The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-04-04
COMBINE
MAKES REPLY

| The combine" fire companies present.
ed their arguments before the Law and
Fire Committees of City Council in the
City Council chamber last evening, III
llhe matter of the ordinance introduced
by the "anti-combine companies, which
provides that The chief and assistants
shall be elected from all the companies
in rotation.
The "anti-combine'' had been heard
last Wednesday night, when the "corn-
bine' companies had asked for time
TO consider the matter, not having seen
IA copy of the ordinance.
The first speaker was William Morgan
of the Friendship, n combine COM
pany. He gave history OF the com
jDines in the department and said the first
combined companies Nos. /, 2, and 6.
iThe Delaware got chief, Reliance first
assistant and Friendship second assist
|aEt. On one occasion through trcachcry
on the part OF one of the companies III
the combine" II nominee of the Friend
lship which was III the combine was
defeated. lie declared that this resulted
in the passage of a law by the Legisia-
tule, giving each company one vote at
Ian election. A combination was then
formed and the Friendship joined it nut
not to permit anybody elsc. 1t had been
stated uEohcally that some Of the com
panies in the "anti-combne' would not
vote for some OF the combine com
pAnies.
The Friendship is ready to cooperate
with companies in the "anti.combinc'
at any time but not to the detriment of
any of the four companies that stood by
the Friendship. The 'anti-comhine'
companies claim to have more members
than the Combine. The Combine"
companies might then claim to do more
service, because they have more appara
tus as follows: Fire engines. 'anti- com
bLe" companies, 3 combine" companies,
8; hose wagons, ''anti-c0mbine, 2:
combine .; chemical engine and hose
wagon, "anti-combinc,' /; combine, 0;
lchcmicul engines, "auti-rombinc," 0;
combine = hook and Ladder, "anti-
combine" /; combine" i: total pieces,
"nnt-conbnc.' I; 'combine,' 13, feat
of hose, "anti-combinc, 5000; combine"
5000.
| Mr.. Morgan declared that the Com
bint' was willing to meet the representa-
tives Of the "anticomline" companies
in convention, provided the "anii-conl-
bine' companies agree to abide by the
dcsision Of just conference if positive
guarantee is given that the 'anti-cOm-
bine' will do its share toward carrying
out the decision to the letter. The com
pany is willing to contribute its share to-
ward securing harmony in the depart
mcnt.
George Patterson of the Phoenix,
"combine' company, said the company
went into the combine for protection and
felt justified in so doing. They were
willing to 90 into II general convention
if the "anil-combinc" goes bound to
stand by the decision OF the convention.
John ii. Shiplpy Of the Washington, Il
"comhinc' company, thought it would be
well for the fremcn to settle the matter
among themselves rather than to bring
it where it might jcopardize thr political
aspirations Of the members Of Council.
He thought Council could not legally
change the law.
Ex-thief Dennis S. Shields of the
Weccacoc, Il combine" company. dis
puted the fnct that the ordinance, if
passed, woulu produce harmony and de-
clarcd that the 'co,nbIne' companies
were living up to the law and it might
be well to let well enough alone.
Chief John l.. Welsh Of the Liberty, n
"combine' company. said he thought
Council should let the matter alone He
acknowledged that the "ant-combine"
companies had made an effort to buy the
Liberty, offering TO place money in bank
at the rate of $500 n vote but the COM
pany could not be bought and the "com-
binp" could not be broken by the vote
of the Liberty.
Replies were mad on behalf of the
"ant-comhinc" companies by Frank II.
Brand Of the Fame and Edward +. Kane
of the Water Witch.
Mr.. Brand said that if two of the
"anti-combine' companies did join the
combine" this would affect no remedy
as combines were bound to exist under
the present system. The proposed Ordi- |
nance would prohibit combines. He said
Il. A. Robinson of the Fame was not
elected by the department but by Com- |
eli. At that time sealing for two years |
in advance was never thought Of. Now |
that the Combine" had existed for ten |
years and each of the "combnc' com.
panra Ind gotten chief it was time |
TO make change.
Mr. Kane said he had not heard one
reason brought forward to show why the |
ordinance should not pass. He said he |
had been president of his company for
several terms and stated that he was
asked some years ago If his company
would go into the combine" and he
asked if there was vacancy. De was
told there might be, as ono of the
was little shaky. IIe heard.
nothing more about it, but il he had
been asked again, had a vacency oc-
'urrcl, he would have said "yes.' Mr..
Jherly. chairman Of the Law Committee,
said it was unfortunate that the firemen
'Oui not settle the matter among them
;clvcs. On motion Of Mr.. Smith, tho
ordinance was referred to the Law and
Fire Committees and the city solicitor.
4 large number of 6remen were pres.
mt.