The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-25

May Be Abolished and Have Them
Hereafter Known by Numbers.
Volunteers Lend Their Aid.
The number Of permanent bunk and
call men in each company of the city
is here published for the first time.
There are now fifty.fve permanent
men and sixty-two bunk and call men
in the department. The reorganization
ordinance calls for ninety-four bunk
and call men. or thirty-two more than
there are in the department at pres
ent but it is known that Director of
Public Safety Hitchcock vii, swear in
very few more men. If any at all.
In the following table permanent
mon are marked +; bunk men, B, and
call men, G.:
\cntunc Engine oompany--.r, 4: II, .: G. &;
total. H. Complete.
Nay Aug Engine co'nranyr. ): n, .; c. s.;
total. II. One more than called tor
franklin Engine colnpany-P, 4; y, I; e, 4;
total. o. Two less than required number.
Crystal Engine con'pany-r, .; u, 1; C., 81:
total. II. Complete.
General Phinncy Engine oompanyr. I: n.
o; G. 4; total. s. Three less than required
| number.
Eagle Engine comrany-p. 3: y. >: c. O.;
total. s. Three less than required number
Columbia Hose company-r. g. y. o: G.. B.;
total. :. Olc less than required number.
Relief Hose company-P. 4: Il. U: G. 3: to.
tai. 9. Two less than required rumbcr.
Phoenix Chemical oomrany-P. !: 4, o: C.,
]; total. 5. Ono more tlan required number.
Century Hose companr-r. .; p. o: c, 2;
total. D. Three less than required number.
VIM. tonncl Hose conipany-p. .: Il, 4: C.,
/: total, T. One less than required number.
Excelsior Hose companyP, 2: y. o; C, .;
total. 4. -Four less than required number.
Liberty Hose compan,-P, 9; n. o; G.. l.:
total. >. Five less than required number.
Niagara Hose company-P, Q; h. /: C, a.;
total. :. One less than required number.
Cumberland Hose companv-p, .; r. .: C..
.; total. 6. Two less than required number
Hook and Ladder comrany-P. 4; b, ,; G, Il;
total, :. Complete.
kcyscr Valley Hose companv--p. /; B q: e.
o; total, |. Seven less than required number
There is very strong probability
that 1t will not be very long before the
fire companies of the city will be num-
bered, instead of retaining their old
volunteer names, as at present. Dircc-
this subject, but it is understood that
he favors the idea on the ground that
the volunteer department as an active
fre-fghting force is now Il thing of the
past, and that inasruch as the city
now has Il paid department it should
folloW the example of every other city
having IL paid departments and rum
Der. instead of name. its companies
i'll Il, l.,
proval of the sentimentalists. who will
probably contend that the ola names
should be held over us lasting me-
mortal of the valo.' and devotion of the
old volunteers, etc.
The Gamewell Fire Alarm company
has offered to enter into a contract
with the city for the rent of the thirty
six fire alarm boxes which its owns
at an annual rental of $1,000. the con-
tract to run for a term of ten years,
at the end of which time the boxes
are to become the property of the city.
1t is understood that Director Of
Public Safety Hitchcock is not alto
gether satisfied with the company's
proposition. and that he has written
to them with the idea of getting either
a lower figure or shorter length of
time for the contract to run. He
heartily favors the plan of having the
city own and operate its own fire
alarm system.
In addition to the thirty-siX boxes
owned by the Gamewell company. the
city owns fifty-siX. which are opera ted
wired and taken care of by the Central
Pennsylvania Telephone company,
which also operates and cares for the
Gamewell boxes at an annual cost of
maintenance of s2,444.44. This. in ad-
dition to the $1,000 which the city
now pays the Gamewell company
makes the total cost of maintaining
the city's fire alarm system just 49,
54444.
The city has no contract with the
telephone company and can assume
charge of the entire system just as
soon as it is ready to pay for the wir-
ing and for the employment of an
electrician to take charge of II. When
the initial work of installing the sys-
tenn is completed it is estimated that
the city would be saved at least $1,000
a year.
The earnest desire on the part of
certain of the old volunteers to assist
the city in reorganizinG and systema-
tiZlng its fire department was eXempl-
fled last week in the acceptance of posi-
tions as battalion chiefs by four OF the
old district chiefs and the father of
the fifth one. No provision whatever
has been made for the payment of
these men, except the pay of call men,
but they have accepted the places
Ian hat Il