Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-25
SAFETY DIRECTORS
PUZZLED OVER new LAW
Eight-Hour Shifts Would Mean
Increased Maintenance Cost
of Fire Department.

of Fire Department.
That there may be further legal
entanglements for the directors of
the Department of Public Safety to
wrestle with I'm their work In connec-
ton with the paid f,re department de-
veloped this morning when II was
learned that movement Ia on foot to
engage the services of an attorney
TO look into the possibility OF COM
pelling the department to adhere
strictly 20 the state law providing for
an eight-hour work day on all muni-
cipal projects. Just who is backing
this contemplated step or what lawyer
stated. but Il la known the directors
and some members of City Council
have been much concerned as a re-
suit OF the intimatlons that have come
60 them dealing with the subject.
When the Legislature passed the
cight-hour work law the Police De-
partment was granted exemption. The
safety directors now contend that the
Police Department has by later act
of the Legislature been turned over
to the Department OF Public Safety,
which also has jurisdiction over the
Fire Department, or viii have when
the paid department is operative apd
consequently the exemption allowed
i'm the eight-hour law holds good In so
far as the paid Fire Department will
/ be concerned.
The safety directors plan two
platoon system I'm the new department
that is one set of men on duty during
the day and another set on duty at
to work more than eight hours. In
the event they were compelled to ad-
here to the eight-hour law they would
require one-third more men than they
now figure on having I'm the depart
ment and consequently their cost OF
maintaining the department would be
Increased by one-third. They further
largue that policemen and firemen can.
not very well be compelled 20 work
only eight hours for In time of grea,
emergency they are subject to cal
and may have to work twenty-fo
hours at a stretch.
The directors and the members OF
the finance and pubNe safety commit.
tees of City Council had a long con.
ference last night regarding the III
rectors' plans for the establishment O
the new paid Fire Department. i
was found impossible for the director,
TO submit to Council this week tn,
data on which the Council will for
mulate their ordinance providing 10,
the bond issue for the expenses OF IN,
new fire department. There are man,
things TO be purchased on which price
have not been received and until the.
prices are ascertained the director
cannot make up their estimate. How
ever, is is hoped to have all this In
| formation at hand by next week an,
then Council win he advised and tn
bond ordinance will he started on Il
way. However, it il not thought pos
slhle TO have IL passed and the sal
held and the cash secured here befor
sometime in December IL then.
The safety directors will meet tn
afternoon TO consider their plans Z,
procedure with the work of establish
ing the new fire department. Tomo,
row they will meet again and by tn,
, time they expect to have In hand
number of bids on contracts to SUI
: ply the department with uniforms ar
arious other things which will
{ ieeded. Whether any OF these co,
{ tracts VIII be awarded before the ca,
n has been received FROM the bond sa
|. has not been determined.
Another important matter the d
: rectors vet have TO decide Is the que
: tion Of repairs 10 the fire house OF Il
( volunteer companies which the ci
d will take over. 1t is known several
Il these houses are in had shape and tn
o much VIII have TO be done to them
make them suitable for the purpos
i of the new department. Some ha'
a TO be strengthened. others rebui
practically all of them altered. TT
h work is going to cost considerat
r. money but IT is understood the Cou
s cilmen are satisfied 1t Is an expen
Is that cannot be avoided and that 4
necessary money will be forthcomii
& at the proper time without any furt
" er question.
le The house Of the Friendship Co,
$ was learned. VIII be the headquarts
r for the fire department outside of I
s. chiefs offices, which are in the c.
Han. There Chief Lutz or one of
a deputy chiefs will be stationed all I
n time and Engine Company no. / v
te be stationed there. il is recognized
D. about the most suitable fire house
he the city and the alterations that v
VS. have to be made will not be extensl
s. The training school for the men W
are candidates for appointment to
paid department was continued toe
at the Union Fire Cos. house. Tn
and Union streets. The same clas
n that We're exercising yesterday W
e at work again this morning and tn
ny men will be tried out during the n
IN ten days. After that period a new cl
~ will be taken in hand by Captain I
Ell bekant the head instructor.