man
but before the mayor was notified the
company reconsidered its action and
Davis was appointed. Kline and Stein
back were the next permanent men.
| When an attempt was made to select n
| successor to Steinback there was a
| split. Mayor Connell was disgusted at
the company and one day that DR..
| Paine and AL. Godshall We're at his
| office, he asked them to suggest some
| good man for the position. Sproats
was recommended. and appointed.
| While the two gentlemen in question
were casting about for somebody that
| they would recommend, the company
called a special meeting and named
Frank Hutchinson for the position.
Mr. Reynolds, in answer to a ques-
tion by Mr. Kline. denied that he had
ever said that the only reason he ever
went to the Franklin meetings was ito
| raise HI"
"Well, you are the cause of all the
trouble" said Kline. Reynolds only
| laughed.
Reynolds and Beavers got into dis
cussion about using the company's team
for moving, hauling ashes and the like,
and had to be called to order by Mayor
Bailey.
A petition was received from eighty
residents of the West Side asking that
the Franklin company be investigated
and disbanded. One investigation a
night was thought quite sufficient SC
the petition was referred for further
consideration, and the committee ad-
journed with a suspicion that Fore
man Beavers had erred slightly in his
| opening statement that there were no
factions in the Franklin Engine COM
pany.
The committee will meet again at the
call of the chair.