Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-26
FIRE BOARD HITS
A. D. 7. CHARGES
Gives Reasons for Cutting Off
Service of Private Alarm
System.
COMMISSIONERS AROUSED
BY HINTS OF POLITICS.
Declare They Are Working in
Interest of Efficiency and
the Taxpayers.

There was action a-plenty at the
meeting of the Board of Fire Com
missioners held in the assembly
rooms of the Board of Works in the
City Hall late yesterday afternoon.
There was a large gathering of bust
ness men who subscribe to the A. ID.
L. fire-alarm system, who were in
vited by the fire commissioners to
hear reasons why the commissioners
had ordered the eompany's instru-
ments removed from the Central fire
signal station in the City Hall.
Legal representatives of the A. d.
T. had been granted hearing by the
commissioners on Wednesday of last
week, when about two hours time
were consumed in presenting the
companys side of the controversy.
Yesterdays session was the COM
missioners' "dry In court" as Com
missioner Stratton termed it, the A.
ID. I. people having had theirs.
The meeting started smoothly. be-
came decidedly turbulent and con-
eluded in a better natured way, with
many of the business men joining
with the commissioners in person
ally conducted inspection of the mu-
The meeting was interrupted sew
eral times by persons in the audi
ence clapping and yelling when one
of their number presumably scored
point on the commissioners.
Although the meeting was a very
spirited one vet the commissioners
remained cool until there were ip
situations cast that politics was be-
hind their actions i'll disconnecting
the A. ID. II. lines This was too
much for the board Commissioner
Burke arose from his seat and stated
that politics had nothing to do with
the boards action.
II would have you understand that
there Is no politics and no underhand
work as you intimate in this matter,
declared Mr.. urke. You are re-
peatlng exactly what these A. d. 7.
people are recltlessly saying and GER
tain newspapers are publishing. You
had better explain yourself. Our
statement is clear enough for anyone
and the records are also clear"
II haven't seen any newspapers
I've been away from Newark re-
piled Mr.. Sayre, but its spite work"
Mr.. Sayre then resumed his seat.
Commissioner Stratton was spokes-
man for the board. In plain language
he explained why the commissioners
took this action and stated that the
beard is there TO help and not to
hamper the fire protection system of
local factories
ALLOW me to state that we have
the finest fire alarm system in the
country and we invite you to inspect
it." said Mr.. Stratton. Newark is
indeed well protected. Numerous fire
call boxes are scattered about the
city and we fully believe that we
have made ample provisions to meet
all emergencies"
l.. j. Sayre again denounced the
board In harsh terms. and when
reporter of the Evening Star asked
Inn his name he refused IL and told
the reporter to descend to warmer
regions.
Secretary Charles S. Smith of the
Fire Board, read various letters and
statements representing the reasons
for the attitude of the commissioners.
Superintendent Adam Bosch, in re-
Spouse to a request for information,
proceeded to read from records, show
ing that in many cases the A. ID. T.
alarm had been received from one to
three minutes later than the alarm
over the regular system.
Frequent cries of sit down" greet
ed him. In a spirited manner Mr..
Bosch declared that in all his OK
perience he had never been so dis
courteously treated by a body of
gentlemen.