The sun., 1898-01-18
A F|REMEN'S PENSION FUND
"The SUM- Makes a Muniicent
Offer For Its Establishment
IN CASE OF PAID DEPARTMENT
The Approaching Selection OF a
Second Assistant and Other
Interesting Fire Com.
pany Gossip.
N CASE OF PAID DEPARTMENT

In the event that paid fire depart
ment is established in this city THE Su,
will be one of ten parties to give $lO(
each toward establishing Firemen'l
Pension Fund.
This fund should be one of the frs,
considerations after paid department
is in service, and the money should bt
available to tiemen injured while or
duty, and to their widows who are left
destitute by the death Of their hus.
bands while fighting the flames of de.
struction.
In every city where a paid fire depart
ment exists, there also can be found a
firemen's pension fund and such must
be the case in Wilmington.
| In making this offer there is no de.
sire to anticipate any official action Of
the City Council or the Legislature or in
fact the agitation now on foot, but it is
made merely to hold good in case the
city should adopt paid department.
There will no doubt be a lively time
among the Weccacoe boys on the first
Monday in February, when that COM
pany will make a selection Of a candidate
for the position OF second assistant en-
SIIlCCI vi liz
The Weccacoe, as is well known, is
connected with the combine, and NOM
ination at the time above named is
equivalent, to an election because
the combination is a close corpora
ton, and the five companies connected
Herewith are determined to uphold
the agreement entered into, the
efforts Of certain individuals connected
with the minority of four companies to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
The Washington, which under the
combine arrangement, is entitled to the
chief for two years after the 23d day Of
next May, has already named George w.
Sasse for that position and VIM, j. Joyce
is the choice of the Phoenix for first
assistant.
As mentioned above the Wcccacoe,
which names the second assistant under
the agreement entered into, will on the
first Monday in March endeavcr to de-
eide upon a candidate for second assist
ant between James p Purcell, of 1923
West Second street, and Michael T.
Conway, Of 2l4 South Jackson. Both
are popular in the company, and the
friends of each are making spirited
canvass.
Dennis S. Shields, ex-chief, has this
to say in reply to the interview with ex-
Councilman Blake, which appeared in
THE Sun of yesterday:
"Mr. Blake IN no way, by suggestion
or otherwise had anything to do with
establishing the district system in
Wilmington. AT the time this
system was adopted, | was in
office, and in conjunction with
my assistants, assumed the responsibility
of establishing the system, and encoun,
tered a great deal of opposition, City
Council agreeing with us only after
much persuasion. The only advocates
in favor of the idea at the time were tine
Mr.. Blake, with some few
others, may have favored the system,
but he took no active part in fllrthcring
it. He, while member of Council,
had abundant opportunity to establish
the svtem, as only Council could take
that STEP but he did nothing whatever,as |
| said before, in furthering the project"
An effort similar to that engaged in
ever since the fire company combine
was first formed is again being made,
and enlissares from anti-combinc com
panies are using every effort to induce
some one connected with a combine com
pany to allow the use of his name as Il
for chief in opposition to the
combine choice. So far as can be learned,
his endeavor has proven unproductivc
If results. Ex Chief Shields has been
approached and this is what he has to
say
Under no consideration would | ac-
'cpt the off, e, and parties using my
lame in this connection do SO without
ny consent.
II was elected by the combine and
10Th myself and the company with
which am connected are heartily in
avor of the election Of the nominee al
cady named by the combine.