The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-23
Local Affairs.


FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ST. PAUL-The hire
men made fine display yesterday, notwith-
standing the disagreeable state OF the wealth
er. The morning was rainy, but it cleared
off a little before noon, and as the Minneso-
ia independent Company No. l , of st. An
thony, who were the guests of our 6remen for
the day, were not deferred by it and made
their appearance promptly, our boys be-
stirred themselves and turned out in full
numbers. The st. Anthony Company was
escorted to the Public Square in the fore
noon, and at about two o'clock the st. Paul
Companies mustered at the same place.
They were formed inside OF the fence, on the
four sides of the Public Square, under the
direction of Charles H. Williams, Esq, and
his first and second assistants h. u. Sharp
and Geo. Blake. They formed in front OF
the Engines and dressed excellently into
line. The Great Western Band occupied
the centre of the Square. The Chief Engi-
neer waited upon the Mayor and Common
Council, and escorted them upon the ground
they walking entirely round the Square,
and receiving the salutes of each company
as they passed.
After the review, the Chief Engineer
mounted the gallery of the Mnnehaha, No.
2. and addressed the Mayor and Council as
follows:
Mr. Manor and Gentlemen of the CON-
mon Council ALLOW me to introduce to
YOU the Fire Department of our city and
the Minnesota Engine Company Of st.
Anthony, as faithful and efficient body Of
Firemen as you will find in the length and
breadth of the landau organization grown
from one Company year ago, to four Com
panies, numbering in the aggregate one
hundred and seventy-6ve men. Aid here
take occasion to publicly thank you, gentle
men of the Common Council for the in
terest YOU have manifested in furthering the
efficient organization of our Department.
Continue, gentlemen, to give us your aid
and support in this most praisewOrthy I'M
dertaking, in which we sacrifice not only
our time and means, but also our health,
and you will not find US wanting when the
alarm calls us to subdue the whitening
flames encircling the homes of our fellow
citizens.
The Mayor, Col. D. A. Robertson, then
mounted the gallery, the Firemen being
drawn I'D in front of the Engine, and made
response, thanking the Fire Department,
and congratulatlng them upon their fine
appearance, and their success and efficiency
in the public service, and said that he was
gratified to recognise among them the most
substantial men of the city, embracing mer
chants, mechanics, and professional men of
the highest character-that the Fire De-
partment of our country is national instl-
tuition that does not exist elsewhere. In
other countries, Firemen are paid for expos
ing their health and their lives, and consist
of men who are not recognized as having
large interest in public welfare; in our
country they are volunteers, influenced only
by patriotic sentiments citizens, property
holders and house holders, performing their
duties without other reward, than con-
sciousness of having discharged great
public service. This is one OF the most
glorious illustrations of American institu-
lions, and the effect produced by their infiu-
nece on the citizens of this country, for he re-
cognised before him men OF various natlonall-
ties, American born, Germans, Irish, men of
French decent, all alike Americans in senti-
ment and feeling. Our institutions make
them all national and one people.
You have devoted yourselves to the pub.
lie service, you have united together to
protect the people of this city from the
fury of one Of the great elements, and it is
Just and natural that you should, in military
phrase, desire to be masters OF your position.
You cannot be so, without an adequate sup
ply of water. This is fact recognized by
the City Council and by myself. 1t is
i. %bo oit;1onc Of ST PanI
desire to supply, aud we have adopted
course of policy for the protection OF the
city credit, which will enable US to supply
it, without endangering the finances OF the
city, and without embarrassment, or the
contingency of failure, and so as to enable
US to furnish work for our labOring people
during winter, In this enterprise you are
interested, both as fremen and sitizens,-l
may therefore be excused in explaining to
you our prospects for accomplishing this
desirable object.
For $4,000, water works can be supplied
sufficient for several years, which will be
part of more extensive works thereafter
and under which the water rents will i'm.
mediately be from $1,000 to $4,000 per
annum. Upon this basis, bonds, with the
water rents pledged for payment of interest,
can be sold, and the works may thereby be
speedily constructed. He announced this
project as the great measure of his admins
tration, and declared his determination, with
the support of the Council, which he knew
would always sustain him, when in the right,
to accomplish it before the term Of his
office expired, and thus furnish water to the
people OF this City, at moderate cost, and
for the extinguishment of fires, without ex-
pense to the City, and without adding to our
taxes, and thus relieve the people from the
grasp of spectators and gamblers.
He denounced in severe language thel
charge that be had prevented the borrowing
of money by the Secretary of the St. Paul
Water Works Co., for the construction of
water works in this City, and alleged that
he 1.-THE Mayor had never gone to New
York. that the individual. whom it was
charged he had defeated, could not have
raised in that city, enough money to pay
his grog bills, nor was he willing that any
man that had failed in the experiment of CON
Quoting a gambling house in the City of St.
Paul sbouId now succeed in his schemes by
attempting to deceive strangers, or gamble
npon the wants and necessities OF our peo-
pie.
The Mayor closed with some further gen.
eral remarks, and at the close, as well