The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-09
FIRE TO BE
Investigated
MR.. cH1rTENDEN SAYS THAT II
MUST BE.
Believes Thursdays Confiagration
Proved the Truth Of His Assertion
That the Fire Department Is q
Mob--Will Lead in the Movement
foran Investigation-Mr. Vaughan
Makes a Serious charge-A Fire
mans Views ON the Fire - Mr..
Scranton on the Water Question.

Select Councilman g. L. Chittenden.
the father Of the ordinance providing
for the reorganization of the fire de-
partment and the man who, above all
others In the city, has criticized the
department with relentless severity.
stated yesterday to Tribune man
that Thursdays fire should and would
ne investigated by councils, and init
mated that he himself would be the
prime mover In the investigation.
THAT fire, I believe" said he. dem.
onstrates the truth of my assertion
that the fire department is purely and
simply an unorganized mob, and
proved beyond question that what this
city wants, and wants Immediately, is
paid department organized under the
plan proposed in the ordinance which
/ introduced and which passed select
council, but which has been held up
by the fire department committee of
the common branch for some months.
1T was an awful thing to see build
ing after building In the heart Of the
business part OF the city 70 down be-
fore the flames, and to see fire de-
partment, for the maintenance of
which we have been appropriating
large sums every year. unable to cope
with the fire.
Il am willing tn admit that the water
company was largely to blame in this
particular instance. The supply of
water during the early part of the fire
was shockingly poor. and l can see no
excuse for II whatever. After the
company opened its gates there was n
sufficient supply, but that wasn't until
the fire was half over. There was no
excuse for this delay. The company
should have had a man at the gates
| ready toopen them Immediately after
! the fire started.
THE MEN WERE WILLING.
The men were willing, as our vol
unteer firrmcn have always been in
! the past. but there was absolutely no
| organization. Each man worked indi-
| vidually. There seemed to he no head.
! Everyone apparently was issuing or
J dcrs and very few OF these We're
| Obeyed. That's the trouble with n vol
unteer force. The members have no
| responsibilities. They realize that il
| they refuse to obey an order. nothing
can be done to them.
'If we had IL paid department the
men would understand that their bread
| and butter depended upon their obey
ing orders and not simply doing as
they themselves thought fit and proper
There Will be big howl. of course
| about the new apparat tus and hose and
| other paraphernalia which the fire
showed the city to be badly in need
| of. but / shall vigorously oppose the
purchase of any more apparatus until
the department is organized along
| proper lines and placed in a position
where the members of the force can
be held directly responsible for it's care
and safekeeping.
| Let the members OF the common
council profit by Thursdays expert
ence and pass my ordinance providing
for the reorganization of the depart
ment. If the members do not like the
ordinance in its entirety. let them a,
least take il out OF the hands of the
committee and amend it. I'll accept
| any reasonable amendments, and / be-
lieve that the select councilmen who
| voted for the ordinance viii do so also
This whole fire should he investi.
| gated by councils and the responsible.
! ity placed where il belongs. There
| will be no lack of witnesses. There
isn't one man out Of hundred who
saw that fire who will not be willing
to come forward and tell about how
| grossly mismanaged ii was. II II car
he proven that the water company
| was at fault to a certain extent, l be.
lieve that We should amend the ordl
nance now pending awarding them &
contract for furnishing water to the
! city, so as TO include u provision tha
! the company shall guarantee Il certain
water pressure in case of fire. ] favol
this investigation and will endeavor t.
! have il started"
MR. FAUGHAN'S CHARGE.
Select Councilman ID. w. Vaughan
said regarding the matter:
THAT fire will be investigated by
councils. You can take my word for 1t
II was grossly mismanaged from star
to finish. There was no discipline a
all. the men doing as they themselves
thought best. There's another matte,
that's going TO he investigated, anC
that is the deliberate attempt to burr
The hook and ladder truck. They lcf
it right up against the burning build
ing and went away with the deliberat,
intention OF burning it 50 as ITO fore
thc city to buy a new one. Thing
have indeed come to II pretty pas
when such q thing rs that is per
mitted."
on the other hand. the liremen CLAIM
that they were Handicapped by tn
lack OF proper appliances for fighting
the fire. Foreman Jack" Moir. of tn
Nay AuGs, who was ut the fire from
its very start, and who rendered val