Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-23
THE FIREMEN,s SIDE
70 the Editor of the Telegraph:

- ''S tttbFHFhs
Dear Sir: Since you have opened
your columns to discussion OF the
dl1erences between the council of
the borough of Camp Hill and the
lamp Hill Fire Company, L take
tnls opportunity of answering the
letter which appeared in your issue
OF saturday, July 20.
This letter lis from a member of
she camp Hill council, who does not
nave the courage to sign his name to
It, and who tells a number of half
truths about the fire company mat
ter This councilman is known to
the writer, and is the same MEM
Del OF council who made the motion
at the councils last meeting that
the nre company be given $25 and
Ied the councilmen in voting against
his own motion.
did not ask the Camp Hill coun-
Gil for a S25 donation to helm de-
Tray the expenses of the band con-
cert recently given. In asking for a
contribution 1 stated to the council
that the fire company was endeavor-
ing TO prove to the people of Camp
Hill that the company was worthy
|. OF support and that it knew how
TO properly conduct its affairs. Il
referred TO the fact that we had but
recently given Camp Hill the very
pest entertainment the borough had
ever had, when we had the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Glee Club give us a
concert; also that our idea in bring
ing the Municipal Band to the bor-
ough was not only to arouse interest
IN the company, but to provide the
citizens with an excellent evenings
entertainment as well. 1 also told
them that we had put the company
on business basis and had ap-
pointed a custodian for the firehouse
and its contents at a salary OF SIS
year, and suggested that the coun-
Gil might pay this officers salary. 1.
most certainly did not ask for con-
tribution to help to defray the ex-
penses of the band concert, as the
expenses for that affairs already
been provided for before 1 appeared
before the council. Although the
council claims that no provision was
made in the annual budget for help
ing the fire company, they have since
voted to spend money for various
purposes that were not provided for
in the budget. and this l am pre-
pared to prove at any time. / am
also prepared to prove that money
which was provided in the budget
for the fire company was not used
for that purpose. l also am pre-
pared to prove that money which
really belonged to the fire company
was withheld by the Camp Hill coun-
Gil for many months before 1t was
finally paid to the firefighters.
Any resident of Camp Hill with
sense of humor would indeed en-
joy himself immensely were he to
attend meeting of the Camp Hill
council on the second Thursday eve
ming of each month. 1t would in
deed interest and amuse him to see
how various committees fail to take
action on important matters that are
referred to them, and notice the
lack of interest and understanding
by various councilmen in the proper
functioning of the borough's affairs.
This is no reflection on individuals
in the council, but simply the truth
about the councilmanic body as a
whole.
1t is quite true that the Camp |
Hill council pay the fire company
$50 per year rent for the privilege |
of holding council meetings in the i
firehouse, but they get their moneys .
worth, for they do not pay as much I
for the privilege as do other organi-
cations
The fire company wants this mat
ter settled solely on its merits. If
we are entitled to help from the 5or-
ough council, we want it. If we ere
not entitled to such help, we do not
want a cent. Whether or not the
councilmen like the writer's methods
or manners has nothing to do with
the merits of the case. When 1 went
before the council 1 told them lot
of unpleasant facts that did not sit
comfortably. They may not like to
hear the truth, but I am sure that
the taxpayers who provide them
with money and the voters who
placed them In their positions, are
at least entitled to a knowledge of
how their Representatives act, and
also knowledge of how their money
is spent. That the matter NAV be
thoroughly thrashed out before the
citizens of our borough, I challenge
the Camp Hill council to produce a
defender of their policies, and I will
debate him at any time and place
satisfactory to the council. NV
charges against the council will eth.
er be disproved. and 1 will be com
PEELED to withdraw them. or the
council will be convicted before thel
citizens of the borough of not spend
ing time and intelligent thought on
the borough's problems and how to