Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-06
STRONG PROTEST
AGAINST REMOVAL
OF FIRE ENGINE
Paxton Company and Down
town Residents Up in Arms
Against Action of Gross

Downtown residents and members
of the Paxton Fire Company, one of
the oldest in Harrisburg, are up in
arms over the proposal of Commits
sioner E. q. Gross to take the Paxton
engine away from the. company and
place it on Allison Hill.
1t is understood that the Commits
sioner has in mind the abolition of. the
Paxton company although that has
not been definitely announced to the
company. At all events the taking of
the engine would leave the company
with only a hose wagon. Petitions
are in circulation which will be pre-
sented to Council protesting against
leaving this part of the city unpro-
tected. The petitions have been signed
by all the property owners along Cam
eron and Second streets in the part of
town affected and by scores of others.
Commissioner Gross made the fol-
lowing statement about the proposed
change:
THE transfer of the Paxton engine
will be done with a view to economy
in the department. If, however, the
citizens by voicing their opinions in
petitions show that they think my
Judgment is not to the best advantage,
and they want the engine retained,
y.
S'Recently l conferred with the fire
underwriters and was given to under
stand that the big Allison Hill district
must have more protection than will
be afforded when the new triple
pumper is put in service at the Mt.
Pleasant.
"At present, with the Mt. Pleasant
steam engine out of service, there are
only three chemical wagons in that
a. irn 6fCfY. af Ty,1A Do.
gine is sent there-and it is the only
available extra piece-there will be
two chemical wagons, a triple-pump-
er and chemical hose wagon, and one
service truck for that section, which
is approximately one-third of the ter
ritory of the city.
"a careful study of the situation
has convinced me that the Paxton
engine is no longer needed in South
Second street. The small district
which it is situated in, is within four
blocks of the center of the city. For
protection there will be the Citizen
and Friendship engines and chemicals,
both at the Friendship house in South
Third street, and the Washington
chemical at Second and Chestnut
streets. All of these will be able to
answer any call in the small South
Harrisburg district west of the PENN
sylvania railroad, within a very few
minutes and on the other side of the
railroad the Susquehanna company
will be available, too.
Needs Another Engine
while a number of persons will
probably sign petitions to have the
engine retained, L fel sure that this
is done largely because of sentimental
feelings, and not with a full under
standing of the needs of the entire
city.
I'm the South Harrisburg district
practically all available territory has
been developed. On the hill we are
confronted with the needs of rapidly
developing residential sections and in
creasing manufacturing fire hazards.
Lumber yards, factories, coal pockets
and several other smaller industries
have been started there. Houses are
being built to the extreme city line.
To reach these and give proper fire
protection another engine is needed, L
believe.
Confident of Decrease
"In order to have the 16-cent in
crease in the city fire insurance rates
cut down, every part of the city must
be adequately covered. i am conf
dent the transfer of the Paxton COM
pany will be approved by the under
writer's when we have rerating for
the city."
Commissioners Gross went on to say
that he had no objections if the Pax
ton organization was kept up by the
members. Other transfers will in
clude placing the Citizen apparatus at
the Friendship, and the Mt. Vernon
ladder truck at the Hope. These are
necessitated by the abandoning of the
houses of those companies, as they
are in the Capitol Park Extension
zone.