Evening journal., 1910-04-11
"CREEN STREAK"
ON SPEED DASH
Mile-a-Minute Gait in Re-
spending to Monkey
Run" Midnight
Alarm

That the Reliance Fire Company's
green streak' automobile engine could
get TO box 6S at Fourth and Scott streets,
before the Weccacoe Company could get
its apparatus there was proved on satur-
day night II was the boast of some Of the
Reliance men that their auto apparatus
could beat the Weccacoe to Fourth and
Scott, although the Reliance house is at
Fourth and Lombard and the Weccacoe
house at Second and jackson streets
When an alarm was sounded from box
63 about midnight Saturday night the Re
lance flyer was ION the job" As no fire
was discovered after the apparatus ar
rived some persons are OF the opinion that
it was a monkey rum" caused by some
one just 10 demonstrate what the Reliance
apparatus could do.
1t required just little more than two
minutes for the auto engine TO 90 from
Fourth and Lombard to Fourth and
Scott Just as the aarm was sounding its
last tap the Reliance auto passed Monroe
street at a rate of more than fifty miles
an hour. II overlook the Weccacoe Com
pany's apparatus before Harrison street
was reached Members Of the Reliance
Company also claim they beat the Union
Company to Fourth and Scott, but the
Union members deny this and say they
We're at Fifth and DUPONT when the Re-
lance arrived.
Many persons who observed the das.. Of
the Reliance apparatus expressed the opin-
ion that the automobile speed law should
be enforced should such speed be tried
again on the streets, as it endangers pc
destrians, and there is no telling what
would happen should the apparatus burst
tire while running at high speed
Fire Chief Robert c. Porter Is investi-
eating and is trying to find out who struck
box g. The key in the box was broken
off TO make the tracing of its ownership
more difficult.
The Reliance engine has not been ac-
cepted by that company but is still the
property Of the Webb Motor Company.
Reliance company's Statement.
Hugh Duffy, treasurer Of the Reliance
Company. in behalf of the company,
to-day said;
None Of the members of the Reliance
Fire Company had any knowledge that
the alarm would be sounded from 6;
box, and that to bear out this state
ment it is sufficient to say that over
half of the firemen who responded tc
the alarm on Saturday night were ir
their beds in the engine house when
the alarm struck.
"It is not the intention or desire oi
the Reliance Company to break any
of the rules and regulations of the de.
partment, and our responding TO that
alarm was for the purpose of demon.
strating the practibility and advant.
ages of the automobile fire engine ovel
the horse drawn apparatus. which wa.
shown conclusively. Our district was
! still covered by our engine and hose
/ carriage and sufficient men were left
in charge to put them into service.
Gan the adverse. criticism about ths
run on Saturday night is simply a con.
tinuation of the knocking that tn,
company has received ever since they
have taken up the proposition of Civ
! ing the Wilmington Fire Department
the advantages, at their expense, of tn,
apparatus that is recognized as be
ing most up-to-date. OF course thii
was 0ApcSteu ny Oul coliipdHy Whei
we took up the proposition, as al
progress in any line is bound to bI
criticised by the ones that would lil0
to make the change themselves bu
are afraid to take the initiative in tn
matter. This criticism, however, viii
not stop the Reliance Company from
giving the citizens OF Wilmington tn
best fire service possible. for whicl
they pay and have the right to eXpec
! from all companies"