Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-10
COUNCIL MARKS Time
AS FIRE PROTECTION
HANGS IN BALANCE
With Some Companies Ready 10
Quit No Haste IS Maoe 10
Reach an Understanding.
FREE" SERVICE COSTS
CITY O5,000 A YEAK

A conference between City Council and
the presidents Of the - city hre com
pan,s=s will probably be the next step IN
the Fire Department negotiations about
the contracts for FIRE service next year
Definite action on the contracts Will not
he taken until the companies hold Their
uonthly meeting IN August, when they
will ins,ruc, their officers how TO act with
pgard 20 the contracts.
The prpballity OF any company ex-
cent Friendship disbanding at the end OF
the current fircmen's year is considered
small by members of the companies ana
of City Council. One veteran OF the volnn-
,rcr department, who was unwilling 70 DC
quoted by name because he has no
official authority to speak tor any com
pany, prophcsicd that ten companies
would sign. Members of several Oh u,e
other companies, including Water Witch,
Wcccacoc and Reliance, Indicated that the
companics had no intention of leaving the
service.
George II. Taylor, president OF Della
wHrr Company, said that the company is
Eirungl, IN favor of n paid department,
hut has no intention OF deserting the city
l~torc one is c,tabl,she d. Delaware has
no complaint 20 make Of its treatment by
the city, he declared. and, although the
stand taken by the company before the
Legislature several years ago, in favor oi
paid department, is still maintained, the
company will remain on duty until 1t is
relieved
President George r. Lyon, of City
Council said this morning that so Tar As
he knew every body was marking tune.
The suggestion that presidents OF the com
panios have a conference with City Coum-
al may hc taken up, and MIR. Lyon SAID
that the presidents may appear before
Council in committee Of the whole next
Wednesday night No formal invitation he .
been sent to them, however. and the prob
ability is that the conference will not
AXE place until some more definite effort is
made 60 arrange II.
FIREMAN QUESTIONS FIGURES.
One of the volunteer firemen objected
his morning to the figures of Whining
tons fire loss sent to the Chamber oil
Commerce by the National Association OF
Underwriters. and gwen out for publica-
ton by the Chamber of Commerce COM
mIttee. If Nilmington's FIRE loss were as
much as half the 81 $50, 600 stated in those
heures. he declared that he would leave
town Immediately, as he would be afraid &c
20 to bed at night.
Asa matter Of fact. he continued. figures
IN the hands of the state commissioner oi
insurance show that the fire loss last veal
throughout the State, including marine
and automobile losses, was only Sass, 900
lie cri,icizes the methods of some advo'
Gates Of a paid department, saying thai
even those who agreed with them about
the deslrsbillty of paid department be
lievcd that they were mot dealing Will
facts"
The total amount involved in the con
tracts and other city expenditures fof th'
volunteer fire department during tn
coming year, beginning September j, i
<l05, ,6i0, an increase OF $4,000 over las
wear. The increase is in the amount palC
10 the companies, each receiving $500 mor'
than last wear. Last wear 5 total OF 500,
60 was made up as follows Weccacot
and Phpnix. $500 each; the other ten
companies, $500 each; salary of chief
81 200; each OF the two assistants, 5000
allowance To chief and assistants for up
keep uf automobiles. $500 each: telephone
service for chief and assistants, 1929
About $500 was spent for repairs to auto
mobiles injured IN accidents. An add
tional 81, 500 was granted To PhGnix com
pany for special services during the IN
tiuenza epidemic.
The contention Of the advocates OF q
paid fire department, that fire insurance
rates in the city would be lowered If the
volunteer system were replaced by paic
COMPANY, was maintained today by Court
land T. pierSon, who rs in the Insurance.
business. Mr.. Pierson said that the Ma,
tional Underwriters, in making out the
schedule of insurance rates for each city
make a greater charge for city which ha:
a volunteer fire department than for one
which has a department of paid profes
sional fire-hghters. If Wilmington es
tablished a paid department, he said
this charge undoubtedly would be de
Quoted from the insurance rates here.