Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-23
WATER WITCH AND
FRIENDSHIP HOUSES
BOUGHT BY THE CITY
Negotiations for the Buildings
Closed by the Department
of Public Safety.
LUTTS STATUS IN DOUBT

Tho fire houses owned by the
Friendship Co. on Tatnall street be-
tween Tenth and Eleventh. and the
water Witch Co, on Gilpin avenue.
rear Lincoln street. are to become
city property. Negotiations for their
purchase have been closed by the
Department of Public Safety in con-
nection with its plans for the estab-
lishment of a paid fire department.
While the terms have not been
made public, il is evident that an ami
cable agreement was reached with
each company. Each building is re-
ported 10 have been held ut about $780,
eco.
Both OF these houses are well fitted
for housing apparatus and men. The
Water Witch house is and has beeu
in continuous use since il was erect
ed which was not SO very long ago.
In fact, both buildings are substan-
tial and comparatively new. The
Friendship house has not been in use
FOR several months.
The negotiations for the houses
were completed last night. How close
the purchase price is to the reported
value of the Assessment Board could
not be learned. The work of making
deals with the other volunteer com
I,anies for their houses will be con-
Quoted as rapidly as possible. as some
of them are in need Of repairs and
alterations
! Purchase of the apparatus OF the
| present companies will not be taken
I rp until the report Of the fire experts
4 on the tests OF the various pieces of
apparatus has been received.
/ Although over 200 applications for
! firemen's jobs have been filled out on
/ the requisite blanks. the directors are
considering making a public campaign
/ to secure more applicants. The plan
! being considered is 10 announce
4 through the newspapers the salary,
duties and advantages of a fireman.
/ The matter Of salary, which viii be
modelled along the lines Of the police
pay. win be decided in few days.
Status of Chief Lutz.
1 while nobody. as tar as is known.
questions the ability OF William J.
| I.utz. who has been chosen as Superin-
| tendent CT the new fire department. il
| q local man is TO be chief. his legal
status has been questioned. in view
Of the fact that he is a State senator
and the state Constitution SAYS
mo Senator or Representative
shall, during the time for which
| he shall have 9eea elected, be ap-
| pointed to any civil Office under
/ this State which shall have been
/ created. or the ernoluments Of
4 which shall have been increl sed,
/ during such time"
/ Some persons believe this is a legal
/ disqualification, in view of the fact
that Mr.. Lutz's term as State senator
| does not expire until 1926. Others
| hold that the constitution does no;
/ contemplate offices under a munici-
I pality. but only State offices. Legal
/ authorities differ. However. unless
/ somebody takes the trouble to raise
| the question through the courts. it is
! likely that Mr.. LutZ will nos be dis
| turbed, though holding both Offices
State senator and fire chief. at the
same time. He could resign the sen
atorship. but even that would not al
/ ter his status under the constitution
which says during the time for which
/ he shall have been elected
/ II may be deemed advisable. how
ever. to relinquish the senatorship. as
/ the duties Of the city job may be
! such as 10 require constant attention
at home while the Legislature il in
! session at Dover.