Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-30
A NEW DEAL.
THE FIRE BRIGADEyS PROPOSITION
no THE CITY COUNCIL.

The Corporation viii Either Sell Gu,
Entirely to the City and Mar the Ap.
paratus subject Thereto, or Buy the
City apparatus and Manage the Fire
Service Exclusively.
A very important meeting OF the Butte
Fire Brigade No. l was held yesterday after
noon at the City Hall in pursuance OF the
call of Chief Themes. The meeting was
called to consider the invitation OF the City
Council to assist in the nomination OF the
Chief OF the Fire Department.. About four.
teen members were present with Frank
Themes in the chair. The matter was dis
cussed in all it's bearings and it was the
general sense Of the meeting that while the
Brigade acknowledged the courtesy of the
invitation they could not accept.
A series Of resolutions were introduced
By Henry McMurphey which embodied the
feeling OF the Fire Brigade on the subject.
and the gist OF which is: Recognizing the
courtesy OF the invitation from the Cty
Council to recommend to that body the
name OF some efficient member for appoint
ment as City Fire Marshal, which involved
a tribute to themselves as a valu-
able and trustworthy adjunct OF
the fire service of Butte although
an independent one, the Brigade feel
obliged to decline an individual recommen- |
datiOn, but asked hat the Council make
it's choice from among the efficient firemen |
Of Butte, without regard to politics. The |
Brigade realized more powerfully thar any |
one else the necessity of an efficient Fire |
Department, and in order to attain this
result made the following proposition to |
the Council: That tue Fire Committee of
the Council be fully empowered to confer
with the trustees OF the Butte Fire Brigade
looking to the purchase OF all fire appa-
ratuS of the city by the Brigade, or to
close out all the property of the Fire
Brigade to the city.
These resolutions when presented at the
meeting were in an informal condition, but
meeting with the appreciation of the mem
bers present, Mr.. McMurphey was directed
to draw them up in formal language and
have them signed and presented to the
Council at Its meeting this evening.
Mr.. McMurphey was interviewed bya rep
resentative OF The MINER after the meeting
and in answer to inquiries said:
THE truth of the matter is that the
present condition Of affairs in the fire
service of the city cannot continue any
longer. We could not make any recon-
mendation for Fire Marshal as the Brigade
is an independent organization, free from
control of the city. We were incorporated
under the laws of the Territory in 1878 ,
and the term of existence has yet nine
years to rum. We have our own
Chief and assistant and have a
need not turn out at any fire !
II we don't think fit. and We receive no ex-
emptiOns on account OF our services which
are purely voluntary. In the course OF the
existence of the Brigade we lave expended
nearly $4,000 in apparatus which has
been collected among ourselves. What the
Council ought to do is to appoint a Fire
irrespective OF politics"
You say the present system can not
longer. What do you mean by
l.
II NEAR that the present dual system
cannot continue. The city is too big to
with. the fire service as at present.
IN short, it will be necessary to put things |.
IN "a pay basis in future. The Marshal will "
rave to devote his. entire time tt the duties @
Of his office and he will need to nave an as. n
sistant to relieve him. But one or other 8
must be constaIt lily on duty. Then, men q
who serve at fires will have to receive a !,
stipulated sum per hour for their services. y
~ wan ~ ~ w AAAS ASbAS "
service at present, but the fire. n
will be enrolled and arrangements h
made to have certain men turn out at :,
times who will be paid for actual ?
y
"You will, l suppose, recommend a sys- d
5em Of electric signals?" "
eyes, that is an imperative necessity. It'll n
will not be expensive, either. | can estab- !,
ish an electric fire system of signals, with y
L,rA E~%kr q 1,az Co.. 1Vn l,,.1unl I@1 %
70
Frank Thomes was afterward met and =
Questioned about the action of the meet. =
ng and it's objects. He said: THE real :;
intent of our action to-day is this: To l.
buy or sell out to the city. We win under q
take to assume the entire control OF the a
fire service for the one-mill tax. If we h
get control we will pay the Marshal and a
and every expense connected 4
with the fire service. 1t will be necessary n
to have a house in the upper part of Fl
city lies west Of Main street. There / "
would place a reel capable of carrying
seven hundred feet of hose. Then a couple
CT smaller reels could be kept at the City
Hall, or in the lower part of the city, and
by that means we could effectually cover 4
the city," y
Would the one mill tax cover all your L
or would you have TO assess NJ
yourselves for anything" :
1T might not the first year. We would
to get new apparatus, but anything a.
In that way needed there would be no L
in procuring from the manufac- @
turers in Ne York. Thu Brigade's credit
there is good for any amount" "
"It the city concluded TO buy your APP IT
would you continue in existence?" y
1--WE would cease to be a volunteer or d
ganization, bet, as our resolutions read, p
we would mah the apparatus for the city
should it buy from us. The fact is, the n
has never turned out less than o
men at any fire in the last two N
years, while the Department has frequently o
been short OF men. We have had to reel "
their hose for them and do the major part b
OF the work without reaping the glory of f
it, or what there was in it.. We nave paid W
our expenses and receive nothing for H..
This is not right, and u intention is to
make a new deal all round"