The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-21

Be Patriotic.
IL is hard 10 believe that there is
a captain OF fire company in this
city so grossly negligent of his duties
as to he lying in his bunk in a drunken
sleep when AN alarm of fire was turned
in, compelling the call men OF the
company to break into the fire house
to get the apparatus out, yet Recorder
W. l.. Connell, in the course of an
address delivered yesterday afternoon
to the fremcn, declared II to be a fact
and, as he said it, the accused man
was sitting within a few feet of him,
nervously shifting about in his seat.
You may thing that what / am
going to say is strong language, gem
tlemen." said he, &" but what | say is
the truth. The incident which | am
about to relate is an unfortunate one.
but. after Investigation, it has been
found to he true.
"A certain captain of fire COM
pany of this city was lying in bed, in
drunken stupor at o'clock in the
morning. when an alarm of fire was
turned in. The horses, dumb beasts
without human intelligence, took their
places at the apparatus, but there was
no one TO harness them up, for up
stairs the man with the human mind
lay snoring in his drunken sleep.
MEN HAD TO BREAK IN.
Nor was the apparatus taken out
until the call men had broken into the
building through the window. When
a captain of a fire company so far
forgets his duty and the obligation
which he owes the city as to do as
this man has done, it is time for you
men to remember that you are no lon
ger your own masters. but that you
are under the strong hand of the mu-
nicipal government. which will de-
mand of you, Is ii demands of me
and every other servant of the people,
a strict attention TO duty and sobriety
at all times"
The captain in question, ii can be
stated on very reliable authority, Is
to walk the plank within the next few
days. 1t is understood that the other
permanent man in the house was
either in similar state at the time
or was away on leave Of absence.
About forty of the firemen gathered
in the basement Of the municipal
building in the afternoon about 3
O'Clock, attired in full uniform and
wearing buff -colored gloves. The re-
mainder Of the paid men were left
at the several hose houses to be in
readiness TO respond to any alarm
which might he turned in.
The men were marched to the re-
corder's office by Chief II. +. Ferber
shortly after 3 o'clock and stood at at
tentiOn until Recorder Connell and
Director of Public Safety f. L..
Wormser emerged from the formers
private office. They they saluted and
took seats which had been arranged
for their accommodation along the
walls
Director Wormser first addressed
the men.
RULES READ.
The recorders secretary. Mark x
Edgar, then read to the men the new
rules and regulations governing the
bureau of fire. which are to go into
effect after October !, and a synopsis
of which has already appeared in The
Tribune. Nearly quarters of ar
rules and when Mr.. Edgar had finished
Chief Ferber distributed to each fire.
man a printed copy.
Recorder Connell was next introduced
by Director Wormser and in addition
to the remarks quoted above he spoke
as follows in the earnest manner &C
characteristic of him:
We have come upon new era oi
| things. The old things have passed
| away and we have now paid fire de.
| partment. Whether this paid fire de.
| partment is a success or not will de.
pend largely upon the individual effort.
| of each member of it. 1t is for you tt
| say whether the department is to bt
| an Improvement over what ii was II
the days past, when the volunteers So
ably cared for life and property in thi!
| city of ours.
When you heard the rules and regu
| lations, which are to govern you, jus
read, ! presume that many of yol
thought they were severe and that tn,
| duties which 1t Is proposed to impose
upon YOU are more than you can carry
out, | desire to tell you, however, tina
| if the fire department is to be put OF
civil service basis, as II is to be aftel
| October /, and that IL every fireman
can expect to hold his place indefinitel,
| W VII VI MS OWN llttGTlly' man
hood and faithfulness to duty, then.
say, the city of Scranton has a righ
| to demand that every man who aspirei
to a position in the department pu
forth his very best efforts and his mos
intelligent action.
MUST DO THEIR DUTY.
| The idea Of placing the fire depart
| ment upon a civil service basis is tha
| II may be made possible to secure non,
but good men and true to ill it's posi-
| tions. l believe ii no more than righ
| that the men who in the future viii
| give their best years to the protection
| of property and the saving of life
| should be cared for by the city whei
their locks begin to whiten, and fee
| sure that councils will he ready to tax,
| steps to provide "A pension fund.
You will notice that the rules hav,
| something to say about forbidding fire
| men to take an active part in politics
| They are not to be politicians We d,
not desire that you should refrain from
| exercising the privilege of suffrage
which is one of the most glorious privi
leges which is accorded to the citizen.
of this land of ours. What we desir,
| is that you shall not take an actiy,
! part in political campaigns and in $,
| doing forget or neglect the duties which
you are paid TO perform.
I want you, as fremen, to he patri
otto Americans. ] want you to be read,
at all times to treat as you would {
venomous reptile those men who ma,
claim this country as home, but wht
|