Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-08-06
PETITION.


CUSTER Cry, S. d., Aug. !, 1892.
To the Honorable Board of Trustees,
Custer City S. ID.
GENTLEMEN We, the undersigned
citizens Of Custer City, legal voters and
tax payers. respectfully petition your
| honorable body To call a special election
| in the town OF Custer City as soon as
possible under the statutes for the pur-
pose Of submitting the question OF bond
ing the town in the sum of fifteen
hundred dollars, TO be used in the pnr-
chase Of chemical FIRE extinguisher
and repairing engine room for the re-
ception of the same. Fully realizing
that nothing less than the decrees of
| Providence and good fortune are otir
present protectors from destruction by
fire, we absolutely urge this most import
ant measure TO your favorable and speeoy
consideration, and your petitioners will
ever pray.
The above document with the append
ed signatures will be presented to the
Town Council at the time of its next
meeting and win probably he acted
upon by that body. The petition has
been signed bv number of the business
men and other tax payers. and while
heartily endorsed by them is opposed
by others who have refused to sign it,
and whose opinions are entitled to equal
consideration. All will agree that the
petition says truly, that Providence and
good fortune are our only present pro-
tectors from the ravages ofthe fire fiend
and that some step in the direction sng.
gested is positively necessary, There is
no contradiction of the fact that we
need and must have protection from
fire, but the difference in opinion is as
TO what the nature Of that protection
shall be. Those who oppose the pur
chase of a fire engine suggest that
system Of water works be put in by the
town. and that suggestion is earnestly
endorsed by the CHRONICLE. Let us
have water works by all means, but can
We have them right away, this year?
The cheapest kind of system would
cost price way up in the thousands,
and would the majority Of the tax
payers. just at this time feel like assum
ing such burden Of expense? This is
question which we fear would be
answered in the negative, now at least
The purchase of chemical engine
would not entail an expense nearly so
great, and we believe that the people
would favor il as an immediate step.
and that there would be no difficulty
about voting the bonds Custer needs
the water works and needs them badly,
but let MS max. sure of something that
will protect us from fire during the
coming winter. Vote water bonds 10 be
sure, but let us get the engine now, and II
the town can't afford water works now,
get them later.
Our people fully realize the danger
they are in, and there is no need of re-
peating the old arguments that we have
used so often in urging their attention
to this matter. They all recognize that
something must be done, and that right
soon. We are resting on the crater of
volcano that may oyerwhelm us at
any moment, 1t is time 10 move, and
move rapidly. The purchase of an en-
CINE seems to be the easiest and most
practical solution of the problem. Gus
ter Fire & Hose Co. has agreed to house
and take care of the engine, and the
provisions OF their newly adopted con-
stitution and bylaws will warrant their
prompt attention to oil fires. Let the
petition be well circulated. Everybody
sign il and let us put ourselves on the
safe side without further delay.