The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-12-12
WHAT FIRE COMMISSION
DID FOR DEPT HERE
Under the Management of Fire Commission,
City's Fire Department More Than Doubled
Equipment in Less Than Two Years

WThI1bCth Clty 5 nre depart
msn. i'll less than two years,
3 raier the Fire Commission
,an. from $4,000 worth of
~,> efficient equipment III
#@3l to- more than $4,000
worth at the present time is a
&ory worth telling, inaSmuch
Z ], j. shows what the fire fight
y~s Of Elizabeth City have
been doing under handicaps.
Elizabeth City's Fire Commission
pan was authorized in 1921 by spe-
"a, act Of the Legislature sponsored
Ay The Merchants Association, and
A.er by the Chamber of Commerce.
NTlr FuC Commission is composed Of
i .lrr" men. one selected from the
i Merchants Association. one from the
4 Chamber Of Commerce, and one from
70, Fire Department itself. The
S .->, Fire Commission board appoint
. 81 for Elizabeth City early in 1921,
MAS composed of the following men.
t 'a"ir terms for four, three and two
r,arS respectively: J. G. Sawyer,
r5ajrmau; NJ. G. Morrisette and l..
L. Foreman. Later when Mr.. Fore
man was elected 10 the Board Of
Aldermen. Miles Clark was appoint
yi to MI his place, and these three.
Sawyer. Morrisrtte and Clark, con-
>'itutc the board as it stands to-day.
How the Fire Commission came
ahout is interesting. The Fire Dc
ra-tmcnt bad experienced consider
able trouble in getting things done by
slow moving Board Of Aldermen.
There was always something badly
ceded. the lack Of which meant q
andicap in fighting fires. The fire
raief would take his troubles 10 the
lard. and after the members bad
i"6ated the matter among them
>"lres, they usually passed the buck
20 i committee, and often the motion
was forgotten.
In the winter of l92O-21, the fire.
men were brought up Short.handed
against three of the biggest fires in
'ac history of the department. There
vas the $4,000 fire of the Foreman
porrickson Nenecring Co, the S25,-
unI fire Of the KramerMoss Co, and
'ar $4,000 fire of the Sif Building.
-ow occupied by the Savings Bank
u Trust Co.
These fires taught Elizabeth City
'ar need of more effective equipment.
A rlicf Flora at that time took the
a natter before the Merchants AsSo-
4 ra,ior The merchants were inter
5,rd in seeing the city get better
y l1.pment. Their property was at
.aar. Aud So legislation was ini-
'1'"d authorizing 4 Fire COmmis-
,.9r.
Works Without Hitches
To. Fire Department and its buSi-
,n,> 10 longer bOthcrs the Board OF
Adrrmru. or the city executives. All
'1r>" troubles now go to the Fire
i"mm.s sSiou, which meets once 4
@ou'h or oftener if necessary. The
ara5"rS receive 81 for each monthly
-sa'Hs. but they do not keep 1t.
They use this money, for an occa-
Nn@a banquet for the firemen.
Do lH2I. when the Fire Commis-
4. s,"' 'rrk hold Of the work, the COM
rgy lad only 10000 feet of hose,
"g" '~pc-TJ, triple pumper OF I0u
:a.,". capacity per minute, one type
10 chemical. hose and ladder truck,
ono steamer Of 500 gallon capacity,
ono bor,c.drawu hook and ladder
'-,rl. aod only 12j feet of ladders,
= E"lrs old or more.
Compare this list with the present
'q1pm"D, Of two type-75 TJO gal
on jumpers; one type-10 combina-
Ton. motor driven hook and ladder
21i "b"ulcal truck, carrying go It
OF laidnr, ranging from a JO-fool
extension ladder TO q 12-foOt roo1
~ai"r; 1000 feet Of hose; and $0V
'erg OF hose holders, gas masks
l '.'"'-.r rprcueS. cutoff, etc. In ad'
'j."n 10 many incidental things, the
r2araus has bought, it has RENTED
..' ."r former bumpers with new
'F', Vow it is erecting Il Sl,3W
%Il'.ioa 70 the present 9fre engine
'2.s'. 'o make room for new pun
,s' serun'Iy bought.
3n2'.rr thing that is to be done
". .l" 1rrmcn has been supported
WI roarlou,cd 10 by the klwani;
d." Io., IS a plan to spend A.oN
u i'und"auy the freucn's headquar'
'''' and make it IYabie for tb(
JOY 4 ,aryc amount of this money
"'' o'"4 raised.
Id" ..rrovcmcDtS made By tht
Il 'i. Commission have not called 10,
azure -Ju Ten ceuts on the SIO'
'..1 o, H'opcr,y in the city. Th'
,'.a'.~>.a. Is empowered to levy u
" = r-a.-. ,r it is necessary.