Fire Department Concerns01
Waupaca Republican
The Firemen Want Money Instead of Glory
Chief of Fire Department, A.G. Nelson came before the council last week and said that it seemed to be time that some steps were taken to induce firemen to not only be prompt for duty at a fire but to stay by until the hose and apparatus were properly housed and cared for after the fire was over. Just “honor” and exemption from poll tax and jury duty didn’t hardly seem to be enough pay for attending to the work at a fire and after the fire was over. He suggested that each fireman who attended a fire all through and stuck by the work of caring for the hose and apparatus be paid the sum of one dollar per fire attended. The matter was referred to a committee to report at the next meeting of the council.
The REPUBLICAN believes that the services of honest toil should be rewarded but is not prepared to offer the plan upon which the firemen should be rewarded. In some places in the state where the firemen is in good standing on the roll of duty and attendance at meetings of the company during the year unless excused for absence or sickness, at the end of each year he receives seven dollars. Of course that is not a large sum but it is a reward of merit that is worth striving for. The REPUBLICAN is heartily in favor of any plan that will recompense the boys for properly taking care of their apparatus and having it ready for a sudden alarm of fire as well as their own hard work in mud and water, fire and smoke. If they were paid, then any dereliction of duty or care of apparatus could be censured or made to suffer penalty with good grace.
Fire Alarm
Ripley Hudson, formerly chief of the fire department offers a suggestion in the regard to ringing the fire alarm. The usual custom has been to ring the number of the ward where the fire is located and then clang clang clang all the way from five minutes to a quarter of an hour.. Now if a fire happens in the night time one hardly awakens from the arms of morpheus at the first call of the ward and is utterly bewildered at the clanging. If the air is hazy or stormy the electric light halo will puzzle a person to locate the fire. The suggestion made by Mr. Hudson is that the general alarm ring first then stop a few seconds then give the number of the ward then repeat the alarm and ward as before, which may be illustrated in this way the dots representing the quick ringing and the long dashes the strokes for the ward.
First Ward _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ _
Second Ward _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _
Third Ward _ _ _ _ _ _____ ____ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _
Fourth Ward _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ ____ ____ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _
The alarm and ward to be repeated several times before settling down to a general alarm.