The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1920-07-10
PROMISED A
COLORED FIRE
SQUAD, CLAIM
Mayor Recalls Arrangement
He Says Made When For
mer Trouble Over Appoint
ments Was Cleared Up.
STRIKE THREAT HOLDS


department under the two platoon
system, and will remind the board that
about Is months ago the board of
public works and myself promised the
colored people Of Richmond that
colored fire company would be appoint
ca whenever the fire department was
reorganlzed | am going to ask the
board If 1t now intends to go back on
that promise
This statement was made Saturday
by Mayor w. w. Zimmerman. Friday
the day after Fire Chief Miller had
recommended the appointment of 10
additional firemen and the board had
approved the appointments, Mayor
Zimmerman told Chief Miller that he
wanted six of the IS new fremen to
be colored men.
White Men Will Walk Out.
Men who are now serving on the de-
partment became greatly excited when
they learned of the mayors decision
and Friday afternoon representatives
Of the firemen announced that if any
colored men. were appointed all the
firemen would walk out after sufficient
time had been given to assure fire
protection for the city.
Mayor Zimmerman states that it Is
not his plan to have colored firemen
serve with white f1remen. He would
place all the colored men in one fire
house, three for day duty and three
for night duty. White fremen declare
that such an arrangement would not
be satisfactory to them.
Grew Out of Old SquabIe.
Explaining how it happened that a
pledge was made by city officials to
the colored citizens that a colored fire
company would be appointed when the
fire department was reOrganized May
or Zimmerman stated that about IS
months ago a colored man was appoint
ed a member Of the fire department
and assigned to work with white fire.
men at the No. 8 hose house.
This resulted in the white firemen
threatening to strike. A conference
was held between representatives of
the colored citizens and the mayor and
members of the board of public works.
John Feltz is the only member Of the
present board serving at the time the
conference was held.
Agree to CoIored Flremer.
At this conference, according to
Mayor Zimmerman and to c. r. Rich
ardson, an attorney, one Of the rep
resentatives of the colored citizens at
the meeting, 1t was agreed that the
appointment of the colored man as a
fireman should be withdrawn with the
understanding that whenever the de-
partment was reorganized an entire
colored fire company should be ap-
pointed.
Mayor Zimmerman declares that he
regards the promise given by himself
Nd hn ot1 oit foJc
ing one. Furthermore, he asserts that
he sees no reason why the white fire
men should object to the appointment
Of a colored fire company inasmuch
as no white fireman would be quar-
tered with the colored firemen.
He also asserts that there is no
political significance to be attached to
his advocacy of the appointment of
colored fremen.
Says They Don't Vote for Him.
He says that it is not true that he
has always received the bulk of the
political support Of the colored citi-
zens. ''Will Robbins, Progressive.
received most Of the colored votes
when he was elected mayor, and when
I made the race against DR.. Schill-
niger, Democrat, my opponent got
the majority of the colored vote"
Mayor Zimmerman declared.
The mayor also asserts that he had
made known his desire to have six
colored firemen appointed prior to the
board meeting last Thursday. He said
he had taken up this matter with Chief
Miller and Mr.. Peltz last Wednesday.
c. r. Richardson, an active political
worker, said Saturday that the colored
people Of Richmond as American citi-
zens, feel that they are entitled to
serve in such public offices as they
are qualified to fill.
'The colored people Of Richmond
have always conducted themselves
we'll as a class. We pay taxes on
more than a half million dollars Of
property. In asking for political rec
ognition We have no desire for social
equality" Richardson said.
Says They Haven't Received Offices
"As members of the Republican
party we feel we have not received
our proportionate share Of public Of
fees. The only two colored men on
the city's payroll are policeman and
the janitor Of the city building. There
are between 1900 and 1000 colored
voters In Richmond. Under the plan
proposed for the appointment of a col
ored flre company, all colored men
would be quartered in one house and
there would be no racial inter-
mingling. Responsible leaders of our
race in Richmond would see to it that
only we'll qualified and thoroughly
trustworthy colored men would be
recommended for appointments.
Ex-Servlce Men Want Places
More than half of the colored men
who have applied for appointments
are ex-service men, and three of them
have been decorated for valor by the
French and American governments.
These men helped put out the blaze
in France and they think they are
qualified to put out any blaze that
might occur in Richmond"
1t is understood that representa-
tives of the men now serving on the
fire department will attend the board
meeting Monday to voice protest
against the appointment Of colored
fjronon