El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-05-13

the steamer, telephone alarm, and an
electric alarm to awaken the officers of
the department at their respective
homes during an alarm at night, and Il
comfortable assembly and reading
room all were added one after the
other, thus putting the department on
| a tirst-claSS footing.
The wisdom in giving the horses to
the department has been proven by the
reduction of the fire loss each year.
| With the advent of horses in the
Department our organization seemed
to take on new lease of life A leap
from carts drawn by hand to horse
power. A departure from the old in
dividuality so noticeable in each COM
pany, to more compact and cOncen-
trated form of government which has
| stimulated interest in the Department.
in many ways, and great credit is due
| Mr.. Powers for his steadfast purpose
in putting the Department in such a
| fighting trim.
For 1897 John Connors was elected
Chief and Judge Payton F. Edwards,
| president.
Mr.. Connors had served as foreman
of Hose Company No 2 for two terms
and has proven himself an able fire
man. During Mr.. Connor's foreman
ship of Hose Company No ,, the first
horse in the Department was purchas- |
ed by the active and honorary mem
| ber5 OF that company. Chief Connors' |
entry into office has been like each in |
coming chief before him, making |
Ichanges aud improvements as well as |
additions. He has had the paid men |
uniformed, and they now present a |
metropolitan appearance; has added a !
| fine team of gray horses to the new
hose wagon. 10 take the place of the
lnl Mr. has credit
| of being the principle factor in bring
| ing the convention to Ell Paso this year
and has worked night and day with
| the different committees to make the
convention success.
Our old president, John Julian.
known by all the tiremen as "Uncle
John, has been looked upon for many
years as the father of the department..
Back in the fall of 1888, when Hose
Company No. l was disbauded, he step
ped iu and re-organlzed the company,
got it on its feet, and the company has q.
retained its membership in the depart
ment ever siuce against many disad-
vautages. Mr.. Julian was elected
president of the Department Decem Der
13, 1887, and was reelected for nine sue :
cessive years. Constantly, faithfully
and earnestly did he perform his duty :
as president, giving the department
steadyness and dignity which was need
full and wise, and which added greatly
to the success of the organization. The
convention did us the honor to elect |
Mr.. Julian president of the State Fire
mans Association when in session at
the City of FIT. Worth, in the year 1892. =
Considering he was comparatively q
new member OF the association. it was
quite a compliment to Ell PasO, as well
as to President Julian. The volunteers
of the Ell Paso Department. recognize
ing the long years of valuable work
which President Julian has devoted in
their behalf, by q unanimous vote made
him life member of the Department =
and director. c
The City Council, during its many
changes of administration, has grant 2
ID lmost every demand made upon it
by TIE firemen, and the department
can say, " man, that in no city of
Texas has there been such mutual
feeling between Council and Fire De-
partment as has been in Ell Paso dur
ing the past fourteen and half years.
This is due to the fact that the Depart
ment has always looked after its affairs =
as though it was personal one, taking :
gOOd Gaze OF apparatus, handling all J,
money with economy, and strict integ
rity, ever gentlemanly in their conduct q
and they nave held the respect and T
confidence of each succeeding council. i
Political factions which have destroy
ed the efficiency OF many good fire com
pan1eS are utterly unknown among the Il
Ell Paso tiremen: this contributes much e
to the esteem of the Department among @
the citizens.
RELIEF FUND.
AS the volunteers serve without pay
of any kind, relief fund was created
TO take care of ttremen disabled while Z
on duty, or in case of sickness to see t.
that they are properly cared for The a
also has burial fund: it is =
maintained by each member dOnating
one dollar per year. When a member n
called upon to see that his remains re- a
ceive proper burial. Money that -
to the Department by donation
and otherwise is placed in different t.
funds as found necessary, and every
dollar is accounted for in most care n
full and judicious manner. No lodge
in the city is more rigidly conducted in
this respect. This, with our Il
faithful attention to duty, is why we n
have the confidence of the citizens: q
and accounts for their respor ding so
generously, both in money and as IL
sistance, when the Department calls b
upon them. e
In all the fourteen and a half years p
the Fire Department has been fortu II
nate in never having lost the life of Il
fireman at a fire, nor has one ever been Ii
seriously I'M urei. Jim Sullivan and
w. H. Tuttle have, during that time, n
rescued from burning buildings five I
persOns,a babe, woman and three men. 81
Judge Peyton F. Edwards, the newly
elected president of the Department. b