The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-15
HALL STEPPED OUT
SECRETARY OF THE FIRE BOARD
RENDERED HIS RESIGNATION
LAST NIGHT.
CAPT. J. w. OWENS is ELECTED
TO FILL THE VACANCY BY UNAN-
I4IOUS VOTE OF THE
BOARD.
PRAISE FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
Northwestern National Insurance
Company Compliments 1t for
Work mt Recent Fire.

At the meeting of the board Of fire
commissioners held last evening Secre-
tary Hall rendered his resignation. Mr..
Hall informed the board that he had
secured position with the West Pub
fishing company. and would enter upon
the duties of his new position Monday
next. He thanked the president and
members of the board for their courtesy
during the three years he had been sec
rotary and offered his services to as
slst his successor in taking hold of the
office. Commissioner Prendergast IA
vCred allowing the new board, three
members of which will be selected by
Mayor Doran on or before Jan. 1, to fill
the vacancy caused by the retirement
of Mr.. Hall. Commissioner Warner,
however. insisted on the vacancy being
filled at once, and stated that he knew
a most worthy man for the position,
named Capt. Owens. All OF the MEM
bers of the board were acquainted with
the gentleman nominated by Commits
sicner Warner, but no one knew his
initials. A search was made Of the di-
rector but the captains name did not
appear therein, or at least none of the
board could identify it. A telephone
message was sent to Maurice AuerbaCh
and that gentleman said the captains
name was j. w. Owens. A ballot was
taken and the four members present
voted j. W. Owens. The new appointee
who will fill out the unexpired term Of
the secretary, which ends the second
Monday in January, is employed by the
ST. Paul Trust company, and has been
with that concern for a number of
years.
Willard c. Jones, agent for a fire in
surance company, thanked Chief jack
son and the members of the department
for the manner in which a fire was
handled last month in the following
letter:
John Jackson, Esq, Chief st. Paul Fire
observation-disclosures Sir: desire to thank you,
and through you the men under your con-
troll for the careful manner in which you
extinguished the fire which occurred in the
new fiat building Kent street, near Selby
avenue, or the night of the 18th inst
Representing the Northwestern National IN
suranee company, of Milwaukee, WIS, having
the fire insurance policy on said building, l
appreciate that unless for the careful hahd-
ling of water on the fire, the loss 10 us
might easily have been double the amount
lust ascertained. am glad TO know tnat
our fire department takes this matter into
consideration in handling fires. and is un-
willing to cause the insurance companies any
| unnecessary amount of loss. Thanking you
again on behalf of myself and the company
j Willard G. Jones.
Chief Jackson submitted his report Tor NO
yember showing the department had respohu,
! cd TO "a alarms The insurance involved
! was 1923, 400 of which $20S, 500 was on 6ulld-
! ings and $214,750 on contents. The total loss
was s46 622 40 of this amount S. $3.50 was on
| buildings and S3S 060.S0 on contents; the IN
| surance over loss was $3T6,T7.bl
Chief Jackson reported that at a tlre on
| West Seventh street the night OF Nov ~
| a freight train on the Milwaukee roal ran
| over and destroyed a section OF hose Inc
] train had been signaled to stop but ola not
| The secretary was directed to notify the rail-
| way company and send bill Tor S9V, the
| value of the hose destroyed.
Secretary hall submitted report showing
! total receipts to date in the department fund,
$40, 257. 90; disbursements, 1854, aSO.7l. and
| balance on hand of So, $685.
| Assistant Electrical Inspector Varnum SUB
| mitted a report showing that rs permits
| had been issued for the installation and
| changes in electrical work during November
! and 1873 complete inspections had been made
| The budget for the year 1898 of the depart
| ment gave the estimate for salaries as Sl63,-
| 200: equipping engine house in the Midway
| district and purchasing engine, $1,000 hose,
| forage, supplies and Incidental SZ9,SOO; total
! expenditures for 1893, 800, GEO.
The secretary informed the board that the
| contract between the city and the GameWell
| company for putting in OF a new nre alarm
! system had been signed by the city officers.
! The company will be notified to commence
/ the work of putting in the system at once.