The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-05-26
THE FIRE ENalnE QUESTION.

/ THE FIRE ENaiNE QUESTION. .
EDITOR JOURNAL notice in your pa
" per OF last week = communication frol
Col. Kerr, President Of the City Council
favoring the purchase Of steam fire en-
CINE. It's understood that the conclusion
Of his article alludes to local Of mine
published during your absence; and tina
"attempts at irony may be excused,
desire to state reasons for opposing tn,
purchase Of steamer. I find many in
report made by the Colonel himself les
than seven weeks ago, and to be found ii
your issue of March 3oth, (among tn,
Council proceedings which is as follows
The Special Committee on Fire Depart,
mentmade the following report, which
was accepted:
70 tAe Honorable City Council of 81. Cloud
The undersigned, appointed by the Coun.
oil to ascertain for what price and on What
| terms, fire engine can be purchased for
this City, would respectfully report:
| That he has corresponded with L. Cor.
ton, Esq, Of New York City, and others,
concerning tho matter above referred to.
and has gained thus the following informa.
| toR:
LIST. A good steam fire engine cannot be
obtained for less than from 81, 900 to ST.
600 and your Committee believes that this
City is not yet sufficiently large to justify
the purchase Of such an engine. -
I'd. That first-class hand fire engine.
the largest and best made, costs new, $2,-
5OO, that very few if any good hand fire
engines are now manufactured That there
are many Of the best class of hand iire en-
glnes ever manufactured in this country,
now for sale very cheap, by the cities thai
have discontinued their use only because
they have secured steamers.
That an engine ofthis kind, better prob
ably than any that can be bought new.
can be had for from $1,000 to $1,000.
That your Committee has written to q gen.
tleman in Newark, n. j., who is praoti-
col machiAist, and who offers to procure
such an engine and warrant that it: viii
give entire satisfaction.
I'D. That hose can be purchased On
time for City Bonds running one year at
10 per cent. interest.
land that the engines will have to be paid
tor, cash on delivery.
In view Of which your committee would
recommend that the Council purchase such
an engine as heretofore indicated, for
price not to exceed, freight included, if-
teen hundred dollars-and hose to the
amount Of 800 feet, giving the Citys
bends for the latter as aforesaid. Aiso
that a committee be appointed to immedi-
ately open negotiations for such pur-
chase,
Task leave Of the Council to read the
letters have received. All of which is
respectfully submitted.
oHAs. D. KERR.
1t will be observed that Col. Kerr, seven
weeks ago, pleads strongly against the
scheme and Observation-Disclosures
front, and with equal ability-that .:some
in doubt may be bene6ted-pleads for
the purchase. At this rate the question
will become less understood than has bsen
the Plebisoitum in France. -:
There are other sons than those fur.
nished by Col. Kerr why We should vote
against this proposition, which I will
briefly state-like the Colonel, not desiring
to argue them. We never argue these
things? >s..-:.
First. The silsby Company manufac-
ture three classes Of steamers, first, Sec
ond and third class, equal in finish and un-
equsl:n size and capacity. They propose
to furnish this City with third-olass for
80, 600. This is more than other places
pay for the same article, and is just what
st. Paul paid, four years ago, for second
class, tothe same company. A 6rst-class
costs only $4,000.
: Second Five thousand dollars would no
more than build an engine house and els
terms, an outlay which taxpayers are
hardly able to meet. +" '.
= 7hird. Five months in q year steamer
must be kept warmed. The room must be
kept above the freezing point, or the ma
chine cannot be used with safety. Esti-
mato the expense of this.
- Fourth. An engineer, on . salary small
or large, must be employed. This talk Of
any one running steamer is the merest
bosh. Any person. acquainted with one Of
these machines must know that all cities
have had trouble until the most skillful
engineers were secured. The experience
Of st. Paul in this respect is answer
enough to the assertion that tony one"
can learn to handle steam fire engine.
In the contemplated purchase We will
have an immediate outlay of $4,000,
in machine, cisterns and house, and 49,
900 thereafter for three years, saying
nothing about the yearly expense Of run
ming and taking care of the elephant.
Can VIC we'll meet this expenditure?
Yours,
L. W. COLLINS.