Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-30
VOLUNTEER FIRE COS.
PASS INTO HISTORY
6 O'CLOCK TONIGHT
Continued from paRc 1

Continued from page 1.
Immediately after roll call the men
in platoon A will go on duty. The
men In platoon b will be permitted to
go home until 8 o'clock tomorrow
morning when they will report for
duty. The firemen viii begin opera
tions without uniforms. Some of them
have been delivered here but the safety
directors have decided TO permit no
one to wear their uniforms until all
have been equipped with them. The
firemen also will have to equip them
selves with rubber boots and rubber
coats. This Is done In all paid de-
partments.
Additional Lieutenants.
The directors OF the Department OF
Public Safety yesterday AFTERNOON ap-
pointed Hugh Henry and John NJ
Patterson lieutenants. They comple'"
the roster of 26 lieutenants in the de-
partment. Fire Chief Lutz has as
signed both men to Truck Company
No. 3 The safety directors yesterday
also appointed ID. Cochran to be a
chauffeur and Chief Lutz detailed him
TO Engine Company No. 4. There re-
/ i1lNlil lout lilpit iltii W pt iiohNb w
| complete the personnel OF the entire
department. making lS2 officers and
men. They will not be selected, how
ever, until about the first of the year
when the new aerial truck will be de-
| livered here and they will be named
to make up the personnel of that truck
company.
The directors yesterday had confer
ences with representatives OF several
! OF the volunteer companies relative to
the transfer of their properties 10 the
city. Most OF the deeds 20 the fire
houses have been turned over and are
now held in escrow until the bond
issue sale has been completed and the
money in hand when Ii will be dis
tributed to the several companies and
the city will then take full possession
of the deeds to their houses.
The safety directors yesterday de-
cided to rent the house Of the Della
ware Fire Co, at Sixth and French
streets. for an indefinite period. at
S125 per month. In II will be stored
the aerial truck while the alterations
are being made at the old Washing
ton Company's house now No.
house. The steam and chemical
engines from there will be stored in
the old Phoenix company's house until
the changes have been completed. This
arrangement was made In order 70
give that section OF the city adequate
fire protection until the Washington
house can be remodeled.
The directors were in session yes
terday afternoon for several hours and
again last night until nearly II
O'Clock. They are completing the de-
tails incident to the establishment ot
, the new department and they are
we'll satisfied today with the progress:
that has been made. Their big tasl
now is the compilation OF the rule.
and regulations for the department
These are about completed and vii
be issued shortly.
The eighty men who were in tn
last training class were paid OF las
night and this morning. Their com
pensation was made at the rate o
81 400 year. For the present tn
training school is closed but later
will be opened again as the training o
' the firemen will be continued as lon
as there Is a department here. Thi
work Will be part OF the daily routin
of the members.
\ Last night there was a meeting 10
: officers only In the old Friendshi
!, house. The men were addressed b
!. Captain Charles Umbekant. Chief Lut
$ and Deputy Chief Donohoe. They wer
told how they are TO conduct them
$ selves and what will be expected O
: them in their new positions.
. Today teams and trucks We're bus
z delivering to the several fire house
= heavy reels OF new hose. beds an
e bedding and other equipment and fur
niture for the use and convenienc
{ of the men. Those who go on duty a
= 6 O'Clock will sleep in the houses. On
I lieutenant will be in command i
: each house. Fire Chief Lutz will hav
s his active headquarters in engin
{ house No. l, the Friendship. and WI
e also have offices in City Hall wher
r his secretary will be located Ever
v morning at 10 o'clock a complete re
V port will be received there from a
e the fire companies of fires and othe
q happenings at the houses during til
e previous "a hours.
4 The passing OF the volunteer com
panies at o'clock this evening wi
n mark the termination of a long an
: honorable career OF l45 years. II wa
d In 1776. almost at the time of th
h birth of the nation. that the Friend
k ship Fire Company was organize,
" Other companies followed In time an
II there was great rivalry between then
l. 1t was not until 1870 that the fir.
II horse drawn fire apparatus made Il
d appearance in this city. IT was owne
by the Water Witch Company. Tt
advent of the gasoline propelled ar
operated engine is well within tl
memory of almost everyone in the ci,
today. The Washington Company hs
v the first ladder truck and later II
Delaware company changed from q
v engine company to ladder compan