The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-07-13
A new FIRE ENGINE
Arrangements Have Been Made to
Purchase another fire Engine
for Fire Department.

TurChase another Fire Engine
for Fire Department.
The fire on the north side of the
square Saturday night seems to have
awakened our citizens to the necessity
OF providing additional fire apparatus
Tor the protection of the property of the
city from the ravages Of fire. True. we
have small hand engine, and COM
pany OF volunteer firemen who have
accomplished wonders in the way of
fighting fires when it is taken into con-
sideration what they have to fight with
but every person with good business
sense knows that in case of a large
fire that the fire boys would be helpless
with the present equipment.
Monday morning Mayor McGinnis
called special meeting of the city
council to talk the matter over, and
after discussion of the question it was
decided that steps must be taken at
once to purchase another engine, more
hose and other apparatus for the fire
( department. The question of how to
provide the funds then came up and it
was decided to ask the business men
and property owners to subscribe the
amount required, and the town would
issue them city warrants for the
amounts subscribed, which they would
hold without interest until the CITY
could take them up. o. E. Hull was re-
quested to interview the people on the
subject, and he at once started out and
in a few hours had nearly $4,000 pledg-
ed, with more in sight, so that the
question of providing funds has been
met. Everyone seemed willing to help
the project with the exception of three
or four who refused to do anything,
although they were large property own
ers and would expect the fire boys to
geHout and work to save their property
in case it should be threatened by fire.
But the money was raised without their
help and the town will soon have new
engine.
The city council at the meeting held
Monday morning appointed Geo. E.
Hurst and j. A. Caster asa committee to
look after the purchase of new engine.
1t is proposed to buy second engine
equipped zwith either a gasoline or
steam engine to do the pumping, and
then to keep the present hand engine
SO that in cases of emergency both
engines can be used. 1t will also be
necessary to buy considerable new hose
as the department is now hampered
with shortage of hose when it becomes
necessary to use several lines, and some
of the hose now in use leaks so that it
cannot be depended on. Another thing
that should be provided is fire alarm
bell and tower for it, SO that in case
of fire an alarm can be given that will
be heard by everyone in town. The
only way an alarm can now be given is
by blowing the whistle at the electric
light plant, and it is hard to hear.
There were persons who live within
two blocks Of the light house who did
not hear the alarm Saturday night.
With good heavy bell placed on
tower an alarm could be heard by all
the people of the town. Now that the
matter of properly equipping the fire
department has been brought up it will
be pushed along until the town has a
first class department. The members Of
the fire department are volunteers who
do valiant work and all they receive for
their services is the remission of $3.50
road tax which is provided for by the
state laws. And yet many people will
stand around at fire and refuse to re-
lieve the boys who are pumping on
the engine. Saturday night after
the boys!had'pumped until they were
worn out effort was to secure relief
from the crowd which was standing
watching the fire, but with few ex-
ceptions those asked to take hand at
the pumps would say we had fire
department who were paid for their
work, let them do it. This is not the
right spirit. Everyone should take
the same interest in protecting proper
ty that the fire boys do, for many of
them are not even property owners,
but freely give their time, work hard
and spoil many clothes to protect the
property of others, and all for the munif-
cent sum OF $3.50 per year.