Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-16
NATIONS CALL TO WAR
HAMPERS FIRE BUREAU
Draft Bids Fair to Cripple City
Department by Taking
More Men ,

Philadelphias Fire Bureau, already
crippled through losing some of its best
men for military and naval service, bids
fair to suffer heaviest through draft or
men for the regular army. Unlike the
Police Bureau, the firemen have no sub
stitute list. nor is there available at this
time any large number of Civil Service
eligibles who could be called into service.
The Fire Bureau, including officers and
men, numbers nearly 1000, and includes
fifty-nine engines companies, sixteen truck
companies and five chemical companies
f1fty-nine engine companies, sixteen truck
Every available man is needed to properly
handle apparatus and draft of one or two
men from each company would create
handicap that would be hard for the remain
ing men to overcome.
Some months ago the Civil Service Com
mission announced an eligible list for hose
men and laddermen, with more than ZOO
names A part of this list has been usedto
I'LL vacancies, already existing, and others
have been placed on the force to replace
men who have entered the ation's service.
The list is still further reduced by reason
OF the fact that many men who were Will
ing three months ago to become hremen
have. in the meantime, secured more lucra-
tive positions with private concerns No
exact estimate Of the men willing TO NIL
vacancies can be ascertained until the list
is gone over and each eligible is offered
place.
During the last few weeks many hremen
have been advanced to leutenancies or
captainces to fill vacancies caused by res
ignations or leave of absence granted men
to Join commands. This has greatly re-
duced the number Of members of the force
eligible for quick promotion.
Recent losses to the fire bureau include
some of it's ablest officers. including the two
men counted upon to command the work
of fighting fires in the central section OF
the city Battalion Chief George w. Mood
ie, of the Second District, with headquar-
ters at Sixth and Locust streets, has quit
the service for the period of the war and
is with the Naval Coast Reserve forces
at Cape May, while Captain George Martin,
of Company No. 49, has retired to become
chief of the Bethlehem Steel Company 8
fire force.
Battalion Chief Jacob Wobert of the
Fifth Battalion with headquarters at New
Market and Poplar streets. ia filling in for
Chief Noodle, leaving his important post
to Captain Lincoln Bunting, of Engine Com
pany No. 2l This company, in turn, is in
charge of a lesser officer. The New Market
and Poplar streets station is but little less
| important than the one in the central dis
| trict as 1t takes in the Kensington mill dis
| trict New captains are at work in many
sections, while in other stations men have
been advanced recently to the position OF
| lieutenant.
Eligible lists for policemen are longer,
| and a new list will soon be available, so
| that Director Wilson. of the Department OF
| Public Safetyl has but little fear of not
| keeping the police force up to regulation
size no matter how heavy the draft shall
| fall upon its members.
| Already hundreds of municipal employees
from many different bureaus and depart,
ments have entered the national service. and
| in some instances their places have beer
| filled by women substitutes, who will serve
| during the period of the war Under wal
ordinance, all who quit the city service OF
are drafted will get their positions back al
the close Of hostilties and will in the mean
time draw from the city the difference be
tween their city salaries and the amount
| the Government pays them while away