Evening journal., 1921-09-03
ALL fire COS
PREPARED FOR
CITY SERVICE
tcontInued from Firat pagel

(Continued from First Page)
Simmons in which had been inserted
clause which the company believed
protected its rights. Although City
Solicitor Satterthwaite said that the
clause was harmless and Mayor Har-
vey affixed his signature to the con-
tract, Clerk Simmons refused to sign
II or afiix the citys seal until Coun-
Gil had passed on the agreement
Thursday night Council rejected
the amended contract and gave the
Water Witch until noon today 20 sign
an unamende1 agreement identical
with those signed ty the ten other
companies.
At a meeting of the Water Witch
company last night the members
discussed the situation pro and con.
Some sharp talk. it is said. was in
dulged in. and Council was severe
ly criticised for what was termed an
attempt to whip the company into
line" Il was finally decided. how
ever. in view of all the circum-
stances, that it would be better to
sign the unamended contract.
After fling the contract this
morning with Clerk Simmons. Mr..
Kane personally visited the news
paper offices and delivered the fol-
lowing explanatory statement:
Water Witch Fire Company, No. 5
1914 Gilpin Avenue,
Wilmington, Del, Sept 2, 1921.
The Council of The Mayor and Coun-
Gil of Wilmington. Wilmington,
Delaware.
Dear Sirs: Inclosed herewith are
the two copies of the executed con-
tract for three months fire service
by this company. which you handed
to us for execution
The executed contract which we
handed TO you on Thursday, we had
amended to provide that our enter
ing into this contract for service
should not affect any existing rights
under contracts of sale between the
city and the company. We had been
advised that this amendment was
proper to safeguard our rights, and
could not reasonably be found objec-
tionable by you. The fact that the
city solicitor approved the contract
so amended, and that on his advice,
the Mayor signed it, makes it diff
cult TO understand your position that
unless the contract was executed un-
am ended. our company would be pre-
vented by you from further afford
ing fire protection to the large por-
ton Of the city dependent upon it
for such protection. In such con-
tingency the Water Witch Company
as matter Of course, must do what
ever is necessary to allow it to con-
tinue fire protection service generally
and particularly in that section Of
the city whose interest and encour-
agement rendered possible the COM
pany's present condition for servic-
You viii recollect that this COM
pany. through its proper officers. in
formed your members, that. without
any contract whatever for compens-
alton, this company was willing and
prepared In men and equipment to
continue in service as heretofore, un-
IN the present unfortunate condition
OF fire department affairs could be
remedied- Further, this company is
ready and willing to Cooperate with
the Department of Public Safety and
with Council to the. end that the paid
department as projected, may be had
at an early day.
We are unwilling to allow the
long and honorable record of service
OF Water Witch Fire Company, No
5, 20 be clouded at this time by any
possible public Misrepresentation, and
since our actions have been publicly
commented on. without public ref
erence to the reasons for and the sur
roundings of our actions. we take tn,
liberty of sending to the newspaper
a copy of this letter.
Respectfully.
COMMITTEE ON DISPOSAL,
Edward F. Kane,
Chairman
Paul Dougherty
w. III. Murphy
Edward Sayers
Harry r. Chapman.
No word has been received con
cerning the two triple puinpin
Ahrens-Fox engines which were or
de4-ed by the Public Safety Commis
sion, and which were expected {
arrive IN Wilmington from Cincinnati
on Thursday. September 1. It is be
lieved that word to cancel shipmen
Of the engines. sent after Chancello
Wolcott filed his opinion last Satur
day granting a preliminary iniunc
ton. reached the Ahrens-Fox Com
pany in time to halt shipment