The herald., 1894-02-07
WEST COAST HAPPENINGS
Fire Chiefs in Session in San
Francisco.
Some Interesting Papers and
Discussions.
Paid Fire Departments an Economic
Necessity.
Litigation Over the Purchase of the Stall
lion Ormonde-A San Francisco
Commission Firm Finan-
ciAl1y Embarrassed.

By the Associated Press.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 6.-Many cities
and towns throughout the Pacific coast
were represented today when the Pacific
coast association of fire chiefs assembled
for their second annual convention.
When President H. M. Lillis called the
convention to order there were in at
tendance about 80 chiefs and ex-chiefs
of fire departments in cities ranging
in locality from Victoria to San Diego.
The membership of the association num-
bers 150, but many of the members were
prevented by busines reasons from being
present.
Mayor Ellert made a brief address OF
welcome on behalf of the people of San
francisco. President Bohen Of the Ex-
empt Firemen's association seconded
Mayor Ellert's welcome.
Gardner Kellogg of Seattle, ex-presi-
dent of the association, said: 1T has
been the ambition of my life to get this
organization started. We have been
busily working at it for four or five
years. Our first convention was held at
Portland year ago, when there was a
! small representation compared with
what we have how. | hope we will 10
home with increased information. This
is simply school for study for the BEN
eft OF those for whom we render serv-
ice. I hope the next convention will be
more evenly represented than this, and
that districts which have no delegates
now in attendance will answer the roll
CALL"
The president appointed as a commit
tee on credentials Chief L. Deasey OF
Victoria, Chief d. A. Moriarty of Los
Angeles and Chief J. Buchtel OF Port
land.
The association had prepared series
of topics to be discussed by the conven.
ton. To Chief 7. Ackerman OF New
4 Westminster, B. c., the FIRST two had
been assigned. and in an interesting
paper he considered them jointly. They
we're: "Best Plan to Organize Paid Fire
Departments in Small Cities and Towns"
and "How Are Paid Departments Appli-
cable to Small Towns and Villages"
Chief Ackerman said that the call sys-
tenn was the most feasible in small
cities. He recommended for cities OF
5000 inhabitants the establish ment OF
|
sirable localities. All towns of 5000
inhabitants could afford and should
have paid fire departments. The cost
would not be more than $4,000 per
year.
The subject was then discussed by the
convention. Secretary Worsly of Astoria
said that he WAS convinced that his city
would be much benefited if it's present
volunteer department were made a paid
department. Walter s. Moore spoke in
the same strain.
The convention then adjourned in re-
spect for the memory of the late David
Scannell, and Chiefs Kellogg, Kerns
and Sullivan were appointed commit
tee to draft resolutions.
At the evening session the president
appointed two committees as follows:
Auditing-Chiefa Mcclellan OF Olym-
pia, Brisben and Cairnes.
On exhibit-Chiefs Sullivan OF San
Francisco, Ackerman, Hunt, Rolf and
Buchtel.
After the reading OF resolutions in re-
spect to the memory of Chief Scanned,
Chief Deasy of Victoria read his paper on
the Importance of insurance companies
discriminating in rates in favor OF cities
having paid fire departments, and il
was discussed IN connection with q
paper read in the afternoon by
Chief Alderman. In this discussion
the last named chief led. Chief
Sullivan said insurance companies had
offered to reduce the insurance 10 per
cent in any district where fire depart
ment was put on full paid basis. Chief
Deasy said that until San Francisco and
Portland have full paid departments,
Victoria and tie other smaller cities
cannot expect to get them. Chief Buch-
tel of Portland spoke of the difficulty in
getting the people awakened to the i'm
portance OF a paid department. and
Chief Kellogg of Seattle told how his
city had secured a full paid depart
1 ment and the insurance companies
paid back $lS0,0O0 in premiums
on that account. Secretary Worsley of
+ Astoria, ex-Chiei Moore of Los Angeles,
Chief Brisben OF New Whstcom, Presi-
dent Lillis and others joined in the dis
cussion, and on motion of Chief Buchtel
a resolution WAS adopted recommending
the establishment of partially or fully
paid departments in all cities on the
coast as means of lowering insurance
rates.
ROSS SUES MACDONOUGR.