Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-26
.g')PPERS
.LCEIVED SPECIAL
FIRE PROTECTION
w System in Newark Stores,
Under Direction of Chief
Moore, Efficient.

Considerable curiosity was expressed
by shoppers and others during the
week before Christmas by the sight
of a fireman in full uniform moving
silently about the big establishments,
paying little heed to the surging
throngs. but evidently bent upon per
forming some important mission.
Wherever the shoppers CHANGED to
visit on their purchasing tours,
whether in the largest emporiums or
the less pretentious places of bust
ness, there would be a fireman-not
always the same fireman, of course,
hut in every case the demeanor was
the same.
A blue-clad figure moving from
point to point, saying nothing, but
watching intently. Now and then the
fireman would visit the office of the
establishment land converse with
someone in authority. There would
be quiet nodding of heads THANK
you from the man in charge. and 1T
will be attended to without delay.
Glad you came around. We'd never
have thought of it,
Some may have been led to believe
that the firemen were doing their
shopping early" in conformity with
the familiar business proverb or
commandment, and doubtless envied
the wives and families of the firemen
on their good fortune in receiving
lots of Christmas presents and get
ting them In good season besides.
Special Duty.
1T was nothing like that at all The
firemen were on special duty. follow
Ing out plan of Chief Engineer Paul
]. Moore, for the better protection of
choppers and the prevention OF fires
in the great stores, packed as they
We're with all sorts of articles and
crowded with men, women and chill
dren, a constant, snrging mass or
flow of humanity.
The period of this special fire patrol
began on the morning of Friday, De-
cember 10. and ended at midnight on
Wednesday,. December "a. AS an in
noVation 1t was a success and the
head of the Fire Department is being
commended by his superiors and bust
ness people for his forethought and
the manner in which the idea was
carried to execution
+ The instructions to commandments
Of companies stated that Especial
measures are necessary to safeguard
and protect Christmas shoppers
against possible danger.
q From Friday. December 10, until
Wednesday, December "a, you will
observe the following order: Detail
one man for fire patrol duty from
2 a. m until | p. m. each day. This
man shall make a continuous tour of
Inspection of all stores, especially de-
Dartment stores or other places of
business where crowds are likely to
congregate. His lin this instance)
inspection district will be from Hahne
y Company's store to Broad and
Market streets.
Details from Nine Companies.
Details were made from the nine
hook and ladder companies, fire en-
CINE companies and chemical COM
Papy No. /.
che territory took in the section
mentioned above from the corner of
Broad and Market streets to the
Court House. along Springfield ave.
nue. to Jones street and congested
districts within the described bound
aries. So that at no time during
The business hours of the day would |
there be an absence of protection, the |
hremen were assigned in relays The |
men who went on duty at 8 o'clock |
IN the morning would remain at given |
posts of duty until l o'clock in the |
afternoon, when they would be re-
lieved by squad that would take up |
the work until 6 o'clock, when an
other relief would come on and re-
main until the stores had closed down |
for the day.
While there is no means of deter
mining the results of this work by
comparison with other years, this |
being the first time the plan was put
IN operation, 1t is plain that much |
good was accomplished. Each man
was given thorough course of in
struction by Chief Moore before be-
Ing assigned to the special patrol |
Care was taken to see that there
would be no congestion of merchandise
cases in the vicinity of stairways
or elevators, that only persons were |
per United in the aisles, and that all
pass egeways We're kept as free and |
as cl ear from membranes as pos
sible. No unnecessary littering of
floors was permitted.
That the presence of the flremen |
had a re assuring effect on the shop |
pers is vtuehed for by the managers |
of the stores. The uniformed men |
were always on hand to restore quiet |
and order in the event of incipient |
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