Evening journal., 1918-02-25
FAVORS PAID CITY
FIRE Department
Joseph Bancroft Would Have
Volunteers Given Square
Deal
COMMISSION TO
FIX VALUES


Joseph Bancroft. vice-president Of the
Joseph Bancroft and sons Company n
statement made to James d. Stein.
secretary Of the Manufacturers Asso-
citation relative 20 the installation of "a
paid fire department in this ciiy, said
fun appreciaiio nof the sentiment felt
by many residents for the volunteer
Gre companies must be taken eito con
sideration In any scheme which CON
templates a change Mr.. Bancroft says
provision should be made for COM
pensaNng The present companies for
ihcir property for giving preference to
members Of the present companies who
may wish TO become members Of a paid
department and for establishing a ilre
marshal and a salvage corps In con
neciion with the work OF The insurance
companies
SIN Bancroft said.
.In me first place, YOU must realize
that the volunteer fire department is an
old and long established institution IN n
very conservative community and q
community In which sentiment counts a
great deal; and that In making a change.
which is radical, YOU must take into
consideration The personal feelings and
The sentiment. Wilmington is different
from the western towns aud is limited
in many ways by sentiment and con
servstism ] am repeating this state
ment as IL is important and is at the
bottom Of all the opposition, which there
has been in the past to the change, not
only IN the fire department but in other
lines, and in consequence people>who do
not know the community are very prone
TO Judge that such opposition comes
from either inertia or Indifference.
"Secondly-by and large-the mem
bership of the present fire department
arc a fine class of men; intensely loyal
10 the city. the State, and 10 their own
organizations. Many of them realize
hat the city has outgrown the volun-
teer FIRE department, and would, l be
lieve, be glad 70 see a change; but their
great interest has been In the fire com
psnies and the fire houses have been
and are like social clubs; and the mem
bers are bound together with social ties
and community Of interest which goes
beyond simply the fighting of fires. The
fire companies have ln the years past,
accumulated considerable property, and
the appropriations which the city has
made TO the departments has gone al
most entirely towards the maintenance
and the up keep of the department. The
FIRE houses, the apparatus and equip
inont. has al been paid for by the mem
hers Of the fire company either directly
out of their own pockets or through con
iributions and subscriptions raised by
their efforts from their friends and Tho
community, which contributions have
been given 20 the FIRE company direct
and in which they, therefore, Justly fee
that thew have an absolute ownership
Thirdly One of the principal obiec
lions which the iremep have made Il
putting them on the paid basis is, tina
there has been great deal of, in my
opinion, foolish talk of The city arbi
frarily taking over the fire companies
houses and apparatus without compen
sating the compauics and my feeling Ii
that it is only fair that any property
which these companies own should b'
paid for on an absolutely fair, equitable
crolnd and that what is done will
This money aftcrward is only the bust
ness Of the fire companies. None of tn,
members in the past, with the excep
ton of the drivers, etc, have ever re-
ceived any compensation for their work
and II the members of the company de
eide that they wish to take this money
and divide il up among themselves, that
is their business. PROFESSIONALLY there
is considerable apparatus and equipment
which under a paid department woulC
be eliminated. and that the city In start
ing new fire department could do go at
cost less than It could purchase am,
take over the present equipment, bu
etill It Is a condition which exists an,
must be met, and the community viii b
simply paying for its past mistake
The proper way TO yet AZ the value
would be through a commission. ol
which both Interested parties were rep
resented with an almost entirely neutra
and disinterested membership, -say
commission of five men, lone represent
ing the fire companies, one representing
the city, and the other three men fror
outside Of the community entirely, VIII
arc expert appraisers, or some good aI
praisal company, such as the American
the National, OF the Manufacturers, (
make an independent appraisal and tn
property be taken over at its fair valul
"Fourth-In the organization of pal
department, preference should be give
to members of the present fire depart
ment, that is, those iremen who wis
20 come in to a paid Ere department
and who desire to make this their pei
manent life work, should be taken; a
these men know the city, the preser
facilities, and under proper training an
discipline, unouestionably would d.
velop into efficient firemen; and the .fsl
that such men were TO be given prefe
ence in the organization of the new d.
partment would do away with any fee
ing OF jealousy. which would otherwii
be developed and would tend to creai
in the new department the esprit {
corps which is a very strong factor
the present department, although Vi
fortunately it is not always direct'
along lines which are TO the best i
terts Of the community, in my belief
"Fifth-It will be comparative
simple matter to show by data, viii
can be obtained from the insurance COZ
panies, that the saving to the communi
in the reduction of insurance rates W
more than pay for the taking over
the present FIRE department on a ia
valuation; and that in the end, althoul
II may be necessary to issue bonds
pay for the present equipment and
purchase new equipment, the actual sa
ing to the community viii be warrant
and justified
s1Sixth-In ESTABLISHING a paid fire d
partment another matter must not
overlooked. that is, the creation of
fire marshal. with authority to elm
nate dangers. FIRE risks and hazards
and with sufficient force of inspectors
enable him to carry on this work effec