The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-08
APPARATUS NEEDED
SELMA WAS HELPLESS DURING
 SUNDAYS FIRE.
Volunteers, Exhausted After Brave Work, Relieved by Negroes, who Demanded Whiskey-Paid De-
 partment h Discussed.
Advertiser Bureau.

<4oNCtttoCt Dur Cdbs
 Selma, Dec. [.
 The question of having a paid fire department Is again being talked among a great many property owners. Every time Selma has fire of any proportions the poor fire fighting fa- cilities and the inadequacy of the fire department, as now constituted. Is em- phasized. Last Sundays fire, when a hundred thousand dollars worth of property was consumed, and, a much greater part saved only by sheer good luck. and rain. has had a great deal of weight in augmenting the agitation for better fire fighting arrangements. During the confagration Sunday af- | ternoon several members of the volun- | teer fire fighters became exhausted af- ter fighting In the rain and slush for over two hours, and negroes were hired 10 man one nozzle. but after fighting for a short time refused to work fur ther in the rain unless they were given whiskey.
 Selma being conscIentiously and con- sistently dry-on Sundays--the negroes did not get the whiskey and one sec ton of hose was allowed to squirm around on the ground without any one to man 1t for several minutes. The old question of insufficient water pressure was again emphasized. too, at Sundays fire. The old ire engine was brought out but had to be stopped so The Advertiser correspondent Is in- formed by a city Councilman. because | of a lack of pressure. He stated that there was no lack of pressure so far us the water works pumps were concern ed, but the water mains being eighteen years old and small. there was fear Of bursting them. The questions, both of pressure and | a paid fire department is expected to | be brought up at the meeting of City Council next Monday night and some steps may be taken to relieve the sit uatfon.
 Selma's insurance rates are abnor- mally high now. and are SO on &C., count of her poor protection against | and her facilities for fighting fire. Personal and Local. The entertainment given at the Y. M. c. A. last night for the benefit of | the Talladega Orphans Home wastboth a financial and artistic success It is understood that a neat sum was real fixed for the little ones. The macadamizing of Church Street is progressing favorably. The street l roller Is being used on 1t now and one block has been about completed. Miss Rosenbaum of Mount Vernon. is visiting Mrs. Nathan Kahn. s. P. West of Birmingham, is spend ing the day in the city. G. W. Ely of Montgomery, Is regis tered at the Albert. L. H. S. Chappelie of Montgomery is in the city.
 J. Good of Montgomery, is a guest at | the Albert.
 J. A. Scale of Jerrigan is visitor | to the city.
 William P. Molett of orrville, is a visitor today R. P. Roach of Mobile is on a visit in the city. Miss Minnie Kennedy of opelika, is | in the city. E. S. Loeb of Montgomery. is in the city today.
 ". wiel of Montgomery, is in the | city today.
 J. H. Miller of Birmingham, is in the city.
 w. P. Dickinson of opelika, is in the city. L. D. Lathram of Fort Deposit is in | the city. I. A. Rhodes of Ensley, Is visitor today.
 | A I. Cousins of ozark is at the AL Inert