Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-30
FIRE COMPANY VS.. COUNCIL

I
Several days ago you published
communication entitled The Fire
mems Side" signed by Robert L. Ca
hill, president of the Camp Hill Fire
Company. l read ii with interest for
the reason that il was an attempted
reply 10 former communication OF
my own, signed Truth" which ap-
peared in your paper.
After reading and considering Mr..
Cahill'S communication, l measured il
with the foot-rule and found that it
covered sixteen inches of space. /
will not ask for like space. out de-
sire TO comment upon several fea-
lures of said article.
l avow myself the author of the
brief communication signed Truth"
which impelled MIR. Cahill to con-
sumo sixteen inches of space in at
! tempting TO refute. l am held up to
name thereto. I did not sign my
name mainly because my communi-
cation was called forth by a previous
article in the Telegraph in the guise
Of news item from the local Corre-
spondent in Camp Hill, but which. l
was reliably informed, was written
by Mr.. CahlIl himself, who is not the
regular correspondent of the paper.
This item was unsigned. l naturally
thought l had an equal right to pre-
serve my anonymity. Besides, news
papers contain fully as many COM
munications unsigned by the authors
as signed. The identity of the writer
is OF no public concern.
! am also denounced for having
made in Council the motion for. an
to the Camp Hill Fire Company
and Immediately thereafter voting
against my own motion.
Mr.. Cahil was present at the Coun-
ell meeting. took notes OF it's pro-
ceedings, and certainly should know
the facts. The minutes of Council
and the members of that body will
eorroborate me when 1 declare that
l was not the maker of the motion
referred to. Councilman BiXler has
this honor. After the motion was
made there was a long pause. 1t
ond it. The mover asked me to sec
ond the motion. which 1 did. stating
| in the full hearing of everybody that
did so in order that the matter
I II is true that l led the vote against
! the resolution. In the rollcan which
| followed my name led the list
Am l wiltully misrepresented? 1
thanks of the president of the fire
company for seconding the motion
/ rqeferred to, which would otherwise
not have been seconded and conse-
quently would never have reached a
The president of the fire company
| states that they had appointed a
: custodian of the irehouse at an an
4 .
J and suggests that this amount asked
| of Council might have been used to
| pay the salary.
i am in a position to inform Mr.
| Cahill that the custodian referred to,
! a most excellent gentleman. has de-
! clined the position, and therefore this
I money could not have been used to
pay the salary. 1t may be that Mr..
! tion.
The president OF the company
| points with pride to the concerts of
| the giee club and the municipal band
| provided for the citizens OF Camp
/ Hill. These entertainments were eX-
| cellent and l heartily approve of
them; As a private p5n.s s.l citizen. l was
ments. however, are not properly the
| function of fire company. We de-
mand of II fire protection and not
tions. and not borough funds, should
| be employed for this purpose. Mem
| bers of Council may be likened to
trustees. so far as expenditure of
/ not fairly subject to criticism when
! they attempt TO safeguard the bor-
! ough treasury. unless il can be
shown that they acted from improper
In my original communication
which aroused the ire of the. presi-
dent of the fire company. I stated in
reply 10 the charge that the fire COM
port from the Camp Hill Council
that the chemical engine. the chem
icals and hose were purchased by the
borough. which also provides for all
repairs. and pays an annual rental OF
fifty dollars for the privilege of hold.
ing Council meetings in the frehouse
I have heard no denial of this state.
] ment.
Mr.. Cahill states that he is "pre.
pared to prove mat money which was
provided ir the budget for the fire
company was not used for that pur-
pose. 1 beg to remind my aggres-
siv9 friend that he is derelict in the
=dties of good citizenship, il. know.
ing the perpetrator of a public crime
motion for the arrest and conviction
of the offender.
Again he states that "he is pre-
pared TO, prove that money whict
was withheld by the Camp Hill Coun-
Gil for many months before ii was
finally paid the fire fighters"
might repeat the same comment as
manic wrongdoing. 1t is possible
that the borough. at the time, was
without funds and unable to pay
5Pr9bmnpdslya 5PIbnIpd In this event; it might bt
honest. Camp Hill is chronicaiiy
These charges made by the presi-
dent OF the fire company are serious
ones, and involve the borough off.
cials, and / here challenge him. II he
is good citizen. and in possession oi
the evidence, to prosecute the offend
. ers. He declares that he has the evil
dence. therefore let him at once pro-
! ceed.
Mr.. Cahill ridicules the Council as
| body. because of its ineffciency
This is common complaint against
councilmen. . question whether the
administration of borough affairs. ir
part at least. by a council. is as eff
cient Is that by the commission form
the cities of the land. / submit thai
Mr.. Cahill expects too much of these
poor, inefficient councilmen. He ex-
poets borough affairs to be conducted
In the brisk, aggressive and thorough