The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-25
WANTS STREET CAR
COMPANY TO PAY
Fire Board Doesn't Propose to
Stand for Damage Due to
CareIessness.

Some penalty should be imposed
upon the street railway company" de-
clared President Reuben Warner Jr, of
/ the fire board, at meeting Of the board
last night, "for lack Of efficiency in run
| ming its cars. 1t is becoming more evil
dent every day that an ordinance to
| that effect should be provided"
Mr.. Warmers protest was aroused by
a letter from General Manager HELD,
| of the Rapid Transit company, refus-
ing to pay the boards bill for $14.5O,
being the amount of damage to a fire
| engine in a collision, with street car
at Sixth and Robert streets. The en-
CINE, wrote Mr.. Held, was coming from
a fire and didn't have to hurry; besides,
the rear Of the street ear, not the front,
had sustained the collision.
But, as Commissioner Schweizer
pointed out, the fact that the engine
was going home Is no reason why the
department is to blame. "The car
should have stopped on the south side
of Sixth street; that is a rule under
stood; and if the motorman disobeyed
the rules, the driver Of the engine
would naturally think that the car was
going to keep moving. not that it was
going to stop on the wrong side of the
street.
The bill was then referred to the
committee on claims, with the under
standing that the matter should be
pressed.
In reply to an inquiry as to the legal
responsibilities Of the fire department
Tor the enforcement of the building or
dinance, Corporation Attorney Michael
wrote that the chief engineer of the de-
partment is eX-Officio electrical in
Spector; that all apparatus for the pre-
vention and extinguishing Of fires in
theaters and other public buildings is
under the inspection and control of the
chlef and the building Inspector; and
mat IlnaIly, the chief is fire warden
with various duties.
Commissioner Schweizer, suggesting
that the chief should be relieved Of
some obsolete duties as fire warden. a
fnotlon that an ordinance be prepared
accordingly was referred to committee.
Examiner Johnson's Criticism.
The criticism Of Public Examiner
Johnson upon the method by which
members OF the department receive
their checkS-each member of a COM
pany giving written order to his can
| tam, Who calls at headquarters, signs
the roll for the men, and takes back the
. AAeA0 No(loCQ tile OOdTQ ask
the corporation attorney whether the
form for such written order was unob-
Jectlonable. 1T is entirely sufficient"
wrote the attorney. IF the examiner
had taken pains to ascertain the facts"
commented commissioner, che would
not have criticised our methods.
A petition was read from the Grand
view Heights Improvement Association
OF the West Side that better fire pro-
lection be provided in that district.
The association desired that an engine
house be built and fully equipped at
some point between Ohio street and
Cherokee avenue and between Baker
and Sidney streets. The petitioners
were advised to confer with the charter
commission.
The Sisters of st. Joseph, living at
st. Joseph's academy, a letter from
whom asked that fire alarm box be
put IN at Virginia and Nelson avenues
or at Western and Nelson, will be in
formed that there are boxes now at
Seiby and Western and at Carroll and
western, and that the department has
not funds to provide the additional hoy
demanded.
The board voted that the chief and
the committee on machinery prepare
specifications for new fire engine
They will be reported at the next meet
ing, when authority will be granted to
advertise for bids. This engine viii re-
place an old one