The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-13

that 1T would be d difficult matter to
procure sufficient bunk and call men
| at the wage allowed in the ordinance.
| and the truth of this assertion Is rap
IDLY forcing itself upon some of those
who contended otherwise. Last We'd
nesday, when an examination was con-
Quoted for the positions to be filled
in the central city companies there
were only fifteen applicants for the
twenty-five places in these companies,
and only two OF the fifteen would agree
to accept positions as bunk or call men.
When the result of the examination Is
announced it will be found, as can be
learned by conversation with one of
the examiners, that this number will
be reduced to ten or less.
On Thursday night the board of ex-
aminers sat in the Nay Aug engine
house to examine candidates for the
positions of permanent ment and bunk
and call men in the North Scranton
companies. Only two or three appE-
cants for bunk and call places put
in an appearance. A member of the
board said that from the eXamina-
tions so far conducted. he felt
that it would be just barely possible
to get from among the company men,
bers Il sufficient number to make up
the quota Of twenty-five regular addi-
tional paid men, which the ordinance
provides for, leaving the call and bunk
men out of the question.
OF course it may be possible to get
men who are not members of the
volunteer department to take the
places. but if this is done, an entirely
different sort of an examination than
the one now being used will have to
be provided. The applicants who have
so far presented themselves have been
asked a series of questions formulated
by Assistant Chief d. j. Slowe, cover
ing in a general way the whole field Of
practical fire fighting. No one who
has not had a. practical experience In
battling with the flames in buildings
of various kinds and sizes could pos
sibiy answer any of these questions,
which were designed expressly for the
volunteers. so that, as mentioned be-
fore, II n sufficient number of appli-
cants from the volunteer ranks Go not
materialze, some other kind of COM
petitive examination will have to be
arranged.
When the situation was explained to
Recorder Moir yesterday. he said the
city would have to go outside the COM
panies to secure bunk and call men. if
the present flremen did not come for
ward in sufficient numbers to fill out
the quota.
Chief Engineer Zizelmann gave it as
his opinion that it would be necessary
to keep the volunteer companies in eX
istence until such time as the city
would find itself able to maintain a full
paid department.
One of the best known firemen in the
city, who was sitting in the Nay Aug
engine house the other night and con-
demning with all the force in his power
the "cali" system, which is soon to be
introduced, expressed himself as being
fearful that after its introduction
some such occurrence as the one which
took place in Albany, n. V, a number
of years ago, might transpire.
1.-THE call system was in use there"
said he. "and had been only fairly
successful. The call men felt that
they didn't have much to lose If they
were discharged, and they weren't over
particular about obeying orders. One
night. In the middle of January, when
the city was in the throes of one of
the tiercest blizzards that ever visited
that part of the state, fire broke ut
in the wholesale district. The ther-
mometer registered nearly twenty de-
grees below zero and there was mas
ty. cutting wind blowing.
''The apparatus in charge of the
limited number of permanent men
which the city boasted of. got out in
good time, but not single call man
put in an appearance. They struck.
with one accord, realizing that it would
he better to lose a job paying less than
n dollar an hour and very few hours
worked, than to work with the tenn
perature so low that the water almost
frOze as soon as it left the hose, The
permanent men themselves We're en-
tirely unable to cope with the blaze
and it simply burned itself out, but
not until whole block Of property
had been wiped off the map, with sew
eral million dollars damage. Albany
had full paid department in short
order after that, but hope Scranton
will never have such an experience.
A fireman has got 10 take such great
risks that to be properly amenablc to
orders he's got to be where It's a case
of lose his bread and butter If he
uoeS not 40 Wnat mes tOld.
.
The new first class engine which is
10 ne purchased If councils in their
wisdom see tit to adopt the appropria-
iion ordinance as reported by the
joint estimates committee, will be To-
Gated in the Nay Aug engine house.
The present Nay Aug steamer will be
sent to North Scranton, to be located
at one of the company houses, to be
decided upon later, The new hook
and ladder truck will also be housed
at the Nay Aug quarters, according
To present plans. 1t is proposed TO
build an addition in the rear of the
present building for the stabling of
the new apparatus and 10 rearrange
the stalls.
The present location of the hook and
ladder company, ON West Lackawanna
avenue near the Lackawanna railroad
crossing, has long been generally
deemed most unsatisfactory, on ac-
count of its distance from the central
part of the city. The old truck win
be cut dcwn and sent to either North
or West Scranton.
Tue Firemen's Relief association met
last night in the council chamber and
voted to secure permanent quarters
and continue the organization as a sort
of Veteran Firemen's association, such
as are found in the larger cities, where
the paid department has put out of ex-
istence the boys who ran with the old
machine All the trophies. mementoes
and relics belonging To the different
companies are To be gathered and
placed on exhibition al the aasocia-