Norwich bulletin., 1909-09-11

QuGtn Vi HOAtDldtEs
The mayor as a fitting close to his
administration and in expression OF
his good will towards his fellow MEM
bers of the court of common council
has again asked them to accept OF his
hospitality on "Wednesday evening OF
next week. and this time he has ex-
tended the invitation TO the board Oh
school visitors and a few of his per-
sonal friends. The mayor is lavish
entertainer and king of hosts
II is not often that a fire engine
house is destroyed by fire, except in
general confagration, but almost any
thing is liable to happen in New Lon
don. The Ockford hose house. an old
wooden structure located near the
railroad and with roof about even
with the track was burned one night
this week. the blaze being started by
burning sparks from a passing loco
motive. The fire had gained consider
able Roadway before it was discover
ed, as this particular house is not oc-
cupied by firemen all night. as Is the
case with some of the other fire COM
panfes; so there is no more surprise
at the OcSford fire house burning than
there would be of any other old frame
building similarly located. II was
about time for the old shack to be va
Gated for the purpose for which II had
DeRn .uSeQ Since GOlANtIltu q
dwelling house.
For the past five years effort has
been made by the aldermen from the
Fifth ward to get an appropriation for
new fire house, but without success.
Now, with the changed conditions, a
new house Is among the very near
probabilities. The fire happened at
an opportune time, when the finance
committee is engaged in making up
the annual budget Of appropriations.
A sum sufficient forI new fire house
for the Ockford company will certain
ly be included in the budget. The
present location is one of the poorest
that could have been selected, and
therefore II Is fair to suppose that a
new site will be selected. presumably
in the vicinity of Montauk or Ocean
avenues, where there is great need OF
more adequate fire protection.
There is no mourning over the loss
of the old Oclford hose house. which
was inconvenient and unsanitary Tor
the members and not credit to pro-
gressive city like New London. In a
certain sense thattwas a lucky spark
that landed on the roof Of the Ockford
house.
There is internal dissension in the
| fire police organization, the property
is to be sold and the proceeds divided
among the members. II published re-
ports are correct. and they probably
| are, as the head Of the fire police DID
not deny the statement made as to the
| trouble and proposed sale. II Is per-
| haps well that this is so. for 1t Is
known that for several years. at inter-
walls there has been factionalism that
| was prejudicial to efficient service.
| This probably all came from the fact
that the majority of members knew
very little of fire duty and were lack
| ing in police qualifications.
| included in the membership were
| some VINO did not even know the
| prominent working members OF the
| fire department, men who nave been
active in fire duty for twenty or TWEEN
| ty-five years and even more. In con
| sequence when one of these over-offi-
| cious fire police hrppened to be on
| duty there was trouble between the
| fire workers and those who were sup
| posted to protect the goods taken from
i burning buildings and to prevent out
| siders from interfering with the, WORK
| of the firemen.
/ When the fire police organization
| was first formed in New London the
/ membership was made ND wholly OF
men who were veterans of the fire de-
| partment but who were inclined "a
| retire from active service. To be a
| member of the fire police was consid-
| cred sort Of honorary position Tor
self-retired fireman, and the otheI
members of the department looked up
on them as firemen of honor and as
| tinction.
| Gradually this condition changed and
the fire police have been composed o.
| some very good men, but many OF
| them were far removed from fremen
| and were therefore not classed as IRE
| men by the members OF the depart
ment generally. and the usual fratern-
al spirit that existed between the f1rt
company members was not EXTENDED &C
the fire police. Should the present or
ganization go out of bpsiness. II Is
probable that under reorganization tho
original conditions will return.
The new movement on the part Of
prominent church members tor the
moral welfare Of the city, who have
been formulating plans in secret SEES.
sion is taken by some to mean tna'
the work done and being done by th'
committee of fifteen Is not satisfying
TO some of its most earnest support
ers The committee has certainly done
effective work in the cleansing OF the
i vile dens that existed in Bradley stree
and vicinity, and had many OF th'
LIQUOR dealers GUESSING when the IL
cense time was at hand. or late TIM
committee has not shown much sign
/ of life and perhaps this apparent in
activity has caused this latest move
ment for the alleged betterment OF TN
morals of the city under church IN
huences
II is said that one of the principa
features of the new movement is Y
make determined fight against the Il
cense saloon at the coming election
and that gum shoe tactics have beer
in progress for some time in that al
rection.
The LIQUOR dealers have not beel
idle. and are prepared to put up
stiff fight against being put out o
business and lose all that has beef
invested. 1t is the abuse of the bust
ness as we'll as abuse on the use o
liauor that has caused this crusad
that will soon show its strength. Ther
are men in the business who conduc
the same in strict compliance Wit
Law. and even stricter than the Law
directs but the unlawful actions o
others causes annual trouble to tn
legitimate liquor dealers.
The new one hundred thousand
dollar schoolhouse in the Fifth war;
has been formally dedicated to educa
tional purposes, and II is said TO o.
the best equipped public school build
ing in the state. and the equal OF an
in all New England. New Londol
. has now a collection of modern schoo
houses. all built of brick massive Il
, proportion and beautiful in architec
ture, but these edifices of themselve
are not all the requirements OF edu
, cation. The chief essential is a bod
ill nl oh