The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-01-07
Committee on Fire Department is Or
dered to Make Examination
Of Buildings and Report
MAY DIsBAND THE VOLUNTEERS.
Fire Commissioners Ask the Council to
Employ q Dozen Paid Men Instead
of Volunteer Department.

$40 0ASy &00ASAA 40 00OnAA8 hR eA4G
action Of Mayor Pfennig and Fire
Chief Barr in their desire to secure
safety for the people of the city and
Monday night the committee on fire
department, consisting of Aldermen
Robinson, Kaufman and Moder, was
appointed a special committee to make
an examination of all public buildings
in the city and report their condition
to the proper authorities.
There is no ordinance ia the city
laws which gives the aldermen power
to take any action against buildings,
but there is State law which governs
such places and this will be invoked
by the new commission named by the
Council
The committee will make close in
vestigation of every hall ia the city
used for public entertainments, and if
they are not properly provided with
FIRE escapes the proper authorities will
be notified and IN effort made to have
all buildings come under the provis
ions of the law. The people of the
city seem to be wholly in accord with
the authorities in this effort to seek the
safety of the amusement loving pub
lie, and there is little doubt but that
all changes reg arded as necessary will
be ordered made as soon as possible.
The committee named by the Council
will start work at once, and the mem
bers expect to complete the work with
in week.
Asks for Paid Firemen.
G. Fl. Curtis, chairman of the Police
and Fire Commission, appeared before
the Council at the meeting Monday
night and brought up the plan for the
employment of paid men for the city
FIRE department. In his talk Mr.. Cur
tbs stated that most of the volunteer
fremen were ready and willing to be
mustered out of service, and that in
the opinion of the Commission the
paid department was badly needed.
He stated that it was the plan of the
Commission to have a department
composed of twelve men, the pay to be
settled by the committee of the Coun-
Gil.
The matter was not in the form of a
resolution to the Council, but it will
be drawn up in that form during the
week and presented to the committee.
The plan has found favor with the
Council and as several of the FIRE COM
panies have adopted resolutions in
favor of it there is every reason to be-
lieve that within the next few months
Kenosha will have paid department,
and the old volunteer department., ia
service for SO many years, will be mus
tered out.
Alderman Goodman brought up the
| fact that there was thousand dollars
in the hands of the volunteer depart.
ment, and he recommended that the
money be made fund for the protec.
ton Of the families of 6remen who
might be disabled in the future. This
matter was also referred to the COM
mittee.
Baker Wants Damages.
Norman L. Baker, who draws pay
from the city as Superintendent of the
Public Schools, fled notice with the
city Monday night that he would de-
mand damages from the city on ac-
count of fall on slippery sidewalk
on Dec. 20. Mr.. Baker was walking
along Deming street on the day stated
when he slipped and fell, breaking his
arm. His claim for satisfaction was
referred to the committee on claims.
Dog Ordinance to Be Enforced.
The police department was given
specific orders by the Council to see to
it that the dog license ordinance was
enforced. Some of the aldermen don't
seem to think that sufficient number
of dogs are being killed, and the de-
partment was ordered to see to it that
the unlicensed dogs we're killed faster.
The order will be carried out.