Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-16
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visitors to Harrisburg are often
much interested in the city's volunteer
hre department, which some declare
is survival of the old, old days. but
which just the same manages to keep
down Harrisburg's fire loss below what
it is every year in some larger cities,
which boast of fire departments. This
city has practically the same kind of !.
organization as Reading, York and
Allentown and in those places it is
the general expression that everyone
peionss TO a fire company. In Har-
risburg the membership of fire com
pan1es is far greater than MANY know
Men prominent in business and pro
fessional circles are members of the
companies and If they turned out their
full strength it would surprise many
people TO note the membership. This
is where the old days come in be-
cause back in 1913, more than a cen
tury ago, the borough council of Har-
risburg enacted an ordinance that
everyone had to join a fire company.
This was because the town had SUI
fered some disastrous fires and as it
was largely built of wood there were
fears that unless people organized
there would be still worse Every
householder and practically every man
had his fire bucket, samples of which
may be seen in the Dauphin County
Historical Society collection. The
terms Of the ordinance which made
every man a volunteer fireman are
curious. This is the way the ordinance
reads
"Be it ordained by the town
council of the borough of Harris
burg and it is hereby ordained by
authority of the same, that it
shall he tho df1fU Of
holder residing within the limits
of the borough, either as owner
tenant or occupier, forthwith to
join and become a member of the
fire company to which his district
belongs, and for neglect or re-
fusal thereof, he shall forfeit and
pay one dollar each month so ne
elected or refused"
The ordinance was enforced, too
| and there were many men who be-
| came members of the Union or Friend
ship companies.
The interest being taken in the con-
tests in the license courts this month
| recalls the battles of twenty-five years
| ago when the citizens of different
wards used to wage campaigns to re-
duce the licenses. The late H. Murray
| Graydon was for many years the
leader in the remonstrance work and
more than once forced the closing of
doors. The number of licensed places
has been slowly diminishing in the
city and some of those put out of
business score or more years ago
have never been able to get licenses
again.
The compensation claim case to be
heard here next week has attracted
much attention throughout the State
where men keep track of such mat
ters: 1t raises for the first time the
liability of an employer for work done
after hours 1t appears that Noah
Maulfair, the victim of the accident,
was making a delivery of some but
ter after hours. Now whether 1t was
being done as an accommodation or
in the course Cf daily employment is
what will be threshed out The case
A large party of Rotarians and their
wives will attend the eastern dis
trict conclave of the organization at
Baltimore February %. The Balti-
more club sent Ed. A. Seidewitz, a
we'll known florist and nurseryman of
that town, to Harrisburg this week
to give the Harrisburg club special
invitation. Mr.. Seidewttz told the Ro-
tarians here that Baltimore is pre-
pared to outdo itself in honor of the
visitors and that distinguished men
will be present from all over the East.
The club discussions will occupy the
whole day, but a special program has
ben prepared for the ladies who at
tend and there will be a banquet for
everybody in the evening.
Oscar E. Thomson, of Phoenixville,
former State senator, was among visi-
/ tors to the State Capitol yesterday.
Mr.. Thomson is a prominent engineer
and has supervised work on num-
, ber of State bridges.