Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-08
ARTHUR LET'S GIVES
PRAISE AND GOLD TO
VOLUNTEER FIREMEN
Broadway Stores Brigade, Which Did
Valiant Service, Is Remem-
bered by Pro-
pretor

AS PROOF OF MS appreciation VI
the excellent work done by the Broad
way department stores fire brigade in
saving the store from the flames that
demolished the Sherman Clark build
ing on Fourth street recently, Arthur
Let's, proprietor of the Broadway. yes
terday publicly thanked the members
of the volunteer brigade and presented
each with a gold piece. To the chief,
e. w Lewis, he gave a beautiful sill
yer loving cup.
The presentation was made just after
the store closed at 6 o'clock last even
ing. After thanking the men, Mr..
Let's said:
Had it not been for your supreme
efforts 1 firmly believe the Broadway
department store would today have
been in ruins. How much of the en-
tire block would have been standing
is also a question.
st understand you had eight lines
Of hose playing on the fire before the
Los Angeles fire department arrived,
and from my personal observation 1
have nothing but words of the highest
praise for you. believe every man did
his duty that day, and didn't need any
urging, either.
"a few words of why this store was
closed SO long. No doubt it seemed
strange to you, but the methods of in
surance companies are beyond under
standing. The loss committee sent
down two men; one reached here
Thursday morning-the other on Satur-
| day, and then the trouble started.
| Both claimed supreme authority to adj
Just this loss, and deadlock followed.
| There is no telling how long this corr
| dition would have existed had I not
dispatched an exceedingly strong tele-
gram to San Francisco, and that city,
| in her kindness and sympathy. sent
| down a 'Gunn'-the chairman of the
| loss committee. The presence of this
| gentleman made it possible to open
UP definite negotiations toward set
/ Element, and fifteen minutes after an
offer had been made me the loss was
settled, although not nearly up to the
estimate turned in by the department
| managers. / am very well aware that
| [ could have held out for much great
err loss, but believe Mr.. Koempel was
honest in his estimate, so l accepted
his figures. This conflict regarding au-
thority has caused me inesttmable loss
in business. and keeping so many of my
employees out of work was of deep con-
| Germ to me.
II want to show my appreciation or
your efforts in fighting the fire. Many
| of YOU [ noticed stood in water nearly
| to the knees for several hours. one
man I have particular words of praise
for. Mr.. Philip placed him at station,
telling him to keep the sewer clear OF
| all debris so the water could get away.
Someone told him to go to another sta
ton. This man, in his forceful irish
way said he would be damned if he
would move from there until the man
who placed him there told him to leave.
Bows, this is the kind of man an en-
ployer wants-they are scarce-a man
who will do as he is told and stay by
| it. Mr.. Lord, step up here-l am glad
to shake your hand, for you certainly
are o. K. Thank God! Ireland sends
men like you over here-we need you.
Boys, in again thanking you for
yonr services allow me to hand each
and every one of you gold piece as
! a token of my appreciation.
at also want to state that If any of
YOU had clothes and shoes damaged by
! the water on that day. If you VIII kind
| ly make the damage known, same VIII
| he made up to you from the furnish
! ing and shoe departments of the store.
"Mr. Lewis, to you, the chief of the
broadway department store fire bril-
gade, 1 cannot find words to express
my high appreciation for the services
rendered by you"
Mr.. Lewis responded, saying that he
was not deserving of the high honors
showered upon him, but that they be-
| longed to Mr.. Let's.
The fire brigade consists of 1874 men
and boys, seventy-eight of whom are
divided into twelve companies ana
ffty-six into eight brigades. The com
panies are the fire fighters and the
brlgades stand guard at the doors and
/ otherwise assist in case of fire.
An alarm box is on each floor. 1t
required only forty seconds to assem-
BILE the brigade at any stated floor.
The officers of the brigade are: Ar
thur Let's, honorary chief e. w. Lew
is. chief; Clarence Woodward, assist
ant chief; Fred Vaughan, secretary.