The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-10
FIRE DEPARTMENT.

There now seems to be no question
but that select council will concur in
the resolution adopted by common
| council on Thursday night providing
| for a ratification of the contracts for
| fire apparatus entered into on the day
that Director OF Public Safety +. l..
Wormser assumed office. This will
save the city an inconceivable amount
of bother and will place the fire de-
partment in splendid shape before a
month elapses. The sentiment of the
majority of the councilmen on the
matter is perhaps best crystallzed in
the remarks made on Thursday night
| after the council meeting by Com
mon Councilman Luther Keller, who
said:
II don't believe that it was right to
award the contracts to the highest
bidders, but on the ground of expedi-
ency l think it is best to ratify them.
If we don't Wen get the city into a
law suit which would probably be
decided in our favor, but which
wouldn't be finished for over year
and perhaps two years.
what we want now is to get our
insurance rates lowered and If we can
ladder truck and new engine as I be-
lieve we can, why it's to the advan-
tage of every citizen in the city to
get them just as soon as possible, even
if we have to pay a little more for
| them than we should"
| There are some who contend that II
the matter ever did come up in court
the city wouldn't have things as much
its own way as sofne people imagine.
The fact that the city solicitor ap-
proved the contracts. it is argued
would relieve the company from any
loss in case they were found to be
illegally awarded.
| Director of Public Safety Worlnser
has granted the captains of all the
| fire companies a nine days vacation,
"a one day more than the permanent
men, who are this year being allowed
eight ys.Substtutcs who are recon-
mended by the chief of the bureau are
appointed to take the places of all
men who are off on a vacation.
|
| There seems to be no dearth of ap.
plcants for places in the fire depart.
| At
ago. Director Wormser's office resem.
bled daily the outer office of a poll.
tician on the day before election. This
was all because two men have resigned
their places as permanent men. The
director, it is understood, is deter.
mined to live up to the promise made
by his predecessor, Col. +. l.. Hitch.
cock, and will appoint none but bunk
or call men, who have proved them.
selves worthy to fill the vacant places
|
Chief Zizelman, in a recent com.
munication to Director Wbrmser
pointed out the danger which constant.
Ily exists by reason of the Closeness OF
the wires of the fire aarm system I,
live electric light and other wires, anC
the director has under consideration
several plans for the removal of thi.
danger.
If the fire alarm wire is blown vi
against live wire during a rain OF
snow storm it temporarily throws tn,
whole circuit out of order and ther,
are several cases on record where en-
tire circuits have been rendered use
less for whole night by this crossins
of wires.
The two ways in which this difficult,
could be averted would each entail
much expense. One would be tn,
stringing of all the circuits with in
sulated wires and the other the plac
ing of the wires underground Tn,
former plan would be much less eX
pensive and will probably be adopted
If any.
The repairs to the Columbia hos,
house, which will probably be mad,
by Evans and company, who are tn,
lowest bidders, but who have not ye
been awarded the contract, will in
clude new flooring on each floor and
complete changing around of the in
terror arrangements of the house. Tn,
cracked walls are to be strengthened
by iron braces securely anchored fas
tened on the inside