The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-12
LIVELY DISCUSSION MARKS HEARING ON PROPOSAL TO
 ADOPT TWO-PLATOON PLAN.
Many Appear Both Sides Before Ordinance Commit Manufacturers Association Is Opposed To It. Rev. Mr. Beard In Favor.

Representatives of the Manufactur- CTS association and the Chamber of Commerce as well as other business men and manufacturers appeared be- fore the common council committee on ordinances last night at a public hearing in the council chamber to op- pose the proposed two platoon system for the Bridgeport fire department.
 President James G. Ludlun, pres ident of the Manufacturers association spoke at length and presented data in opposition to the plan. Others who spoke against it were: George B. Crawford for the Chamber of Conn merce, A. w. Burritt and B. c. Wheeler, formerly president of the fire board.
 For the ordinances, President John A. Leonard of the fire commissio on, Fire Chief Daniel Johnson, Fire Com missioner John H. Cassidy, Rev. Ger aid H. Boards, pastor of the Park Street Congregational church and All dernan O. c. Cole spoke.
 The hearing was marked by live .1y exchange of words between the members of the ordinance comm1Lree and those who appeared to talk for or against the measure. The first came when President Leonard, who appear ed in favor of the plan, told the com inaittee that 1t had been decided on onIy after several months of careful thought and study to better working conditions for the men of the de- partment and he thought a decent, humane plan had been evolved.
 Alderman Whitney, chairman of the committee, then asked if President Leonard knew what the average mum Der of runs each company made. He said he had been told that some com panfes made only two runs in a year.
 s@That sounds like a story from the family story paper,'' was President .Leonard's comment Then he produc- ed report on the number of runs made by each company. The smallest num- Der was 31 made by No. steamer company, located in Newfield ave- nue. A Tn reply to questions of Alderman R N. Blakeslee, President Leonard read a list of 20 cities in the United States that have adopted the two pla-, .toon system. Among them are Col orado Springs and Los Angeles Fire men are added to the department every month in the latter city, he said.
 Speaking for the Pastors Assoc1a- lion committee on morals, Rev. Gerald H. Beard said it is not good for men to be confined within the fopr walls of a fire house for 24 hoHrs at times He said it tended to lower the standard of the home
 Alderman Cole said the system is needed here and told of a recent ire at which a $10, 900 piece Of apparatus appeared manned only by two men the other members of the company being at dinner when the alarm came
 President LudIum of the Manufac- f11rers' association said that body IS rot opposed to adding more men to the department, but the association Is opposed to adding 48 men to the de- nartment and installing the two pIa- toon5 system. He said he 5appeared fo protest on their behalf. He made the following report:
 .eThe question of a double platoon system for the fire department came an at the December meeting of the executive committee of the Manufac- turers' association and the president was directed to name a comm1tlee 10 look into the matter
 t~Fhe committee met with the fire commissioners and the chief. and re- ported to the January meeting of the executive board, with the result that was directed. as president, to appear at this hearing and protest in the name of the Manufacturers assoc1a- ton.
 f.'At the outset I want to say that the manufacturers of this city always have been and are willing to meet their share of taxation for matters which are for the general good of, the city, but on account of the very heavy increase in the expenses of the city,
 
 unnecessary or unadvisabIe expense. s
 "At the present time the force con sists of 148 men.
 Deduct for chiefs. signal men, superintendents, ma chinists, assistants, carpen- ters, nasons, blacksmiths, etc, 21
 .sFighting force. 127
 Less four days off each month for 127 men C5os di- vided by 39), II
 ..Fire lighting for ee. not in cluding chiefs, for 15 hours per day, 110
 Less 1-s off for eals. s hours per day, 37
 edinimum fighting force. ~ not including. chiefs, 75 men.
 Gin these figures we have not made any allowance for sickness or acci- dents as such allowance would be the same under either system.)
 The men are distributed as fol- lows: