The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1895-02-15
CHIEFS REPORT
LEBANoN's FIRE DEPARTMENT
Report of the Chief Engineer Of the
Lebanon Fire Department,
February I, 1895.

Repert Of the Chief Engineer Of the
Lebanon Fire Department to the COM
mttee on Fire and Water.
Lebanon is one of the cities where
measures for protection against the
ravages of fire are not taken, because
of the indifference and open opposi.
ton manifested by the leading men in
the city; induced by past immunity
from los they find it easier land to
their minds more economical) to rest
their hopes of future security on the
fortunate experiences of the past,
rather than by the investment Of a
sum Of money in appliances, Where
such views of false economy are
allowed to dictate the policy OF city
council, sooner or later it is made to
pay heavily for its error in judge
ment. -..
Lebanon has good waterworks, the
pump pressure is splendid for fire
purposes, the business part of town is
well supplied with two way hydrants.
The city will pay the water company
1920 during the fifteen years that
the present franchise runs, provided,
no more hyGrants are put in. You are
now paying for 1G hydrants to pro-
tect eleven blocks, now four-ffths of
the citizens will be taxed to pay for
fire protection and will have alb
solutely no protection, the one-fiflh
that will pay for their own protection
will be paying for water without the
necessary appliances for handling the
water in case Of a large fire which IL
will surely he if it is in the business
part of the city. The Lebanon Fire
Boys are all young men strong and
active, taken from the middle classes
don't think that the entire member
ship can control $1,000 and the larger
part Of that ls in residences in the
unprotected part Of the city they are
il the companies simply for what
good they may preform, without any
hope of reward except that of their
own conscience.
You will find that the men that
will kick against fire company are
the men that hold property and are
most benitited by the fire companies.
The volunteer fire companies are not
Il company of business men banded
together for their own protection,
most bus ness men will pay 500 to an
Insurance company sooner than pay
70 to fire company, even when he
knows that if the company would
disband the insurance companies
would raise the rate all Of 25 per cent
The Fire Department Of Nevada
Kansas, consisting Of three companies
have disbanded, the city would pay
them and the chief only $500 u year
the insurance union have notified the
policy holders Of the city that they
will raise the rate, the citizens will
have to pay the small sum of $l9,50(
excess. Seattle business men got {
rebate of $lS0,0O0 the year that they
spent Sl65OO0 on their fire depart
ment. Astoria paid their chief only
$500 year and he is supposed to I'll
the office of chief fire warden ant
fire marshal, he was supposed to Sc,
that the ordinances on fire and pre-
yentiol Of fire was carried out, they
could not get chief that would fill
the offices, now there is a bill befor,
the legislature to amend their charte
and make the department full pai(
department. The Lebanon Fire Co
have never received one dollar from
the city for running expenses
cannot find fire company in TIN
state of Oregon where the city doe
not pay the running expenses of tn
fire companies, Oregon City pay
$50 a year and their meeting room
nice and neat, the company here ha
bought their own office furniture, belts
bell, hose carts, etc, about $500 pai
for things that should have bee
bought by the city, we have pal
about $50 u year for II years as rul
ming expenses and 1t has all come fror
young men that have not benetite
by having u company, when th
company was organized In Marc
1884, almost every business man i
the city Joined the fire company, bt
) as some had to be high privates in TIL
: rear ranks, they would not stay wit
the company w. J. Guy B. n
: DonacR, Joseph Mayer aud Dr. ]. 4
t,aitibsESon are Abe,,t btS otlLy ,llss