Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-04-08
FORMER THEATRE
DETAIL FIREMAN
MAKES APPEAL
Crippled in Arm and Leg, Is IN
able to Do Active Fire
Duty.

It seems to have required very little
time to demonstrate to the new nre
commissioners that they had BLUM
dered in some instances in their re-
cent shifts of men In the theatre
detail just as the Evening Star
pointed out last Saturday. that the
error of Judgment, or premeditateo
act, would confront them sooner OF
later.
The Evening Star told of the physi-
cal disability of some of the fire.
men removed from the detail, show
ed by records and facts that they
had not been assigned to theatre
work for political reasons or any
form OF favoritism whatsoever, and
that while capable of handling the
theatre detail duty, they could not
do, in justice to themselves or the
service in the work of extinguishing
fires.
1t was shown, by way Of compari-
son, that most Of the men taken from
active service are assigned to the
theatre detail are thoroughly able TO
perform the harder task OF fire-
man. One OF the newly transferred
men was driver of q three-horse hitch
In ''Hill' company when given the
easier berth.
Now comes Walter Steiwaid, with a
crippled arm, received by being
thrown from a ladder at the Art
Metal Company fire, and crippled
leg. He could do the theatre detail
trick, but cannot perform the ardu-
Gus duty. Yesterday Steiwald asked
the fire commissioners to look into
his case. His condition Is such that
he cannot come down the sliding pole
In the company house, nor can he
.1iV ,. foa IA
a rubber boot on one of his feet, SO
badly Is 1t shrivelled. It is not much
better in appearance than a stump
and is as useless as stump Of leg
would be.
Steiwald was before the commits
sioners just prior to being taken
from the theatre detail 1t is a
matter of retirement on a pension
or lighter work. The commission
ers, It Is said, ordered Department
Surgeon Hugh M. Hart to make an
examination of Steiwald.
1t Is said by persons in the vicinity
of No. Engine house that the COM
missioners have assigned Anthony
c. Helfrich, of that company, to thea
tire work. The transfer OF Helfrich
Is said to be matter of favoritism,
Mayor Raymond. according to COM
missioner, having made q personal
request that this assignment be
given him.
Helfrich is q big, husky-iookins
fellow, who has been on the sick iist
from time to time, but who goes
about while on sick leave like one
who never had physical affliction.
He came to Newark from Allentown,
Pa, during a horseshoers' strike in
this city and obtained job at his
n4A /, a vv1a ffaf
of the Salvage Corps, and a few years
ago Joined the local fire department.
During period when he was sup
posed to be on the sick list he en-
tered a competition for the position
of blacksmith in the department. He
failed d.smally, the examining officer,
who is a professor in Stevens Insti-
tute of Technology, Hoboken, decid-
ing at the outset that he could not
be considered a blacksmith in any
sense.
With one or two other cases that,
judging from the physical condition
of men, must necessarily come to the
attention of the commissioners, the
latter will be confronted by one of
two propositions-retire the men OF
return them to detail work.
To retire them means nothing more
or less than an unnecessary attack
on the pension fund. 1t is thought
that the commissioners will have no
consideration for the pension fund,
or the future interests of the pros
pective beneficiaries of the fund;
meaning every fireman old or young.
The men they desire transferred
from the theatre detail are out, and
those who are desired on are on.
1t is declared, however, that some
OF the newly transferred men have
no liking for the theatre detail