The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-14
NO UNION FIREM N
TAMPA FIRE CHIEF RETURNS
AFTER HIS VICTORY.
HOW CHIEF HARRIS WON.
OLD SAVANNAH FIRE FIGHTER
TELLS OF CONVENTION.

Things of Interest That He Saw
During Convention at Atlantic
City-New Automobile Hose Wag-
On-Chief Harris Has Distinction
of Being at Head of Only Fire De-
pnrtment That Ever Went on n
Strike-Man Who Learned His
Business in This City Rated as
One of the Best in the Country.
Andrew J. Harris, former Savannah
ian, at the head Of the Tampa Fire
Department, and the only fire chief
who ever had his department on strike,
is in the city after attending the an
nual convention of the International
Association of Chief Fire Engineers,
held last week in Atlanta city.
In more than one way Chief Harris
is one of the most remarkable fire
fighting men, After d hard fight at
the convention last week he won his
point made against unionism among
fire-fighters. and one of the ablest pa
pers of the sort ever read at con-
vention was finally passed unanimous
~. With the exception of the election
of officers Chief Harris paper was the
only thing connected with the cOnven-
ton that the Associated Press car
ried"
So far as the records show the Tam
pa department is the only one in
the world that has ever gone on a
strike and Chief Harris troubles at
that time will be readily recalled. In
40 minutes, while the strike was on,
there We're eight incendi6ry fires and
almost singlehanded the Savannah fire
fighter had to prevent the spread of
the flames. Chief Harris paper was
inspired by this strike and the associa-
ton of fire chiefs has gone on rec
ord as being opposed to fremen being
members OF labor unions.
Automobile Hose Wagon.
For thirty-nine years Chief Harris
has been a fire fighter and he is now
classed among the first in the United
States. And too, he learned his bust
ness in Savannah i'll the old volun-
tee days when ne was assistant fore
man of one of the engine COM
panies. But Chief Harris is some
thing else besides a competent fire
fighter. He is an interesting talker and
those things that did not attract his
attention at Atlantic City were not
worth noticing. There was little new
in the way of apparatus that was
brought to the attention of the fire
chiefs the most modern being an au-
tomobile hose wagon. For use on paw
ed streets Chief Harris considers 1t a
good thing. None of these wagons are
in use in this country at present, now
ever.
The Association of Chief Fire En-
gineers is one of the very few organ
izations that works so hard during It's
sessions and for this very reason 81.
Louis was not selected as the next
meeting place, although that city mace
a hard fight for the conVentlon. -, ~
was figured by the fire fighters that the
St Louis Fair would be in full blast at
thaf time next year and that not so
much work as usual could De done
Cbattanooga was selected as the meet
ing place.
chief Harris was with President
| Croker quite a good deal while the
| convention was in session. Inc SCUM
! arn fire fighter says that he received
! inside information from some OIL tne
big political bugs who never tatk VIII [
| nlit knowing, that New YORK $ Wen
Known fire fighter win be reinstated as
! chief next month.
One of the things that caught Chiel
! Harris eye at Atlantic City, was the
! large number of pretty women who
! lolled on the beach in natty bathing
! suits that had never been in the water.
He had never been to the great resort
in the summer time and the display
of bathing suits outside the water line
somewhat dazzled him.
That Chief Harris is still deeply in
terested in Savannah is shown by his
own utterances. For ten years I have
not missed reading q single copy of the
Morning News. get it ut Tampa every
night" he said.