Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-09-14

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block.
BOWEN e. KINGsBURy. Preprs.
We invoke the brief attention of the
city council to subject of vital impor.
tapce to the citizens of Yankton. When
the city water works were created the
investment was made largely for the
purpose of giving to Yankton cheap
and effective protection against fire, and
the project was one rejecting credit
upon those who originated it and car
ried it through to completion. Hydrants
were distributed about the city so that
nearly every quarter could be reached,
and hose and hose carriages and hook
and ladder truck were purchased. It was
the evident intention of the city fathers
to give Yankton practical protection
against oonaagration. and up to almost
the last item ofpreparation the work was
excellently performed. But here the
council halted and in stopping where
they did have seriously impaired the
efficiency of an enterprise procured at
the cost of much labor and money. The
investment of another thousand dollars
IN providing appliances for the care aud
preservation of property under the
control of the fire department would
have, for the present, made complete
their work. But they did not
meet this demand, and because of this
failure the entire protective system is
lapsing into q condition of merely nom
inal protection.
Volunteer organizations came forward
and took charge Of the apparatus, under
code of rules established by the council,
and its members were willing to work
without compensation. They are
worthy young men, without pecunlary
interest in the property over which they
voluntarily agreed to stand guard
Generally they pay little, or perhaps
nothing, in the way of taxes for the main
tenance of our system of FIRE protection,
but in lieu thereof are willing to give
their time and their labor and to en-.
counter dangers to save from destruc.
ton that which belongs to their employ
ers and their neighbors. Inadequate
facilities for handling the apparatus, and
a cold, unfinished building as their head.
quarters, were the first discouragements
encountered. but for two winters and
summers they have been patrioticalIy
endured under the ever present promise
of something better soon The some
thing better has not come and their pub
lie spirit, oozing out by degrees during
the cheerless experiences of the dreary
past, ls about all exhausted and they
have reached point where their interes,
in their calling, to put it with its best
side to the front, is only spasmodic Il
will soon cease, under present cond;
tions, to possess even that quality. Fol
months past the hose upon their carri
ages has remained undlsturbed. 1t ma,
now have become 80 rotten as to b.
unable to stand the pressure of water
The boys are anxious about it, but thei
anxiety does not quite reach tn
point of an indulgence il
severe manual labor, so lon.
} as no encoursgements for future better
ments are held out. They tell us, also
that the carriages are in need of repair.
and that their serviceability IS thereb,
seriously impaired.
In view of this condition of an i'm
portsnt department of our municipa
organization, we desire to respectful,
call the attention of the council to til
imperative need of immediate action il
behalf of this decaying organization
The old housing place car
be made tenable for a fe,
years to come by giving it coat
platering or inside sheating, by fxint
up comfortable business room for th
. members of tho department and by tn
. construction of hose drying towe1
These improvements, together wit
stoves, fuel and few other necessities
and also an assurance that the freme
are to be recompensed for clothin
ruined in the performance of their duty
would, We think, infuse spirit of effet
tive reorganization among the no,
discouraged members of the depar
ment. At any rate commute
should be appointed to confer with th
firemen and investigate their necessitle
We are satisfied that their demands al
of the most reasonable nature, and q
are further satisfied that unless they r,
+. ceive some attention Yankton will ents
!. the winter with its FIRE protective sy
tenn of no practical value in case of o
emergency which is liable to come
any moment.
The firemen also complain, aud wit
reason too, that the business men
Yankton, whose property they are o
ganized to protect from destruction,
not manifest interest in their welfare
an appreciation of their labors. o.
business men will hardly deny the co
!! rectness of this criticism, though the
neglect is wholly unlnteptlonal.
seems as though there should be n
, form all around.
The Sioux Falls convention will b
opened this morning. The records of q
secretarys Office show that fifteen cou,
a ties IN south Dakota failed ia hold n