The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1883-12-22

Mr.. EDITOR AS the firemen's
friend, claim a small space in your
columns i'm defensa of that much
abused and little appreciated branch
OF our community. My theme
is the very liberal (2) criticisms by q
few narrow minded individuals, when
ever an opportunity presents itself for
them to get in their croaking. Their
propensity came prominently to the
front on the occasion of the vote by the
property -helders of this town whether
they sheuld be taxed to pay for a
steam fire engine.
The croakers came cut of the cor
test victorious. That was no doubtvery
encouraging to the firemen; but they
did not propose TO be balked in their
efforts of usefulness by few sore
heads whose main strength consisted in
the apathy Of many, the ignerant pre-
judiee of SEINE, and the downright
knavery of others. The members of
Opelousas Fire Company No. i
went diligently to work, bought 0ne
of the best makes Of steam fire engines,
and the first payment on same, deliv
cred here, amounting to nearly $1,000,
was paid cash out of their own
funds not cent having been asked
from the citizens of this town for the
purpose. The engine proved, after
thorough test, to be all that had been
claimed for it, and effectually silenced,
for time, the croakers and their ri
diculous objections. But the unfortu-
nate occurrence at the fire last Monday
in the delay in getting the steamer to
work caused by the negligence of
some of the officers of the company
and which was certainly mere sincere
ly deplored by the firemen than by any
one else, was too good an opportunity
for Mr.. Croaker to let so by without in
dulging his famous propensity. While
the firemen were straining every nerve
to remedy the evil and chatting under
the disappointment caused by the ag
gravating accident, Mr.. Croaker was
complacently locking on, at a respect
able distance from the fire, indulging
in witty remarks and complimentary al
lusions to the firemen and their engine,
forgetting that they had not dollars
interest in the machine, nor had they
contributed one cent in taxes towards
the maintenance of the Organization
even the fuel that had been required to
run the engine for nearly a year past
having been bought and paid for by
members of the company out OF their
own treasury. In view of these facts,
and until the authorities of this town
see fit to appropriate something to-
wards the support of the Fire Depart-
ment, think, the least the firemen
might expect would be less "sasss
from the croakers and smart Alecks,
and a little more Encouragement
ally, at least from the general pub
lie who are at least equally interested
in an efficient Fire Department., with
the public spirited citizens who are
willing to put themselves to the ex-
pense and Inconvenience of maintain
ing their organization pro bono pabttco.
With the above gentle hint to the n
receneilabIe sand ssI told you SOS" and
the hope that the deplorable incident
of last Monday is a lesson that will
serve to put The firemen on their guard
against any recurrence of the same, |
trust that we will be spared any far
tIler unreasonable criticisms, at least
until the critics have done something
\ to entitle them to have q say in the
management of our Fire Department
Respectfully,
A FIREMAN.