Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-03
NEW BOARD OF PUBLIC
SAFETY TAKES OFFICE
Samuel K. Smith President, and
Capt. ScheII, Secretary of
New Department.

| The new Department OF Public
Safety. provided for by act of the Legis-
| lature. began to function yesterday
afternoon when the members, to be
known as directors took oath OF office
Mt a meeting held in the offices of the
| former Board of Police Commissioners
! Samuel X. Smith was elected president
OF the new board. and Capt. William f..
Schell, OF the police bureau. secretary.
No action was taken as to the head
of the fire bureau. George Black will
he continued in office. az Superintendent
OF Police.
The meeting was called TO order at
$50. when Mr.. Smith was elected tenn
porary chairman on motion Of MIR.
Megear. Credentials were then present
ed by the members Of the new Depart
ment OF Public Safety. The members
of the department are :. *, Smith.
William Il. Mcgear and l. pusey Wick
ersham. presented their credentials
after which upon motion Of Mr.. Megear.
seconded by Mr.. Smith MIR. Smith was
elected permanent president OF the board
and Captain Schell permanent sccre-
tary. Mr.. Wickersham did NOT vote.
The election Of Captain Schcn as sec
retary Of the board is in addition 70
his present duties"
The following resolution was then
passed
Whereas. The directors Of the De-
partment of Public Safety have on this
date. May . 1921 effected an organl-
2ation under an act Of the General As
sembly. affirmed March 16 1921. and
Whereas. The said Department Of
Public Safety has under its control the
police and fire departments. therefore.
be II
Resolved. That the said Department
of Public safety be divided into two
bureaus viz. the Bureau Of Police and
the Bureau Of Fire. and be II further
Resolved. That the present personnel
Of the Bureau of Police be continued in
the service for the present at the sala-
ries now in effect and that the same are
hereby continued in force for the time
being. and be II further
"Resolvcd. That the Department of
Public Safety shall meet on Tuesday of
each week at o'clock p. m until fur
ther notice for the transaction az such
business as may properly be brought
before it.
The resolution was adopted unani-
mously by the directors OF the Depart
ment OF Public safety
Organization Of the new Department
was the only business At the meeting
yesterday afternoon. Oaths OF Office
had been administered in the morning
to Messrs. Smith and Megear by Judge
Daniel o. Hastings. The other men-
ber / Pusey Wickersham. took the
oath of office in court Saturday morn
ing. The ceremony of administering
the oath OF Office took place in the Of
flee Of the former Board Of Police Com
misSioners. now the Directors Of Public
Safety Chief OF Police Black and Will
liam J. Lutz. chief engineer OF the
fire department were present. An in
formal meeting was held but no i'm
portant business transacted. II was said
Commissioners Smith and Megcar
said they had a pleasant trip TO Atlantic
City and praised the efficiency OF the
fire department there They also said
j, was possible they might adopt some
Of the methods used there. for the Will
mington department
The permanent organization OF the
new fire department will not take place
until September ! the contracts with
the present volunteer companies expir-
ing August 81 No statements have
beer made regarding the number Of
ompa MES 70 be used as complete in
vestigation Of the conditions here has
not been made. il was said yesterday.
Among the pieces Of apparatus on
which the directors are known 70 be
seeking information is a pumping en-
sine with capacity Of 500 gallons per
minute. Such an engine is said 10 be
among the largest manufactured.