The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-06-30
POINT F|REMEN
WANT HEARING
Fight Over Rival Fire Companies
Causes Dispute to be Basis Of
Asking Investigation.
RELIEF MEMBERS TIE

The fight developing again at Som
ers Point over the rival fire companies
has caused Lewis B. Matthias to ask a
representative of the New Jersey Tn
derwriters Association to conduct a
public hearing on the situation. In
his letter Matthias says in part:
st is with regret that I am COM
PEELED to bring to your attention the
fact that the city officials are doing
everything to prevent harmony be-
tween the fire companies of our city,
and to illustrate:
"A request was made to the City
Council at their meeting June 5, 1928,
to have the new fire house at New
York avenue and the Shore road con-
nected up with the city fire alarm sys-
TEN. This request was denied the
Volunteer Fire Co. No. l, which the
committee from the State Relief Asso-
citation recognizes as a regular quail
fed company, doing public duty since
March, 1907.
"City Council at an adjourned meet
ing June 10, 1923, offered and passed
a resolution asking the solicitor to
draw an ordinance to put the Volun-
teer Fire Co., No. l, out of commits
sion, thereby lessening the fire protec-
ton and also creating by their action
discord among our citizens.
Since the organization of the new
company, the Volunteer No. l have
bought by public subscription a siren,
built their own irehouse, bought acid
and soda for the new $50 gallon chem
ical on a ton Ford chassis, which is
superior to the city's.
The City Solicitor, in complete dis
regard to the protection to life and
property in case of fire, said, That
the City Fire Company, in case the
siren sounded, need not pay any atten-
ton to same, as they had a bell on
the City Hall, which was for the use
in the event of fire.
Our Company No. l has been no
doubt held up to you as nothing but
a social club any many other things,
the same as the State Relief Associa-
ton was led to believe until they sent
a committee here and had a public
hearing. They are convinced
that what has been done has been to
get us out of commission. AS n of
the members of the Relief Association
said, 1t looks to me that there is
something back of all this that has
not come out
Tine rece1rt BIZ ft1a We, had hsre
Should be included IN your investiga-
ton. We ran out of acid and the city
locked up their supply. We had to
withdraw and the following day Dor
rowed from Ocean City and Pleasant
vile departments to protect houses
in the line of brush fires.
Il am writing this as my duty as a
representative of the several insur-
ance companies who are members of
the Underwriters Association. 1t is
up to you to get the best protection
and this can only be accomplished by
a thorough public, not private, hear
ing. This condition has been caused
by only hearing the side of the city
officials in the past. You are not get
ting the protection you should"
The Somers Point Relief Associa-
ton was organized Monday night,
when Roy S. Lewis, former treasurer,
turned over his books and funds con-
nected with his Office to Eugene Steel
man, recently elected.
Following the transfer of the books,
a resolution protesting the action OF
City Council asking the Solicitor to
draw an ordinance disbanding the
Volunteer Fire Co., No. l, was lost by
a tie vote.
Lewis B. Matthias, James Clifford
Scull and Edgar N. Pratt, members of
the volunteer organization, voted for
the adoption of the resolution, with
James E. Scull, Eugene Steelman and
Walter H. Ford, of the City Fire De
partment. negative.