Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-03-09
f|REAEH SEE need
Of PAID PARTNEhF
Representatives of Delaware
and Reliance Cos. Tell
of Scarcity of Men
ROTARIANS GIVE
COST OF NEW system
Stan Correspondent.

Stan Correspondent.
DOVER. Del, March 9.-Repre-
eentatives Of the Rotary Club. of VIII
mlngton. and OF several Of the voiun-
teer fire companies made an urgent
appeal before an open meeting of the
House committee on municipal cor
pOrations in the House chamber yes
terday afternoon for passage Of Rep
rosentative Connelly's paid Fire De-
partment bill for Wilmington Tho
committee will probably report the
bin TO the House favorably today.
Joshua Kelly, a member OF the Re
lance Fire Company. said his COM
pany believes Wilmington needs a.
paid Fire Department because the
present system is no system at all.
"When we answer an alarm Of fire
II Is like a bowling mob.' he said
He explained that an alarm draws an
immense throng. If eight companies
respond TO an alarm all must 90 into
service. because one will not allow
the others TO beat It il this can be
prevented. He told how the iiremen
often go ahead and do much more
than Is necessary in fighting a fire.
III Lut AANU HiANNINn "a AhA NNReA ="
ment he did not believe more than
90 OF them are regular active fire.
men. Now he said IL is difficult for
his company TO get men to go to night
fires. Formerly they were paid $50
year to sleep in the engine house,
but this had to be discontinued, and
many OF the men will not turn out at
night He spoke OF the fractional
fight in the department which he
SAID may he q serious matter for the
city some time. Even in daytime II
is hard to get some of the members
20 respond zone night. not long
ago" tho speaker said, IAN engine
stood at a plug idle for half an hour
because there was nobody there TO
man n"
Saws Not Enough Men.
Thurston NJ. Lowe. member OF
the Delaware Truck Company. point
ed out the necessity for having COM
petent men especially for their APP
paratus. At times it is impossible
70 take a machine out Immediately
on receiving an alarm. because there
are not enough men to handle the ma
chine. "And," he added. there
s. the life saving feature Of the de-
partment.
Council has objected to the change
on the ground that II does not have
che money. but the delay is danger
GUS" Mr.. Lowe added.
In reply 20 Representative Down
ward, Mr.. Lowe said a paid depart
ment can be run for $4,000 TO $780,
600 a year
Walter ]. Hartlove. also aAmember
81 the Delaware Company, said much
OF the apparatus IN Wilmington Is
improperly manned, endangering
dives. He knew Of Instances where
nremen did not go to fires because OF
losing time from work Many of the
old members have lost interest and il
IS hard to get young men TO do the
work.
Gives Credit 70 Volunteers.
Leon Walker Of the Rotary Club
said this club has decided that Will
mngton needs a paid fire department
The club does not attack the volun-
teer firemen, but gives them full
credit. However, he said. the system
IS wrong. The rules and regulations
are left to the companies, while the
departnent officers have only nomi-
nal authority. The club did no. think
men should be asked TO give their SER
vice without pay. Systematic inspec-
tion OF buildings " the FIRE authori-
ties should be made Wilmington has
outgrown the system. The election
Of officers for short terms. and lack
OF a system are detrimental to the eff
dciency OF the department.
He stated that Wilmington pays
$4,000 a year for fire service. Inquiry
made OF cities in Wilmington's class
shows the superiority of a paid de-
partment He told how the under
writer's have made periodical surveys
and have pointed out the conditions
hut the remedy has not been applied
He thought an improvement in the
Bystem would affect fire insurance &C.
cordingly. II Wilmington don't heed
The warning II viii undoubtedly be
Severely penalized. Last year the FIRE
losses in Wilmington aggregated