Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-09-26
FIRE FORCE is
WAITING RAISE
FROM CITIZENS
settlement Between Men and City
Heads Ponds Call 10 Cham
Der OF Commerce
1HpTKE's OFFER REFUSED
Closing Of Stations and Insurance
Boost Observation-Disclosures
Is in Doubt

whether or not Rock Island fire.
,en remain at their posts perma-
-antlv depends entirely on the re-
snlts Of contemplated meeting TO
- held between a committee OF
Srsmen. representatives Of the To-
ri Chamber Of Commerce and the
) cify commissioners 10 be held as
soon as it can be arranged.
| A committee Of firemen and the
| r;fy commissioner recOuvened yes
| -erday afternoon after a session in
| M morning had been broken up by
| 1 call 70 a blaze which the tremen
1 rushed out 70 combat
| Henry Herman, president of the
/ s-emen's union. headed the depart
| -ent committee. which was com
| ,osed Of five members who are;
| Walter KoiIs. August Schmidt, Ar
| hur Liedtbe and Edward Brande-
! meyer.
Y In an effort to settle the wage
Dispute. Commissioner John II.
hTjedtke offered the men a perma-
rent SO q month increase with the
| abolition of the war bonus, and to
| allow the men every fourth day
of. To make this possible it would
be necessary to close station No. .,
| Mr.. Liedtke stated.
The committee stated that the
| fremen would reject this offer for
the reason that they had resumed
| their Jobs temporarily on condition,
| according to Commissioner Liedtke
| Ct a meeting at the central station
| Sunday. that the men were 10 be
/ allowed the SIS increase, and that
1 the commissioner would take the
| matter UP with the other commits
| sioners relative 10 the circulation OF
a popular subscription in an eff
/ fort TO obtain sufficient funds
whereby the firemen could be given
! an additional s. q month above the
| offer made by Mr.. Liedtke.
Mayor William McCOnOchie at
once stated that this matter might
as well be dropped as the city heads
refuse to pass the hat. Commits
s:oner Liedtke then offered to al
| low the men the $50 increase with
every sixth day off with the clos
ing Of station No. ;. keeping the re
naming four stations open as long
as possible, but closing an addi-
uonaI station if found necessary.
The men did not favor the pro
vision Of allowing every sixth day
! off, and contended that they should
have every fourth day off. They
. 4
| and night and should be allowed
every fourth day of TO spend al
home with their families. They
were also against the closing of sta.
ton No. ) and stated that if it was
found necessary TO close an add
/ tional station the situation would
be made that much worse.
Hint InjunCtiOnS.
/ Committeeman KOIls stated that
he did not desire to lead the com
missioners to believe that the fire
men are biufHng. but the fact re-
mains that they had been informed
that injunction proceedings will be
Brought against the city by resi-
J dents in case station No. 5 is aban-
/ doned. This committeeman also
stated that the fremen have heard
rumors TO the effect that the gov
ernment viii take action TO reopen
station No. I, closed in July, as this
station is in the near vicinity where
government houses are 70 be built
Statement was also made that clos
| ing Of more stations Will boost fire
| Insurance rates.
Mayor NcC0nochic at once said
mat the fremen on one side and
me insurance companies on the 9th
e. cannot blur the commissioners
ana that regarding the fremen. the
Guy VIII name who is to work. and
IN case It is found that but one sta
Ion can be kept open without fear
Or favor, and that he for one would
cancel his fire insurance in case
me companies boosted the rates.
The commissioners contend that
WIN three stations open and sup
| pied with motorized equipment the
city would have the same protec-
non that II formerly had with more
Stations when trucks were drawn
by horses and that for this reason
insurance rates should not be
| raised
| Inc fremen conceded a point and
sad they would take the matter of
obtaining funds by popular sub
scription up with the local Cham
DER OF Commerce if the commission
eFs would meet with members of
that body.
Inc commissioner stated that
taey would agree TO this, and that
IN case $4,000 could be raised all
stations now open viii be kept in
operation.
Inc fremen state that this action
Is tAe only alternative as they will
10y work for less than the amount
asked for. They say that the people
Z 'oted down the tax issue at the
election held June %, and that if
lley want fire force they should
lay Tor il by popular subscriptions
" 90 without an efficient force.
. P E N / N G.