Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-15
PAID FIRE SERVICE
OPPOSITION SEEMS
TO Be DISAPPEARING
Majority of Firemen and CITY
Legislators Said to Favor
Change.
CHIEF w. J. LUTZ APPROVES

That Wilmington will have a paid
Ia,sart,,,ept within the next few months
seemed assured, as result oil ii'qus
made today through various chaiiieiS
which are likely 10 figure IN the proposed
chanoc A large majority OF the hrerheil;
r,idrinp from expressions from soh.c
sbe;r snokesnen. favor the Innovation,
and il is believed the Wilmington ~
cation in the Legislature Is OF tne sS1iiV ~
frame of mind One of the legislators Wa
questioned on this point To-Day anu ne
.aid he was heartily In favor oi the ci'.ihee
and he believed all Of his colleagues were
90 Tho Same opinicn. We realize, he SAID,
chat Wilmington must make the ehanGe
ard we see no reason why we should stand
IN The way of any authority II may oe
necessary for the Legislature to confer
on the citv in this behalf
When William ]. Lutz. chief OF 'he
Fire Dcpartm ment, and W no Is Also one
az the Wilmington mem bers OF the ofh-
a+e was asked how he stood d on the matter
be admitted that he was IN tavor Oh
naid denartr,ent and realized that inc
,imc had come for establishing one. lie
bad tho varmest praise for the volunteers
and held that they had given the citNo
full measure of service. As fireman NO"
ever rs we'll as n legislator ne saio nc
realized that il IS now neces saIN y h'"he
the change. ,1
In view of that fact that It IS proposeu'
To take over such equipment OF the Vol
,'n,oars - .,a, as would be useful To the city,
nroyided reasonable terms can be mace
CIV Council will again confer with rep
,esen,stiyes of the fire companies next
Monday night at the City Hall. Such
meeting was held week ago, but as some
~ 4bc fremen had no authority 70 speak
fnr their companies. they were asSeu 20
come AGAIN next Monday night, with DIS
authority.
Sipcr then some of the companies have
hold meetings and instructed their dele-
rates. and some of the Others, 1t IS undef-
Stood will meet tomorrow Tor the same
purpose.
FIREAiEN STRONG FOR CHANGE
II make the prediction, one hremah
said today. that at the meeting on Mon,
dav night so per cent Of the hremeh WIZ
he found in favor Of a paid department.
know how they feel They reallze tnat
,be time has come for making the change
and all they want Is a square deal heN
want the CITY TO take such OF their equip
n,enf as can be used profitahlv and pay
them for It. They are asking nothing that
- ~. reasonable and | believe CITY 1otn
c,l will meet their wishes IN the matter
One or two of the companies are SO
anxious. however. To continue the Eoi
unteer system that they Will prooaoiy
;Dsist on the matter being submitted 70
q vote Of the people at the next munlclpai
election. This Is not the thing 70 do'
one of the firemen said today. NOW IS
the time to give Wilmington pald ue
partnent. The city cannot afford 70 wait
year or two.
FIRE COMPANY MEETINGS
Four fire companies have arranged tor
n,cstir cs prior to Monday night. Iomor-
row afternoon at . 20 o clock special meet
inrs will be held n the ergine houses oi
the Union Fire Co, RThlrd and Imot
streets. and Independence 60. Iweiith anG
Railroad Tonight special meetings val
30 held bv the " ashln gton 90, lhlrd aiao
French. and the Brandywine Co, wetnIy'
fifth and Market streets. A meeting oi tlis
liberty Co. members was held last ineh'
Tho Neccacoe. at their meeting last ues
d.v night. sppointed a special committed
70 ranresepf the company al the hearing
IN Monday night. At these meeting
Scheduled for tonight and tomorrow. II i
oxnected that committees Will be ap
r,ointed 10 be at the Council hearing
Although the attitude of the II com
rau;es Is not vet known. there are toui
that are Insisting that If Wilmington Is t'
secure a rev charter and "A commlsslof
form Of government. the commissioners
should have the power TO create palo
FIRE department
Alexander r. Abrahams, chairman oi
the fire committee OF Council, who II
pushing the movement for paid flre dc
partment, anticipates lively discus'
son at the hearing on Monday night
Al the meeting last Monday night three
hre companies were reported as tavorlng
paid department and Representatives Of
FIVE others went on record as iaVorhg the
volunteer system. Several further sug.
gested that Council place the issue up tc
the people by a referendum vote at the
coming city election
The Delaware Co. at Sixth and French
streets, several months ago voted II
favor of a paid department. One member
of that company this morning SAID that
the matter was entirely up TO Councl
and not up TO them.