Evening journal., 1921-08-31
FIREMEN
FOR CITY SEEMS
ONLY WAY OUT
(continued from First Pagel

by Chancellor Wolcott in his opin-
ion granting the preliminary injunc-
ton.
Even should a majority of the
volunteer companies agree to sign
the three months contracts. it was
pointed out today that,it was a SER
ious question If the companies could
fulfil their obligations to the city in
view of the attitude of their run
ners" or active fire-fghting mem
bers. AS told in The Evening Jour
nal yesterday, the runners" are
anxious to quit Moreover. most of
the companies have sold their house
equipments, leaving but little in the
stations aside from apparatus and
hose. Even the cots used by the
active men at night have been dis
posed of by some of the companies.
Will Meet Issue Squarely
When Chairman McManus was
asked this morning for a statement
he replied:
1--WE shall meet the issue squarelS
and will provide protection for the
city. That is all care to say just
now"
A few minutes after this statement
was made Mr.. McManus visited the
Department of Public Safety and
obtained the lists of names of the
men who had passed the physical
examinations.
Summarized, II may be said that
the volunteer firemen have two i'm
portant considerations in mind, as
expressed by a number of their lead
ers today:
First, they do not wish to be
placed in the light of "quitters,
after having given loyal service to
the city for more than a century.
Second, they would like Council to
say that it will take their houses and
apparatus at the figures agreed upon
by the Public Safety directors.
AS to the financing of a paid serv-
ice, it is believed that Chairman
McManus and his fellow members of
the finance committee, James s.
Evans and John S. Henry have found
a way to meet the situation. Under
the emergency clause of the City
Charter, Council can issue bonds suf-
ficient to provide for cost Of pur-
chasing the fire houses and appara-
tus. It can also call for bids for
necessary hose and make purchases
Already the budget for the present
year contains an appropriation OF
s252.225 for maintenance Of the paid
service.
There is some tank in politica
circles that the Democrats Of City
Council are opposed to City Council
establishing a paid service because
of a fear that its Republican major
ity will tend to give Republicans tho
advantage in selection of men to mar
the fire stations. OF the men selected
by the Department Of Public Safety
it is said 20 per cent. are Democrats
This report was scoffed at b.
Councilmen today, who declare'
that their sole aim was to establish
a fire department based entirely oi
efficiency regardless of any politica
leanings one way or another.
According to reliable understand
ing, Chief Lutz, Of the voluntee
service, will be made the chief o
the new paid department, as plan
ned by the Safety Directors. an
likewise Edward A. Donohue vii
become deputy chief. with Georg
T. Crockett and Harvey Tazewell a
assistant chiefs. Morton AinscoN
also is to be fire marshal, which pos
will be highly important under
paid service
City Council tonight may TAX
cognizance of the action Of the De
partment Of Public Safety in havin
check books printed in New Yor
for the use of the Bureaus Of Fir
land Police on the Equitable Trus
Company. The city depositor
designated by Council is the Unio
National Bank.
There was report today the
/ some OF the new apparatus ordere
bv the Department of Public Safet
had arrived. Chief Lutz, howeve
said he believed II any such thin
had happened he would know of
land that he had heard nothing {
any such event
Two meetings were held by vo
unteer firemen yesterday, one
the ''runndrs' in the afternoon
Friendship fire house and anoth
by some 80 representatives Of nil
i, companies last night in the Fan
house. All but the Delaware al
. Liberty companies we're represents
at the latter meeting.
At the afternon meeting an orga
ization 10 be known as the Wilmin
ton Progressive Fire Associate
= was organized.
According to some Of the M
who attended the Fame conferenC
II was the opinion that the comm
tees should report back to their r
spective companies a suggestion tn
d the contracts be returned to Cl
a Council unsigned. but with ASST
ance that the companies would I
: main in sdrvice until a paid servi
n was established.
d THE general feeling Of the met
ing was that while the compan
J. in no sense would desert the cit.
n. said one man who attended
te their refusal TO sign contra'
10 would bring Council face to IA
with the fact that there was
IA legally constituted FIRE service exi
r ing. This would create an 'em'
I'M gency' under the law and Coun
Gould proceed to organize a p'
I'd service at once"
a. Following the meeting at
"a Fame company's house, nine CO
= panles held meetings in their o
houses. These companies were
Phoenix. Union, Washington, w
"a cacoe. Brandywine, Independen
Reliance. Fame and Water Witc
a The Liberty and Delaware co
GU o,to. Ala NOT meet