Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-01
COUNCIL REFUSES
F|REMEN'S DEMAND
This Action, Taken Last Night
Resulted in Five Companies
Quitting.

For the first time in over a century Will
mington's volunteer sre department WAS
slisarranged last night when, ut a special
meeting OF CITY Council. the Council
flatly refused to acceede To the demand of
five fire companies for an increase OF 81 900
IN their annual appropriation. Following
an executive meeting of these companies
announcement WAS made that their
doors would he closed at midnight and
shortly after IL O'Clock the men of the
Washington Fire Co and Weccacoe walked
out Council will meet in committee OF.
the whole tonight, when the matter of
hre protection will be taken up again
The five companies which decided last
night to quit are the Weccecoe, Fame,
Washington, Liberty and PhGnix. This,
however, does not include the Friendship
Co, which decided some months ago
10 drop out and did so last night, The
action of the FIVE referred to came after
a month of deliberation during which rep
rcsentatives of some of them IntImated
that they would not quit Such statements
were made at the hearings given by
Council during the discussion of the bud
get
Representatives of the six companies
remaining loval 10 the city. in responding
TO President George Lyons question as
that they had confidence that Council
would act and that they intended to re-
main loyal no matter at what cost. The
following representatives of five companies
who responded to this effect were: George
Il. Taylor of the Delaware, George Wat
son of the Brandywine, George Merton
of the Union, Joseph Thomas of the In
dependence and J. NJ. Dillen of the Water
Witch. Reliance also remains loyal. Fire
Chief William J. Iutz stated that the
sx remaining loyal. companies would
respond to all alarms iii the city until
the new districts have been arranged.
After President Lyons had called each
company by number and had received
the assurances from the SIX companies he
expressed the appreciation of Council for
their civic pride and Councilman Charles
Forward stated The thanks of Council
on behalf of the citizens of Wilmington
IS due to those six companies for their
loyalty
TILT BETWEEN CoUNCILMEN.
Councilman JohnJ Mulvena character
lied Council as " a crowd of school boys"
and emphasized that after nearly l40
wears you would see those boys quit and
endanger the lives of our citizens for the
sake of 81 900. Your attitude is obstinate
and makes us look like q lot of school
bows" This remark was resented by
Councilman James Kane who expressed
the opinion that the seeding companies
would sign before midnight and added:
Il resent the statement that we're lot
Of school boys and / also disapprove of
these men coming up and taking the
Councilmen by the throat and demanding
their wants.
Councilman Afulvena then offered
motion that Council allow the companies
IN increase of 81 500 and clean the slate
-ntirelN Il absolutely refuse to enter
tain that motion. President Lyons
tatcd. This same motion was made at
meeting last FRIDAY evening, President
l.von stated that he was unaware of. any
action taken last Friday night, but that
he had returned from his vacation in
order TO attend this meeting and intend