The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-26

Select Councilman Charles e. Chit
tenden, of the Ninth ward, spoke in
terestingly yesterday to a Tribune man
on the reasons which impelled him to
have the matter of a thorough re-
organization OF the city's fire depart
ment referred to a special committee
for consideration and told just what his
ideas are as to how this re-organiza-
tion should be effected.
1T Is apparent to every one," said
he, that the expense of our fire de-
partment at present is entirely too
large for the results attained Scran-
ton has grown to be a city OF import
ance, but her fire department is or
sanized on lines fitted more for a mine
camp.
THE chief at present has practically
no power over the organization. What
powers he should have have either been
absorbed by the fire committee Of
councils or by the individual compan-
les. When a permanent man is to be
appointed, the members of the COM
pany get together and elect a man for
the place and that man is the man
generally appointed by the mayor. SO
long as he is popular II doesn't make
any difference whether he knows which
end OF the horse should be fed.
ENTIRELY WRONG, HE THINKS.
This Is entirely wrong, and believe
1 am safe in saying that on this ac-
count the number Of sick and injured
horses is far larger than it should be.
Under present arrangements the per-
manent men are not held strictly to
their duty and their conduct is very
often open to most serious criticism.
What is more there seems to be no way
OF bringing them under direct discip-
line.
my plan for reorganization is in
brief that all companies now having
permanent men should be disbanded.
would have appointed to each of these
companies a fixed number of perman-
ent men. say three for the chemical
companies and six for the hose and en-
| gine companies. In addition to these
would have from two to six men at
tached to every company under the
| call system.
THAT is they would be required un-
der pain of dismissal to answer every
| alarm of fire. These could be paid
| at the rate of say forty cents an hour
| for the actual time worked. Whenever
a vacancy occurred among the regular
| permanent men would have this va
cancy filled from the ranks of these
call men, who would have had expert
| ence at fires, and who would not be
| green hands.
Another thing l would be in favor
of would be the entire abolishment of
a number of the smaller companies in
the outlying districts who very seldom
have to attend an alarm of fire. In
their place could be substituted strict
! ly volunteer companies who would be
paid only for the time worked at a fire.
AN ILLUSTRATION.
"To illustrate the advantages of this
I will point to the Eagle Hose COM
pany. This was formerly a volunteer
company and during the two years be-
| fore it was admitted to the city fire
| department it only responded to five
alarms at an annual expense OF some
thing a little over s25. We then bought
two horses and paid a monthly keep
for them of $40 or $3.50 a year. In ad-
dition to this a permanent man was
hired at a salary of s72O a year
Therefore the city paid $1,000 a year
for just little bit better service than
it formerly got for s25 n year. This
difference in cost is tremendous, isn't
1t?
Another reform that should be un-
dertaken is the adjustment of the sys-
tenn of the purchasing of supplies by
the Joint fire committee of councils
When councils, which are purely leg
| tel tal
upon themselves, they invariably slor
over. l am in favor and have been fol
several years of making the chief Of
the fire department bonded officia
and making him the purchasing agent
HE then could be held solely re-
sponsible, whereas under the present
system no one in particular can bt
held responsible as long as councils
keep at this purchasing business JUS
so long will they leave the door opeI
for scandal.
"The larger part of the hose houses
in the city are practically gentlemen
clubs for the maintenance of which
the city pays. The city insures them
furnishes them, pays the gas and waite
bills and by so doing allows a lot o
men to keep their names off the tai
books in return for which they assls
at a few fires. There are many brave
efficient and capable men in the fir
department at present, and agains
these 1 have nothing to say. 1t i
merely against the existing order o
things that / am protesting.
81 am not very sanguine that thi
agitation will bring about any revolu
tionary changes, but / hope for tn
best. The committee will make an ear
nest effort to investigate and discus
the matter thoroughly before making
report"