Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-30
F|REMEN AGREE TO
SERVE THE CITY AS
LONG AS NEEDED
Volunteer Companies Make
Temporary Contracts With
City Council.
PENDING THE LITIGATION


directors of the Department OF Public
safety from establishing a paid fire
department. was assured last night
when the IL volunteer companies gave
unreseryed assurance to City Council
that they will continue in service and
will stand by the city as long as they
ran be of any assistance, The Coun-
cflmen and the representatives of the
several compa aAes met in conference in
the Council Chamber in the City Hall
Tor the purpose of devising ways and
means of continuing the Volunteer
system IN effect to meet the emer-
Kency created by the injunction pro-
ceedings against the safety directors.
The room was crowded to the doors
by members of all of the fire companies
and other interested citizens and the
meeting was one of the most unusual
held in the city for many years.
IL was featured by a thorough har-
n1ony. good feeling and public spirited
ness which was displayed by the volun-
teer fircmen and those who were pres
rnt declared IN action of the volunteers
reflected credit upon them. IL show
ed. IL was claimed. that in the final
analysis they are citizens of Whining
ton with the welfare of the city at
heart and that they are big and broad
enough 10 place their civic pride above
All else. II was freely asserted that
the aetion ~ the volunteers in the
present crisis viii add new glory TO
their already long and creditahle
career ~ unsclnsh service % Whining
ton In the past 100 years.
Hoard Ceases 10 Function.
Directors of the Department of
Public safety. city solicitor Reuben
fhttefthNrlte 1r,, President Howard
VI. Ward Of City Council, and James
u NeNanua. chairman of the finance
committee % Council. had confer
rHge Yesterday afternoon 60 consider
the status ~ the safety directors with
relation a. the proposed paid frc de-
paftment under the injunction grant
fd hy Chancellor wolcott in his de-
eision 81 last Saturday. Samuel X.
smith. president of the board, stated
this morning that the department had
no formal statement 10 make as a re-
suit OF the meeting. IL was learned.
however, that the safety directors
have decided 70 drop everything so far
as the fire department is concerned.
All the men who have been in train
ing for the new department are drop
ped. at least for the present. Train
ing has been discontinued and win
not be resumed until the situation
sSanges
All the men employed by the safety
directors viii be discharged and the
Offices which the fire department have
occupied in the Municipal Building
will be closed. The experts. whom the
board had engaged as advisers Will
leave at once for their home towns
and every enploye of the board. SO
far as the fire department is concern
81, viii be dismissed.
All the concerns with which the
directors had made tentative contracts
VIII be advised of the developments
here and VIII be notified that the con-
tracts they had with the city viii be
canceled.
There is a feeling among city Of
ticials that the court proceedings may
continue for some time and it is pos
sible the injunction may be made
permanent. In this event ii may be
found necessary for the Legislature 10
wipe out the present act and pass
new one.
Council offered and the fremen
agreed 10 accept temporary contracts
&C. provide adequate fire service for
a period OF three months beginning
September /. The pay for this SER
vice viii be 10 each company just the
same as they have been receiving un-
der their old contract. whicn expires
at midnight tomorrow night. The
quarterly appropriation will be made
fo each in advance at the request Of
the majority Of them and the only
cond tions to be contained in the con-
tracts VIII be that they may be can
celed by Council on ten days notice
aa1 that in the event they ere so
cancelled that each company refund
10 the city the balance of the apprc-
priatlon which may remain unexpend-
I'd at the time of such cancellation
This agreement leaves the department.
just as IL Is at present for the next
three months and by that time il is
hoped the sourt proceedings now pend
ting against the safety directors viii
have been settled AMI that the safety
department VIII be able TO proceed with
the work Of establishing the paid de-
partment and that the burden at pres
ent upon the shoulders Of the Council
vii have been removed and trans
ferred 10 the proper department a
fightfully intended TO handle the situa-
ton.
McNatb Has Tilt With Spectator.
The meeting last night was thor
oughiy harmonious, the. only rift oc-
curing when one of the spectators
took exception 10 statements being
made By Councilman McNabb. The
latter was opposing payment in ad-
vance OF the firemen's contract money
and had declared he did not think the
firemen entitled 10 any more con-
sidsration than any other city body.
"Hey. cut that out" yelled a man in
the rear OF the ROOM Turning to-
ward the audience and stepping to the
dividing rail. Mr.. McNabb declared
he did not have to cut X out. Il
rever have TO cut it out for anyone.
he shouted. President Ward in the
meantime had been pounding his
naeel and he solemnly warned the
Spectators snat no such conduct would
be Tolerated there and that they would
have ~ remain quiet and preserve
order or leave.
After there had been many speeches
nDd much discussion between the
Couucilmcn and he firemens repre-
ssutatiyes. the entire assemblage was
o. ~lrit.ed ~ Frank /. Brand, presi-