Norwich bulletin., 1913-12-20

Now that motor driven fire appar ratus is on the increase in New Lon don and the old idea of racing to fires characteristic of the volunteer de- partment still prevails, the matter of regulating the speed of the modern vehicles is entitled to consideration, before there is some fatality by reason of the reckless or unnecessary tasF driving of the fast going machines With the possible exception of the run to Ocean Beach, the city area is so small that. to reach any point Of the city in the event of fire, there would not be a minutes difference in time of arrival if the autos went at a speed of thirty five miles an hour instead of fifty or more, and the danger would be minimiZed. Already one company, having the highest powered machine, has decided not to respond to q fire alarm at a greater speed than thirty five miles an hour, and then only in sparsey populated sections. The speed for the busineSs section during the day and, evening is fixed at twenty five miles an hour. Under no con- dition is this particular machine to enter into a race run to a fire, al though it is the fastest and best in the city. This matter has been called to the attention of the fire committee it is expected that an ordinance will be adopted for the regulation of the speed of fire apparatus.
 In Providence # is violation of law for fire apparatus on the way to a fire to travel at a faster pace than twenty five miles an hour, and on the return from fire the regulation speed limit of twenty miles an hour must be observed With the exception of the permit allowing fire apparatus to eX- ceed the regular limit in going to fires. all other traffic rules are appli cable 10 the fire department Thirty- five miles an hour may not be too fast for fire apparatus in New London, but the danger line is near that limit, es- pecially between the hours of six in the morning until midnight, when public traffic predominates.
 Lawrence R. Shea building early Sunday morning which kept the fire men busy for five hours. It was one of those stubborn cellar fires almost duplicate of that which occurred in the Cronin building several weeks ago. MT. Pomerantz has been very unfort- unate in the matter of fires he having lost by three fires since he occupied. store in the Shea building, and the store of a brother was visited twice by fire, once in State street and again in Green street. These five fires oc-
 
 and therfore the PomerantZ brothers have had more than share of hard luck in the fire line.
 At this Sunday morning fire it was plainly demonstrated again that a volunteer is preferable to 8 paid fire department in New London, for with a paid department there would not be fremen enough to cope success fully with the fire. There were four teen streams of water being poured into the store cellar and there was need for every one of them. The holding of these streams and the shifting of hose here and there re- quired a large force of working fire men and reliefs were necessary for the men at the pipes, as no set of pipemen could do the work for five hours continuously, although a large working force responded to the alarm it became necessary to send in a gen eral alarm two hours later in order to get out a working relief corps and they came out promptly, all volunteers, not call men fully or partially paid, but men ever ready to respond to a call for fire duty for the good name of the company with which they are enrolled and for the general efficiency of the fire department. The result shows the great work accomplished by the volunteer fire department. This fire was discovered during the first morning hour and at a time when volunteer firemen are supposed to far removed from fire duty: but, as matter of fact fire apparatus was at the fire and firemen were at work within two minutes after the first round of the alarm was sounded. New London does not need a paid fire department; not yet.
 There was an object lesson at that