The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-07-16
1 VIIDel ton Of sun Ter FIREMEN
FROM
FROM
CAMDEN FlREMEN's FALSE CHARGES.

CAMDEN ElREMEN's FALSE CHARGES.
A Statement Of Facts by the chief Of
the Sumter fire Department.
Editor The Daily Item: It is not.
surprising that the Camden :Firemen
would like os.drop the charge Of fraud
and discourtesy they have brought
against Sumter, for they know such
charges are unkind, ungentlemanly
and untrue.
They are sore over their defeat, but.
can Justly blame no one but them,
selves, for shey had an equal chance
atan prizes, and would have won had
their team been faster than the. Rin-i
ners and to attempt Is explaiH sheir.
defeat by charging fraud is small and
unbecoIning in gentlemen.
They assert that the water pressure
MAS not good when they ran, and that
they we're forced to use more hose.
than the rules required, and claim
they easily won first place. but were
cheated out Of it.
deny each and every one Of the.
above assertions, and viii introduce
il support Of my assertions, state
msnts from gentlemen whose standing
is we'll known and whose honor and
integrity cannot be questioned, and
challenge Camden to produce any
tangible evidence to support their
statements.
@ No visiting company reeeived more
attention than did Camden, and they
were rendered the use Of everything
in the department, and when they
were not satisfied, with what we had,
Capt. Hood borrowed for them, from
the No. Company Of Columbia,
wagon, harness and hangers and
farther offered TO secure horses, i
necessary or desired.
Camden VAS the only company;
detected in the attempt to enter any
race ID direct violation Of the rules
and regulations governing the contest.
They, with all other companies, en-,
tered into an agreement to- weigh ali
wagons stripped, and TO furnish the
net Weigat Of wagons aloaa, TO the
starsing Judge, yet within few hours
after they entered into this agreement,
they came 80 the track to enter the.
race, and it was discovered chat they
had ae2 pounds Of old iron concealed
n .shsir tool box, and the wagon had
been weighed ssith shis iron. ~
why did they weigh VI this old iron
With their wagon when they had.
sgssed to weigh the wagon alones
Thea is was developed that Camden
stated is the Chief Marshal that their
hose had been measured by he.tssart-
ing Judge, and fonnd correct; he
shgreupon directed them to place the
hose IN their wagon and come to the
scratch, when objection was raised,
By representative of the Delgar
team, and their hose was ordered
measured, and found four feet and
four inches shorter than the rules
prescribe.
Why did Camden attempt to enter
-. -. - ~; ~, .eLr-%s hocoS
For obvious reasons, they claim
their hose. had shrunk but such
claim is preposterous, and can only
mislead those who know nothing Of
the nature of hose.
The Delgar team ran a clean, fair
race, in strict compliance with all
rules and regulations, and asked nor
received fayors from no one, neither
did they receive any special conces-
sions, but ran race totally devoid of
all trickery, fraysd or deception; and
any statement, or insinuation TO the
contrary IS absolutely false.
In support of my position, I beg that
you viii publish the accompanying
statements, which were unhesitatingly
furnished, and will explain them
selves. Respectfully,
W. S. Graham,
Capt. Delgar Reel Team and
Chief Fire Department.
sunter, S. O., July 10, 1902.
Mr.. ". S. Graham, Sumter, S. c.
Daa- Sir. I was Chairman and Capt.