The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-10-25
ALARM BOX DEAL
STARTS WRANCLE


now occupied by the Industrial
USO. was reached in meeting Of
the CITY Council yesterday by
November /. A heated discussion
on the merits of two types Of fire
alarm boxes now being considered
for purchase by the city also took
place.
With the decision to move the
recreation offices from the street
level to the second floor of 22a
Princess street, was a provision
that the remainder of the second
door be maintained for the use
of teen-agers, industrial workers
and service PERSONAL.
Appearing before the board to
ask for the continuance Of recrea
tional facilities for young people
were representatives of the Boy
Scouts, Brigade Boys club, YMCA,
YWCA, Girl Scouts, Parent-Teach'
ers association and Recreational
division of the Council of Social
Agencies.
They explained that their appeal
was prompted by the closing Of
The woodrow Wilson Hut and the
Industrial USO, and the discontinue
ance of the Chestnut street school
recreational program.
The council action provided that
the city take over on Nov. l, and
INCORPORATE into its present recre.
tional program the facilities being
abandoned by the Industrial club
on Oct. 81.
It was understood that the set
up would serve as an interim ar
rangement, probably until the
Second and Orange USO is aban'
doned by the government and pos
sibly taken over by the city.
The move was advocated by Jese
A. Reynolds recreation depart.
ment superintendent, who pointed
out that approximately $500 month
" less would have to be spent than
was necessary to maintain the
present recreation offices. and the
Woodrow Wilson Hut.
The councils decision was tenn
pered with two conditions: First.
that the move would be made if a
satisfactory lease could be OBJ
tanned; and second, provided that
federal funds be continued.
Following the departure Of the
delegation requesting additional
recreation facilities, council mem
bers became involved in a long
and ultimately futile discussion OF
two fire alarm boxes which had
been submitted by rival companies
for examination by city officials.
The council earlier this month
had advertised for bids on furnish
ing the city with n new boxes.
Detailed specifications had been
prepared and made available to
prospective bidders by L. T. Gar
rem, city electrician.
A stormy discussion, which in
volved council. members, the city
clerk and attorney, the manager
and electrician, representatives
Of both bidding companies and
even a spectator at the meeting,
followed a statement by a rep
resentative Of the General Electric
Supply company that his COM
pany's bid did not meet the specifi.
cations as drawn up by the city
electrician.
He explained that the box built
by his company, however, was
we'll constructed and met specifi.
cations Of the Fire Underwriters
in every detail. you cannot find
another firm that can submit a
bid to meet these specifications
they exclude all other bidders" he
declared.
To which the GameWen compa.
ny representative replied "This
box that we have offered will
more than meet your specifica.
tons. There's nothing in them that
anybody can't build"
Although a number Of motions
were offered, none was successful
Until Councilman j. E. L. Wade
got the affirmative votes Of Coun.
Gilman Garland S. Currin and
Mayor w. Ronald Lane on a pro.
posal that ''the Gamewell bid be
rejected and that the city clerk be
authorized to readvertise and
that all builders Of fire alarm box.
es be requested to submit a bid
and that specifications be pre-.
pared by the city manager. fire
chief and city electrician, and be
submitted to council for approval.
Councilmen w. E. Yopp and
Robert s. LeGwin voted mo"
saying they could not see why the
bid meeting specifications was re.
lected.
Further action Of the city board
included the following:
Request Of Joe Hinton that the
city refrain from placing sidewalk
on west side of goth street re.
ferred to city manager.
Authorization Of City Manager
A. c. Nichols to make negoti.
atoms looking to the securing Of
an architect to prepare plans and
specifications for tn proposed
community building.
The appointment Of Mayor Lane
and Councilman Wade as 4 com.
mittee to work with a two-man
county committee to appoint a