The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-21
Fire Marshal Honors
 Memory OF Comrades
Pays Tribute to Late Privates John Phelan, Maurice Clark-Recalls Events in Lives of Both Members of Local Department Honor to City

attempted to steal base on him. He was the same way during the gala days when annually the fire department played the police team out in Hamilton park. Jack caught. and gee, how he could throw them.
 For years he was the official hydrant man of headquarters company. Fire officers often de- clarcd he made the hydrant as fast as any man they had even ob- served.
 Jack was . big hearted and jovial fellow, friendly, and good natured. There was nothing wrong with the world or its peo- pie in his estimation. He never criticized or found fault with people. He couldn't, he often said, and wouldn't anyway, he added. He gave all that was in him for the benefit of the department; he never shirked on any assignment, did what he was told to do, and always with Q willing heart. We liked him for the company he was to us upon many occasions and his everlasting wish to be of service to us.
 Loyal Friend
 Private Maurice Clark was Q little more reserved than Jack, in fact he kept his distance from those he did not know so well. But among his associates in the fire station, Maurice was . loyal and friendly companion, held the repect and good will of his off, cers and performed each asslgn- inent to the satisfaction and pleasure of the higher. ups. He neither sought nor locked for trou- ble either in or out of the service, his one thought was his family. He worked hard of duty at his little homo In Bronx avenue to make 1t attractive and up.to. date aS Q dwelling for himself and his faith full little family. He lived to see his family grow up, and start out in life, just as he did himself long before them. He was proud of and talked so nicely of his chil. dren, as he justly had Q right to do. Everything possible was done by him for their betterment in the matter of education, and mak- ing them fit for the contacts of fife in the future. As long as he had to die, he knew on his death bed that he as a father had ful. filled every obligation as called for by the head of any family. We knew Private Clark better than some people, because of our close association with him in old Engi . 5. We were there together night and day for such . period as to give us . real insight into the life and makeup of the man. We feel as though we know something about the characteristics and ex- pressi0ns of the average person and draw our own deductions, based upon our own study and Cb- servatiOns of the ones we meet.
 Upright Citizens
 And our own feeling In the case of Private Clark leads us to be- lieve that he was an upright and just man and will merit the good that goes with Death as outlined tO us by the preachers of theology that we hear from time to time to guide us in our uncertain efforts to live Q life that will bring honor and respect to us when we, too, are prepared and ready to join the procession of the dead.
 We .firemen are just ordinary citizens. trying to do the right thing by the city which employs us, and the good chief we have as the commanding officer. Some of us of the marshal's staff have many faults and must D forgiven. but the company members and the general rank and file stand out In cur estimation as high grade in- Gividuals, comparable with the best tn existncc, and whose as. sociatlon and mingiing VIC prize and shalt ever do while we arc allowed te stay on earth.
 The Waterbury fireman, save us, probably Is an honor Co Che city and this we honestly believe to be