Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-07
FIRE PROTECTION
FOR WILMINGTON
l. Vi III I'LL Hill
Public Not Informed as to What
Equipment City Will Have
Two Months Hence.
IT'S UP TO CITY COUNCIL


companies will terminate in August-a
little over "A month hcncc-thc public has
not been informed, either by City Council
which is morally-yca. legally bound TO
provide protection to life and property, or
the Fire Department, what can bc counted
upon i'm the matter of fire fighting equip
mcnt after that. The public knows of the
snarl between Council and some of the
fire companies over funds-that the fire.
men want more money than Council
appears willing to pay-and believes that
u Council doesn't submit something may
happen that will not be beneficial to the
city.
But the question is What is going to
happen2 IA the agent for the people,
Council rs looked upon 20 answer this
question. and also to see that nothing
happens that will jeopardize the inter
rsts of the people. While, apparently, the
nrcmcn hold the whip hand, because of
the improvident policy Wilmington has
pursued, in not gradually acquiring
nroprletary interest IN the equipment at
least. IL would seem as If Council has the
right under the charter, IN view of the
existence of an extraordinary condition,
not contemplated when the appropriations
were decided upon, to apply the remedy.
n this deduction IL correct IL Is within the
province of Council To borrow money
with which 10 buy the present fire equip
mcnt or new Outht.
The Councllmen will meet tonight in
informal conference, as is customary on
"Wednesday nights, and the matter may be
threshold out at that time, in which event
IL will Toe possible TO take some action at
the Council meeting tomorrow night that
will pave the way TO overcome the
difficulty.
PHTvATA CORPORATIONS.
The Fire Department is composed of II
private corporations, in which the city
has not-nor can IL have under the law
any financial interest. Therefore, Council
cannot compel the Fire Department, or
any one of the II units, TO do anything
hcyond which IL contracts 10 do, except
IN the matter Of regulation under the
gcneral provisions Of law in that behalf
some of which are questioned. Therefore.
the companies have n legal right to refuse
tn do business with the city if the city
docs not meet their terms. Until the new
state constitution, promulgated in 1897,
hccame effective. the city made an annual
anprupriation to each Of the companies,
hut rs the new constitution prevents a
municipality transacting business IN
this fashion, IT has adopted the subter-
fugc Of making yearly contracts, which Is
the only seem ngly legitimate thing that
can he done under the circumstances.
Consequently. as the companies ought to
know their needs. and as they ought not 20
he compelled 20 give public service at a
financial sacrifice, IN addition to donating
the manual labor, both parties 20 the issue
are confronted by cold business PROPOSE
fion. II the companies cannot exist on the
money the city paws them, IL is business
for them to refuse TO make contracts.
The real fact ia. however, that the city
ought 20 own its fire machine and ought 20
man il with force paid for the work and
one that IL can control and direct without
question. The city would then know just
what the expense is and IT would have 90 be
met as all other municipal expenses are
met. As matters now stand the city does
not designate what the equipment shall be,
ar where il shall be located; or whether il
Is advisable 20 adopt certain new features
from time to time: IN other words, II has
no voice in the matter. This rs all decided
hy the private corporations, which expect
Council T. pay the maintenance and
operation bills This hardly looks like
good business from a standpoint Of public
welfare, but up 10 the present time II
seems 10 have suited City Council, which
was content TO let the matter drift along
toward the rocks which now seem 10 be
IN sight.
ATTITUDE TOWARD THE PUBLIC.
One Of the most surprising things about
the whole matter, however, Is the atti-
tude some Of the companies seem TO
maintain toward the public, which pays |
the bill. Some of the companies seem TO |
act as II IL was no concern Of the publics |
what became Of the department, whereas il |
is matter Of deepest concern on the part |
Of the public
A concrete instance may be cited: One |
night last week the Friendship Fire Co. |
held a meeting al which il was evident |
there was some particularly important /
business Following the meeting two re-
ports gained currency. One was that the /
company had found purchaser for its !,
house, on Tatnall street above Delaware
avenue and was going 10 sell and the
Nher was that the company had decided /
q notify Council this week that il would
luit business at the expiration of the
present contract period, which would be
n August. When inquiry was made by a
reporter Of Every Evening, Of officers OF
he company as 70 the nature Of the busi-
ness transacted al that meeting, lnforma-
,ion was refused and the reporter was
old that all at the meeting had been
pledged TO secrecy.
This may be good business from the
viewpoint of the Friendship Fire Co, but
cify departments were conducted in this
manner II would not be so regarded. In
new Of the fact that the fire companies
are serving the public, II would seem as if
they would be glad to keep the public in
formed as 20 their doings and plans. If the
Friendship Is going out Of business, the
sooner the public knows il, the better, so
hat provision can he made to take care of
Is work. II the report is untrue the public
ught 10 know that also. But these are
the facts, and other companies have been
equally reticent as 20 their plans-though
there are some exceptions In the depart
ment.
The public certainly got the impression.
before the election of the present officers
of the Fire Department, that the Friend
ship would continue in business-other-
wise how could IL permit one of its MEM
bers 20 he elected TO an office in the de-
partment for a term that has nearly two
years 10 run? The company may CON-
with Council tonight, giving
as 20 its plans.
At least one other company has in
timated that IL Is no; likely co run on un-
less II gets substantial increase In funds
next year, which as not IN sight now, and it
II believed that Others will do likewise.
so u would seem as If Council had
problem on It's hands which needs good
business handling.