Morning journal and courier., 1893-11-24
COFFEE STREET BELL TOWER.

Residents of the Ninth and Tenth
Wards Appear Before the Board of
Finance In Favor OF Hts Restoration
-Strong Claims Presented why 1t
Should be Rebuilt-Only the Fire
Commissioners Oppose 1t.
The aldermanic chamber In the city hall
was comfortably filled with residents and
taxpayers of tho Ninth and Tenth wards
interested In the restoration Of the Are
alarm bell tower on COTE street. Every
member of the board of finance to whom
the petition of the residents had been re-
ferred were present, and 80 also were
several of the members of the board of
fire commissioners.
Forty residents of the two wards
were also there, all fsvoring the re-
establishment of the tower. Among these
were Alderman Mcdonald, Road Commits
sioner johnson, OK Alderman Samuel R.
Avis, Superintendent Tiltou of Winches-
ter's and a number of others.
Commissioner johnson strongly favored
the restoration of the tower and claimed
| that it should be located on COTE street,
| and that the thorough efficiency of the fire
| department necessitated its restoration.
He then cited two instances where, during
the fire at Starin's dock last May, two fire.
men of No. 3's house were at home and
did not hear the alarm from the olty hall
bell.
Samuel R. Avis favored location nearer
Winchester's srmory, claiming that In the
event of a fire near the factory the en-
ployes could be Of invaluable assistance
Il k,aS, 49, ho loro rkr IL
also claimed that the tower could be erect
ed for 81 600, and probably less.
W. B. Miller, agent for the Starin Trans
portstion company, and who resides at 69s
Elm street, told the board that upon the
occasion of the fire at Stsrin's dock he die
not hear of the fire until 1t was almost ex
tinguished. ."Had there been a bell towel
in the vicinity of my house 1 would hsv'
been able to have rendered some service
and lessened the loss to the steam boat com
pany." W. w. johnson of % DiokermaI
street, also stongly favored the projeet.
| James P. Lspgdon of Winchsster's ia
vored the establishment of a tower nea
the factory, and stated that 1t would cos
only about 81 900 and claimed that 1t wa
public necessity.
When the remonstrants to the granting o
| the petition were called for only Fire Com
| missioners Jacinto Cassriego and Charlie
| L Andrews appeared. Mr.. Casariego statet
| that he was a resident and taxpayer in tn
Ninth ward and had served in the fire de
partment both an active fireman and
commissioner. He claimed that the bel
tower was luxury, and while they hs'
been necessity In the past when the sys
tenn of call men was in vogue, now tha
this had been abandoned they we're of ab
solutely no practical use and ought to b
| sbolished all over the city. What is need
| ed in the Ninth and Tenth wards are NOR
| hydrants and fire alarm boxes, he said
Still, If the public are willing to pay fo
the luxury of bell tower, we will rebuilt
1t.
Fire Commissioner Andrews also made
similar statement.
Road Commissioner johnson then calle
} for all in favor of the petition to rise, an
everyone in the room arose except the tw
!, | fire commissioners.
The board of finance then went into O.
) ecutive session, but will make no repol
} on the question until they report to til
/. l cOurt of common council,