Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-14
FIREMEN SCOPE
CONTRACT AWARD
Declare Council Should Not
Authorize Purchase of
''a Lot of Junk"


Delegates of the Harrisburg Fire
mems Union last night passed resolu-
tions urging citizens to investigate
Councils action in authorizing City
Commissioner e. q. Gross to purchase
motorized fire apparatus which was
characterized as lot of junk"
Commissioner Gross was asked to
come to the meeting which he did
Many questions were asked, resulting
in a declaration by the Commissioner
in favor of an investigation. He told
the union delegates ne had examined
all bids and proposals, and invited
them to come to the department office
at any time to look at the specifica-
tions.
Fire Chief John C. Kinder, although
not at the meeting, said this morning:
can send it back and not pay for it.
believe we are getting more than was
originally planed for
Want More Powerful Pumps
The union delegates said they had
no objections to the front drive trac-
tors for the steam fire engines, nor to
the triple com bination bumpers, ex-
cept that it was originally planned to
have pumps with a capacity of 600 gal
Ions a minute. To overcome this, Com
missioner Gross said the centrifugal
pump Is superior to the piston pumps.
Another attack was leveled at the
two service trucks which were recon-
mendede to Council and approved.
The firemen claim they should have
automatic arertn rtr nf ahtme htmem
automatic aerial trucks.
Adopt Resolutions
The resolutions adopted by the
Union will be presented to Council.
They are:
Whereas, we, the Firemen's Union
of Harrisburg, learn with deep regret
of the action of the city commission
to-day in the selection of fire apparatus
for the excellent volunteer fire depart
ment of Harrisburg.
And, whereas, when the loan for
$500 was voted for by the citizens
of Harrisburg, it was supposed by
every citizen that we were to have
the department motorized with first
clas sapparatus. Shortly after the
loan was passed, we heard that q
company, builders of first class ap-
paratus. offered to the city, sixteen
pieces of apparatus. including two (2)
acme automatic trucks. three (3) trac-
tors, two CD triple combination pump
ers, with 900 gallon per minute capac-
ity and nine (9) wagons of the type of
the Hope and Washington companies,
for a little less than 100000. BY the
tOHJIdCI uSCIu0u upon IO-udy, we get
but thirteen pieces. including two CD
trucks, ground extension; two CD
triple combination bumpers with $50
gallon capacity and six (6) wagons
with REQ chassis and equipped by
James Boyd company. of Philadel-
phia. who are not builders. only as
semblers. of apparatus.
Therefore. be it resolved that the
Firemen's Union of Harrisburg de-
plore the proposed purchase by the
city of a lot of junk as first class fire
apparatus in connection with very
few pieces of good material.
And, further, be 1t resolved that
we urge upo nall our citizens and es-
pecially our taxpayers to investigate
this subject and find out for them
selves about the unfit fire equip
ment, it is proposed to foist upon our
people after good money ($60,000)
has been provided for the best fire ap-
vote of the taxpayers of the city"
vp ptpk (pK mdffaacj .$OO(tO)
H. o. Holstein. of the Citizen COM
pany; III. d. Hilton and Charles F.
Spicer. Washington company; Samuel
Wilson, Allison. and Elmer Whitmore,
Mt. Pleasant, were named as a COM
mittee to confer and present a resolu-
tion to the Park Extension Commis-
sion asking for $4,000 for the city
for the fire enginehouses of the Mt.
Vernon and Citizen companies, taken
over by the State as they are in the
park extension, zone.
Criticize Condition of Streets
The firemen also criticised the con-
dition of paved streets in the city, and
the alleged practice of motormen of
the Harrisburg Railways Company and
drivers of automobiles in not having
lights on the cars dimmed when fire
apparatus is approaching.
Commissioner Gross was in Phila-
delphia to-day comforting with fire un-
derwriters to take UP the question of
re- rating Harrisburg as a result of
Councils approval of the motorization
plan.