The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-02-08
COUNCIL TO
THE RESCUE.
The Chemical Fire Engine VIII Continue
In Service.
APPROPRIATION is INCREASED
Council Decides to Give the Rescue Hook
and Ladder Company an Additional
Allowance of Three Hundred
Dollars Per year.

for an increase of appropriation The meet
ing was attended by Councilman Mcclure
James, Shoemaker, Ially, Bell. Murphy
Coakley, Straughn, Harkins, Magargle aud
Brennan. A number of citizens were also
present and took great interest in the dis
cussion on the matter
President Mcclure stated after roll call that
the object Of the meeting was to receive the
report Of the finance committee as to the
result Of its conference with the committee
Of the Rescue Hook & Ladder Company in
connection with the company's inability to
keep its chemical apparatus in service with
out assistance from the borough
Mr. Lally, a member Of the committee,
was the first to speak He said In behalf
of the members Of the committee. | would
report that two Of the committee went to
the company's headquarters and had an in
teryiew with the company's committee hav-
ing the matter In charge. They gave us
figures as to the earnings of the team since
the chemical engine went into service and
we find that for the 30 months the machine
has been in operation the amount of ex-
penses has been Salary for team, at $40
per month, 81 200; paid in smithing, 500 55
repairs, &c, $50; repairs to the dray wagon
used, S65; total, s2,O155 SO; and the earnings
have been 81 1,46l 81. Aud they told us that
they would like to get an increase of $500
per year, making 81 900 in ALL
| Mr.. Bell To bring the matter before the
house, | move that Council make au appro-
priation Of $40 per month, to be paid in
monthly instalments, and to be paid dating
from to-day" Mr.. Magargle seconded the
motion.
Mr.. James Il would like to make an
! ot . 81.
| figures $40 per month and inserting $500 per
year
Mr.. Strughn Il second that amendment
to bring it before the house
Mr. James amendment was accepted as the
! original motion.
Mr. Bell: For the 80 months they ran
S553.91 behind and. in the face of that, |
agree that $500 would pay the company. l
withdraw my motion in favor OF Mr.. James
motion"
A question arose as % whether the motion
was to be considered as "a permanent increase
of appropriation and NJ Bell finally moved,
as an amendment, that tlie money be paid in
monthly installments, dating from to-day"
| MI. Straughn said II am against the
amendment. / believe the first payment
should be made to cover from now until the
period that the next Finance committee
makes its annual appropriation and, when
that time arrives, they can make their appro-
priation accordingly and give the fire com
panies their full amount, including the extra
| appropriation for the Hook & Ladder Com
pany if deemed advisable at that time"
Mr.. Bell From Mr. Straughn's remarks l
may be mistaken. | don't understand that
we pay the company $500, but we keep the
company going until the Finance committee
meets. My reason for making that motion is
that l don't think it right to burden this
council with the $500 additional appropra.
| ton when we have not quite a month to
serve. Let the next Council pay their pro
rata share oft"
Mr.. Straughn MY idea is to pay the
Rescue Hook & Ladder Company a pro rata
share for two months Of $500.
! Mr.. Bell This is satisfactory to me-
That will carry them until April, and by
that time the Finance committee Of the next
Borough Council will have their report
ready, and then the company will get its full
amount.
| Mr.. Lally spoke next and said that he could
not agree with the amendment, or the
motion. $500 per year is too much" he
said, I'm my estimation. According to my
| figures for the two years and half past the
company has lost $500 per year, or little
over. And don't believe that we should,
at this time, be the means of putting money
into the treasury of the Hook & Ladder
Company. The fairest way would be for
Council to figure on the loss the company has
suffered since the chemical engine
has been in existence and reimburse
them for the loss. Or, in other words, pro
vide that they shall not loose again. Make
the thing pay, and no more than pay. Now
if this motion prevails, taking the same
amount of expense TO run the machine for
the p years to come, and comparing that
with what has been lost in running it for the
past p years, if the molten prevails the
company will be in pocket $500 l don t
think that is right. | think the most we
should do is to try and avoid having the com
pany running into debt; and, taking the past
p years for it, the most that should be
given is 5000"
Mr.. Magargle asked what the actual loss to
the company WAS each year in sustaining the
chemical engine and Mr.. Straughn replied
that il was S22S
Mr.. James called attention to the fact that
the company had invested 81. O6s in horses.
wagon and harness and that was worth some
consideration. 1t is two years appropriation
he said.
Mr. Staughn Il don't think this ap.
preparation is intended to be a permanent
one, and don't believe the members Of the
company will ask that it be a permanent one
when they come to that stage when they ear
carry this chemical engine without any ap.
preparation from this Council. The company,
with two teams and two drivers, is at a
greater expense than companies having but
one team. They ask for an appropriation o
$500, they show the team is not paying, and
the fact that the driver has beer
laid off, and that the team is for sale, is evi
dence that il is not paying. If the time Il
reached when this team pays for itself, ther
| believe it will be time 70 cut of the appro
priation; but, until that time is reached, W,
must do something with the conditions Al
they exist to-day. The engine is out of ser
vice and the people look to US to see that i
be put into service again, and the only way
in which we can do that is to make pro
vision so that the members of the company
won't have to go into their individual pocket
aud pay the expenses"
Mr.. Lally. But Mr.. Straughn VIII bea
in mind that the proposed appropriation