The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-25
ALL FIRE STATIONS
 ID BE RETAINED, BUT MEN WILL BE CUT OFF
Plan Decided on at Confer ference Held Yesterday Morning-To Drop
 56 Men

All the present fire stations in the great CT city are to be retained, but with reduced force of 56 men and one inspector. This was decided yesterday at the con ference held by President George B. Ward. s. M. Middleton. chief of the fire depart ment. and representatives from the sew eral suburbs of the city. The third plan of retrenchment submitted by Chief Mid dletaon proved acceptable with an amend ment that a slight redistribution of the remaining firemen should be made. allow ing those stations cut down to two men an additional man, to be taken from one of the stations having more men.
 Chief Middleton stated that he was glad that plan of reduction of the fire depart ment had been practically agreed upon, but that his hardest task yet remained | that of deciding the men to be dropped. He stated many of the men had families and under the present business conditions jobs were hard to get. He expressed re- gret at losing his trained men, but in com pliance with the budget proposed the cut had to be made.
 The men dropped will be given notice 
 the 18th to give them chance to find employment
 Pratt City Objects
 Objections to the proposed cuts came from many of the delegates present but after the matter was discussed and it was suggested that the minimum number be three men at any station, the entire delegation with the exception of the rep resentatives from Pratt City stated the lf.Ia fal,l nd Ward announced that he would recom- mend the third plan as amended to the other commissioners for adoption at the next regular meeting. | Mir. Barnard made strenuous objections to cutting down the Pratt City firemen to three. He stated that by reason of location the other suburbs could draw on each other for quick assistance in the event of a serious fire, but that Pratt | City was isolated, and would burn up be- fore assistance could come from the near , est station, which was Ensey, two miles away. Mir Ward stated it was necessary to make start at some point In the reduction of the force of the fire depart ment. and that as the plan under consid- eration seemed to be the most acceptable | of any offered 1t would be put In oper- atioE and then any equallties would be adjusted if possible. He stated that the city had no alternative but to make the
  | Several members of the committee in | accepting the plans as the best that | could be done under the circumstances pledged for their respective commun- l tiles their cooperation with the city commissioners in weathering the crisis and would assist in solving the prob lem by the organization of volunteer | fire companies. Those attending the conference were President George B. Ward. Chief Mid dleton, Secretary Albertson. c. D. Com stock, Pratt City; w. H. Barnard. Pratt City; D. E. McLendon East Lake John F. Ellis, East Birmingham; A. H. Saw yer, Wylam; W. A. Lester, Graymont; A. L. Williams Fairview; c. A. Ivey, Talrview; R. l.. Rutledge, Fairveiw; D. w. Fowler, Fairviews G. c. Ellis. Avon dale; William Spencer. East Birmlng ham; F. P. Inscho West End.
 Middleton's Third Plan ! The following is the plan submitted by Chief Middleton before it was amended:
 Memorable George B. Ward, President l Board of mmissioners: | Dear Sfr-Please find herewith pro- | posed plan No. 3 for reducing the op- erating expenses of the fire depart raent $4500 per month by cutting off the following men at the various sta tions:
 "Station No. 1 reduced from 10 to 15 city hall.
 "Station No. 2 reduced from 17 to 13 Avenue D and Nineteenth street.
 Station No. reduced from to 6: Five Points.
 "Station No 4 reduced from II to 9 Second alley and Twenty-fourth street. Station No reduced from to :; Marshall avenue and Nineteenth street, north.
 "Station No. reduced from 15 to II; Third ave and Fifteenth street. Station No ' reduced from ' to D ; Avenue H and Eleventh street.
 Station No. reduced from to 2; East Birmingham.
 station No. reduced from ' to 5; Nc rwood.
 station No 10 reduced from to ?; 1 Avondale. station No. II reduced from to 5 : Fountain Heights.
 station No. 12 reduced from to 5 ; l Woodlawn.
 "Station No. 13 reduced from to 5; North Birmingham
 "station No. IA reduced from to ?; Graymont.
 Station No. 15 reduced from to 4 i; West End
 station No. 1e reduced from to 5; Ehsley.
 "Station No. IT reduced from to 2 i Vivian.
 "Station No. IS reduced from ' to ?, Pratt City.
 "Station No. 1s reduced from to ?; East Lake.
 T Station No. 20 reduced from to ?: I Fairview
 Total reduction in the fire fighting force. 5s men and one fire inspector. T This will leave all the stations in old Birmingham poorly manned.
 This will leave only two men at the following stations. East Birmingham. Avondale. Graymont Vivian, Pratt