The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-25
NOT DESERVED.
Pawtuxet Fireman Declares
Criticism Of the Pawiuxet Fire
Company Was Unjust.

To the Editor OF the News:
great storm OF Indignation has been
aroused In Pawtuxet over the article
which appeared in the columns OF the
News Friday night. In regard to town
IRE protection. The piece was plainly
designed as slur on Volunteer Fire
Company No. /, OF this village, and was
evidently written by one who was not
at all familiar with the subject with
which ne was dealing and knew practis
cally nothing about the organization
and service OF volunteer hre companies
or the present day.
The situation OF the case as portrayed
in the News was that, while the company
was away playing water for "A record at
Bristol, a fire broke out in the Amos
Palmer house In Edgewooc. "A district
which 1t was claimed they left unpro-
tected.
AS matter OF fact, the district was
not left unprotected
All the apparatus which the company
uses at a fire was at home in the en-
CINE house This apparatus consists OF
hose cart. ladder truck and reel. and
there are always and at all times men
enough left at home to handle ii at u
fire. <
The engine Is never used. as the by-
drant pressure is from 60 to 65 pounds
In this district. which In sufficient To
carry stream OF water without its aid.
only once in the whole history OF the
company has the engine ever been used,
and that was at fire where, after
carrying two streams OF /ater TO the
blaze the remaining hose was not long
enough TO reach from the nearest hy-
drant to the burning building.
Then. as the fire was near the water
front, the engine was run down To the
ar Tod l.xft A hn
waters OF Pawtuxet cove was applied.
TO an adjoining building.
But II Is evident that the people of
Edgewood. or in this case at the Pal
mer estate. were not looking for pro-
lection from this district as they did not
even notify the company of the fire
The FIRST news received ~ this village
was from a motorman on the Broad
street electrics. who said that there was
fire at the Palmer estate and Hose rs
OF Washington Park was following him
right down. and the next car brought
word that there was no fi.e that could.
be seen at the place. but that Hose rs
was there and had line OF hose laid
through the front door.
The company was not even notified
that fire was in progress and In view
or this fact more than any other. they
regard the criticism az unjust.
The company was organized for the
protection OF the village ~of Pawtuxet
but Its members have always been glad
TO respond TO calls from Edgewood and
have assumed IL as a duty.
But as the organization Is composed
for the most part Of working and busi-
ness men they do not feel II their duty
to leave their work and go to fire in
an outside district when they have not
received a call and have the assurance
that the city department has the fire
under control.
1T has been the custom of the Edge.
wood people in case of fire to call the
city department, and about Is minutes
later 10 send for the Pawtuxet company
as an auxiliary force.
One reason for this Is that they do
not fully appreciate the value or the
company as property saving organi-
cation and in addition to this the men,
bers of Hose IS have encouraged them
personally, saying that they would
answer a call at anv time.
The article referred TO stated that
Chief Steere thought the call for aid
came from the Pawtuxet company
which found itself unable to cope with
the fire, This, however, can have no
foundation, as the chief is used TO get
ting these calls from individual resi-
de.Its when any danger from fire is even
threatened.
1t is TO put a stop 70 the unnecessary
calls that the board Of fire commission
ers passed the order prohibiting the
call OF the city department unless the
fire Is beyond the control OF the local
company. The article in question laid
the whole blame for this action on the
Pawtuxet company and other COM
panies Of the town, instead of placing
II where II belongs--on the residents OF
the outlying districts who regard hand
engine companies as inadequate and
feel safer under the protection Of the
city department.
The point was also raised as to the
right OF the company to go To musters.
The company Is OF a purely volunteer
nature and Is wholly supported by Its
members. il receives no aid from the
town and Is under the jurisdiction Of
no town official.
II is a self supporting organization,
and on this point the members claim a
right to go to musters or anywhere else
they may choose, feeling perfectly safe.
in leaving the protection of their homes
in the hands OF those who stay at home.
III the residents OF Edgewood expect
the Pawtuxet company to do efficient
service II will be necessary for them to
establish an effective call system for
the rapid transmission OF a fire call at
any time and more especially at night
after the cars have stopped running
and the stores in tho village closed.
where telephone calls can be sent. This
thing has been talked up and dropped
several times. but now that the possi-
biity OF immediate city protection is
removed. revival OF the scheme and
prompt action in effecting its realiza-
tion is all the more imperative.