Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-02-05
FIRE COMPANY MATTERS.
FIRE COMPANY MAT TERS'
THE SPECIAL VILLAGE MEETING REACH
ES RESULTS.

TIE SPECIAL VILLAGE MEETING REACH
ES RESULTS.
The adjourned special village meeting
to decide the question of the reorganiZa-
ton of the fire department, held at the
town hail Wednesday afternoon, voted
to buy 800 feet more of hose aud passed
the ordinance embodied in the report of
the village trustees on the subject of re-
organization, which follows
TO the Village of Middlebury The
trustees have the honor to report that
they recommend the adoption of the fol-
lowing ordinance:
Fire companies shall be limited to a
membership of 10. The roll of menu
bers shall annually, on or before March
|, be submitted to the board of trustees
for approyal; new members to be re-
ceived upon approval of the trustees.
"All firemen shall be paid 30 cents per
hour for actual service rendered in time
of fire.
The meeting was called to order at the
appointed hour by Hon. George Ham
mond, moderator. f. II. Thorp was
made clerk in the absence of Mr.. Sheldon
The attendance was small, not exceeding
31 persons all told.
G. NJ. Wilds, Esq, when called on for the
report of the trustees on the fire COM
pany question. congratulated the modei IA
tor upon the distinguished honor he en-
jioyed of presiding over so large a gather
ing of his townspeople. The trustees,
he said, called meeting for last Friday
night, at which those interested were in
vited to give their views. But the ball
was otherwise in use on that evening, so
nothing was done. The trustees had,
however, met on Tuesday evening, and,
after consultation with the chief engi-
neer, decided upon report to the village.
He presented the report as given above,
adding that it did not express his
notions atall, though it did express those
of majority Of the board. Personally
he was opposed to hiring firemen. The
whole thing ought to be on a volunteer
basis. For the dreary work of clearing
up after the excitement and danger are
over there should be compensation, and
there always had been; but for the rest
of the work there ought to be no such
arrangement as was set forth in the pro-
posed ordinance. Hitherto the depart
ment had been paid annually a fixed sum
of about $l25, which the members of the
companies had used as they saw fit, and
this was, in his opinion, the better plan.
Mr.. Tupper thought the companies
should have more than 10 members each
He urged, also, the necessity for h ook
and ladder company. If there had been
one at the last big fire all the buildings
except the Rookery could have been
saved. He would have the limit of MEM
bership %. He moved that that numb er
be the limit.
Chief Engineer Sargent said that 10
men were enough for hose company or
for hook and ladder company. He,
too, was in favor of having a.hook and
ladder organization.
Mr.. Tupper's amendment, increasing g
the membership to %, was lost, and the
report of the trustees as presented was
adopted.
1t was voted, on motion of Mr.. Tup-
per, that the village have hook and lad
der company and that the trustees pro-
ceed to secure the organization of one
and provide it with the necessary ap-
paratus.
Answering question by Mr.. Upper,
Mr.. Sargent said that 1000 feet of new
hose had lately been bought and that 500
feet more were needed.