The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-12
ColonelD Demming Gives
Out Details Of the
Complaint Made By
the Union
TROUBLE AT THE
SHEARER BLAZE
Declared Copper Refused to Let
Fire Company's Foreman Go Into
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Made Fire
man Yield Place on Engine

That patrolmen many times during
the last year have unwarrantedly inter.
fered with the work of the volunteer
firemen while en- duty at fires and on
at least one occasion a bluecoat brush,
ed fire laddie r ON speeding engine
and took the fireman. s place on the ap.
paratus in the rush to fire, are among
the charges made by the Harrisburg
Firemen's Union in the protest it has
prepared to file with Mayor Royal and
Fire Chief john G. Kinder. Colonel
II. c. Demming, president of the union,
to-day gave out the details of the
charges which committee of the union
has been delegated to lay before the
Mayor and the Fire Chief.
Mayor Royal las not yet been Off
cially informed of the union g action,
but nevertheless said to-day that he
has inquired into the report that some
of his patrolmen had assumed author
ity at fires which the firemen construed
TO be interference. The Mayor stated
that he felt confident that the differ
ence said to be existing between the
patrolmen and fremen can be adjusted
at once and without difficulty.
Colonel Demming takes the stand
that the alleged police interference ac-
tually endangers property when there
is fire, and says that the fremen want
it clearly defined where the firemen s
and policemen's authority ends during
the fighting of blaze.
Clash at shearer Fire
Many of the preventative firemen
who constitute the Firemen's Union
have complained to their colleagues re,
garding the so-called police interfer.
enee. The latest instance. one of the
members said, was at a recent fire in
the Shearer building on Market street
In that ease, Colonel Demming said
the assistant foreman of one company
complained that =. "copper"" had brush.
ed him aside and refused to permit him
to enter the burning building, saying:
There are enough men up there
now. They don't need you"
This whole matter resolves itself
into a question of whether the fremen
or the police are Jne more competent to
light fires" said a prominent smoke
eater, and whether a patrolman, stand.
ing on the outside of burning build
ing, is capable of determining what
number of fremen is required success
fully to combat a blaze.h
When Mayor Royal was asked about
the controversy he said that the com
mittee from the Firemen's Ul on had
not yet called on him. He said, however,
he has inquired fully into the Shearer
fire complaint and is satisfied that the
patrolman, who denied the assistant
foreman admittance to the building,
was justified in his action because
"more men than were needed already
were at the seat of the fre.''
The Mayors Attitude
The Mayor went on to say that he
does not look for much difficulty in ad-
Justing the difference between the fire.
men and the patrolmen, and he will
give the hremen' IS complaint full con.
sideration. He added, however:
IF the city of Harrisburg wants the
firemen to have full control of fires and
does not desire police protection We
meaning the police force-will gladly
stay away. Then it will be up to the
hremen to stretch the ropes and handle
the curious spectators. -