The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-05-18
THE STATE FIREMEN
CONCLUDE THEIR EIGHTEENTH AN
NUAL CONVENTION WORK.
They Chose Design For Their Firemen's
Monument to Be Located in the Capitol
Grandchildren Business Trans
acted and All Officers Elected.

The third days session OF the state
Firemen's association was called to
order al $50 o'clock in the opera house
with very small attendance present.
President Connor stated that the by
law finiHg every delegate 81 for fail
are to be promptly in attendance on
meetings, would be strictly enforced.
The home companies had sent these
delegates here to attend to business,
and the railroads had issued passes,
and delegates should attend strictly
to business. He found he could have
enough fun between night and the
next morning, and be on hand at the
meetings, and he was a very able
bodied man. Other delegates should
do the same. Fines were Therefore very
literally assessed.
President Conner as a retiring officer
made report of his stewardship.
He called special attention to the
resolution passed at the last nesting
calling upon every member to use his
influence upon members of the legisla'
ture to have laws passed exempting
firemen from road duty and jury SER
vice. This had not been done and
upon his challenge of the convention
it was developed that only eight out
of the $50 delegates had ever spoken
to their legislative members and sem
ators. He strongly contrasted the
militia and the firemen, calling the
former play soldiers, whose only duty
it is to dress up and look pretty for
balls, parties and dress parade, while
the firemen were the real soldiers of
the state, risking constantly life,
limb and their beauty in fighting the
great common enemy-fire. Yet
the militia had been given
a splendid money recognition while
the tiremen got no consid eration from
the legislature. His remarks were
very pointed, and were frequently APP
plauded, AID on motion were referred
| to the resolution committee.
The constitution was amended so
that no one shall be eligible for the
presidency more than two terms in
succession, and that any member OF
the association shall be eligible to the
presidency.
The committee on tiremen's monu-
ment to be put in the capitol grounds
reported in favor of the design of Nor
ris Bros. of Memphis Tenn the mon
ument to cost $4,000. The monument
is to be built OF Texas granite. The
report gave rise to good deal
of discussion as by rule adopt
ed Thursday, the association
itself had said it must have all the
plans before it for final action. The
committee was finally instructed tC
report at o'clock exhibiting all the
plans submitted to them.
Considerable time was then consum'
ed in calling the roll of absentees at
morning roll call. A number of dele
gates had their fines remitted on Of
fering God excuses, but quite num-
Der of dollars found their way into the
associations treasury.
Upon motion it was decided to have
appointed local architect to superip
tend the building of the firemen's
monument and limiting his compen-
sation to $50.
The secretary announced the col
lection of 1925 as dues from the l24
companies.
The treasurer reported that the
amount due the monumental fund and
cash en- hand to credit of the fund
made something over $500 over and
above the $4,000 needed for the monu-
ment. In the general fund there
were S467 .95. The report was adopted
and the convention adjourned until
o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The association met promptly at
o'clock with full attendance. The
first business in order was the consid'
Grafton of the different plans for the
monument. The designers of the three
plans explained their designs at
length. The monumental committee
were then called on to explain how
they arrived at their conclusion as be.
tween the three monuments.
DR.. Turner of Bolton, as chairman
of the committee, stated that all OF the
monuments were excellent in design
and that it was very hard to make
g lection, but taking everything into
o nsideration they had concluded
the Memphis design was the mosl
beautiful IN workmanship and orna
mentation, hence their recommends
ton in its favor.
Captain Conner, another member o.
the committee, said that the selection
of the Memphis design was
a compromise. He said wher
the committee first voted they
stood two for Austin and one for
Waco. He favored the Waco monu
ment as being heavier built and more
substantial and still favored it. Mr.
Nance, a practical stoneman of San
Marcos, was called on for his opinion
and said that he considered the Waco
design far the best as il was the most
substantial and durable. He thought
all three monuments were cheap al
$4,000 apiece.
A vote was then taken on the con
vention preference between the three
rlans, the vote being taken by depart
ments. The vote stood Tor tbs plar
from Waco 125. from Anstin 13 and
| r,,n,,, Mapnnhia 10 ihna giving thE