Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-17
SAY CRITICISM IS
UNFAIR AND UNJUST
Volunteer Firemen Insist Under
writer's Report Does Not JUS
tify Statements Made.

We court fair criticism of this depart
ment, and are making honest efforts To
improve the service, and as long as the
people are satisfied with the department,
we intend to give the best we possibly
can, through the best equipment money
can purchase and through the earnest and
faithful efforts of the members Of the
various companies. But we resent criti-
cisn that is unfair and not justified by
any of the circumstances in connection
with the fires, nor even by the report
Of the fire underwriters.
This was the gist of the objections
raised by the fremen last night, as voiced
by James Kane, a member of the execu-
tive board of the Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, at meeting of the board at Fame
fire house. There was a full attendance
of the members Of the board, with the
exception of one company. unavoidably
absent.
The firemen feel very keenly the eriti-
cisms which have grown out of the NJeprt
OF the underwriters, and claim that -
construction placed on that report by
newspapers and by members of Council
IS not warranted.
One thing they did take exception
tn in the underwriters report was the
statement in regard to the sprinkling
system. 1t was intimated in the report
OF the underwriters that the sprlnkling
system in the Crosby & Hill store saved
the block from total destruction.
The hremen point out that the wind
was blowing from the south and toward
the upper end of the block, carrying the
fire towards Grants store, in which
there was no sprinkling system.
The report stated that the construction
10 I,xtf fu,,it.,
that when the joist4 burned and fell, they
pulled out holes in the wall between
the kresgc building and the Crosby &
Hill store admitting the smoke. The
firemen claim there was no fire IN the
latter store except that Immediately
put out by the Fame company. The
sprnkling system went off, rs they do
at very slight heat, and no one knew how
to stop il.
1t is charged by the frenen that while
much OF the criticism following the
issuance of the underwriters report is
uniustihed, still there is a vein of criticism
through the report that IS unfair to the
FIRE companies. 0ne of the members Of
the underwriters board hunted up Chief
Hyndman. II ~ claimed, ON the morning
of the FIRE. and complimented the work
Of the department in keeping 1T In the
krcsge building.
1t IL claimed by the fremen that the
construction Of the kresge building was
such in the basement, in the way Of
partitions Of store-roons, that the FIRE
men couldn't get IN and had to break
down partitions to get to the fire.
We arc cOurting fair criticistn of the
department, said MIR Kane. We want
TO improve it, and as long as the people
are satisfied with the volunteer system
we intend to give the best service we
possibly can. When the people desire
to assume the expense incident to the
creation of a paid fire department, the
members Of the present department will
do everything IN their power to help
establish and maintain it. But until
that time comes We consider as most
unfair TO have abuse heaped upon US
when undescrved
'"In our opinion as experienced firemen
the two fires on Market street.-the News
building and the kresge building
not under any circumstances nave been
any better handled In neither case did
the fire leave the building In which II
originated and in both eases il was many
minutes al least before the alarms were
sounded. judging by the appearance of
the res when the first men arrived IN the
case OF the hFeSEE IRE II Was burning iGnE
enough to cause the glass in the door
10 fall out before the alarm was turned
in by patrolman whose attention. was
attracted by the falling glass The
underwriters report states that the
watchman was seen coming out of the
basement FIVE minutes after the alarm
sounded We therefore submit that
when the frerncn did arrive 1t was not
humanity possible for men to enter that
basement. And yet they cut their way
through the walls in the basement on the
Shipley street side 10 get at the FIRE
raging all this time
The criticism OF the Friendship
company apparatus Is unfair The boiler
Of the steam ire apparatus was damaged
ST previous fire and had been shipped
to Cincinnati for repair. Ii had been there
for weeks while the company had waited
anxously for its return That was the
reason II was not in service at the krcsge
FIRE The Friendship combination wagon
vas IN collision with the Delaware truck
at the kTcsge FIRE, an unavoidable acei-
dent. II was necessary to send that
apparatus to the shop for repair Il Is
now about finished and will be III service
in few days. But in the meantime
Friendship company secured motor
driven truck for the purpose Of giving
the public their best service III getting
their men to the fire
pITpIIC HEATH EIfNYn CYIY