Evening journal., 1920-09-01
CITY WOULD
SEIZE FIRE
APPARATUS
IF NEEDED

Continued From First Page,)
sign contracts unless made on their
own terms.
follows:
Loyal. Quit
Reliance, Fame.
Delaware, Phoenix.
Brandywine. washington.
Water Witch, Liberty.
Union, WeccacOe.
independence. Friendship.
The Friendship company retired at
midnight after i&5 years OF service
having given the city ample notice of
US Intentions and also first option on
It's fire fighting apparatus.
False Alarm Affords "Show Down"
A false alarm, apparently from box
No 3, at the corner of Tenth and
Orange. streets, shortly before Q
O'Clock this morning, afforded a pub
lie ocular demonstration OF the loyalty
or The six companies still in service,
and conversely, the refusal Of the five
companies that quit TO further pro-
tect public life and property.
Within a twinkling after the alarm
had sounded the six loyal companies
were al the corner with their appara-
tus ready for business. Moreover,
they were fully manned. some ching
which caused intense gratifcation, to
city officials and numerous citizens
who witnessed their arrival. Not in
weeks have six Companies responded
TO an alarm more quickly, or more
prepared In human strength TO COM
bat flames.
An Investigation OF the false alarm
! Immediately was begun by Fire Chief
William j. Lutz. First he discovered
that box No. never had been rung
| from the box itself The glass In
/ front of Che box had not been broken,
proving beyond doubt that no hand
/ had turned the alarm lever within.
Next ne found that portions Of the
| insulation on the wires making the
circuit 10 and from the box had been
scraped off and the wires presumably
rubbed together, forming a short cir
cult and sounding an alarm.
In his theory Chief Luiz was sup
portd by Chief Of Police Black who
found that not only had a slsnal been
sent Ou' over the circuit OF box NO.
3. but that attempts had been made
10 tap" other circuits and alarm
signals. Chief Lutz also recalled that
about 2 o'clock this morning the
alarm in his bedroom had sputtered
several times as II someone were at
tempting TO short circuit II some
where along the line.
II was reported today that the fire
companies which had Withdrawn from
service had disconnected their IRE
alarm communications According, TO
central" at the police station This
was not true. Thus the alarm appar.
emily from Box No. which sounded
shortly before Q o'clock this morning
must have been heard in the fire
| houses OF those companies That quit,
| hut was unheeded.
Council TO Act Tonight
Vigorous action TO meet the crisis
Is certain 10 be had at the weekly
session OF City Council tonight. II
was thought altogether probable this
afternoon that Council would eXer-
else its option on the apparatus OF
the Friendship company and mishl
possibly make arrangement Tor teIn-
porary use OF the company mouse
II also was thought probable tna'
Council would make use Of extr5
lspace in the Union, Water Witch
BrandyNvine and independence ilrt
houses TO install additional apparatus
either procured from without the
city or taken over from the COM
panies which have quit. There Is
/ sufflcient room in each Of the houses
mentioned for at least one additional
piece Of FIRE apparatus. Moreover by
knocking out the rear wall IN tnt
Il Delaware fire house there would nt
room for an extension which wouC
contain an engine and comDinatloi
In addition to these measures, u ::
probable Council tonight will dis
tribute among the loyal companies
some Of the funds remaining unusuet
! from the appropriations made Tor ths
"revolting" companies. These unused
, land therefore open funds are as fol
( lows. Fame. 5000; Phoenix, S9,iOO
Washington 5000; Liberty, $4,000
and Weccacoe, S9,iOO, or a total o
$4,000.
BrandyWine Company has stated ina
II did not wish the $1,000 allotted u
. liz. but desired that II be distributed
amonr the Others. Adding this sun
. 10 The $4,000, gives a working casl
capital 10 Council OF S50.2OO for In
b oreasing the ilre-fghting strength o
7 the loyal companies.
Under the city's charter, Council
{ furthermore is empowered 10 appro
e pria.e $4,000 for an emergency,
2 such as now exists, so that all told
( would have about 100000 availabl
- for meeting the present situation
% Council also can, II 10 so wills, trans
fer funds appropriated 10 other cit
% departments TO the fire department
4 10 would appear, therefore, that IN
/. city government is amply fOrtlie
{ with cash ammunition.
l.. FOrmr Promises Recalled.
z There was no little talk IN o1icia
/. circles today by those who have at
. tended recent hearings by Counc
G ON ,he fire situation Of what had b'
S come OF the promises made by seN
10 eral fire heads that the c0mpanie
e would be ION the job" after Angus
3 81 even n the contract disputes wer
4 not formally settled by that tint
!. such pledges. IL is said, were give
5 at various times by William NJ. Cor
Q nelly. Michael F. Cannon, Michael
r Maloley and others. No feeling wa
Z | expressed, however, against thos
Y who had given such pledges Decaus
{ H vas thought that probably ihe
had been overriddon by the member
Of their companies.
A survey Of the apparatus owne
lbv the six loyal companies or IN
: city today resolved Itself about q
Z follows:
Reliance-one motor engine, on
metor combination hose and cnemic'
truok. and one horse drawn engine.
Delaware-One motor ladder true
I Milh extension ladders and fire toWe
Brandywine-one motor engine an
{ enc motor combination hoss an
d chemical truck.
Water Wiich-0ne motor engine an