Seward weekly gateway., 1906-01-20
ORGANIZE FOR
 FIRE DEFENSE Citizens Take Steps to Equip a Volunteer Department with
 Costly Apparatus

IOluNNNNl PeAA tAAANht 'ahA'
 Costly Apparatus
 The first steps for the organization of volunteer fire department in Se- ward were taken Monday night by a meeting of citizens in Moore's hall A board of fire protection consisting of five members were chosen, and in order to avoid conflict with the work of the chamber of commerce the three mem- bers of the chambers fire committee were made the first three members of the citizens committee.
 These three are Fire Marshal w. A. McNeiley, II. N. Coleman and c. E. Brown. To these were added H. w. Ross and John A. Nelson. MT. Cole man was made treasurer of the fire board, Mir. Brown secretary, MT. Ross first assistant fire chief, Mir. Nelson second assistant fire chief. The fire chief is chairman of the board.
 It wasalso decided to purchase an eX- tensive equipment for fire fighting ap- parauus. This list had been indicated by w. B. Poland in a letter in which he out . lined his ideasof the system necessary to ofrerthe city reasonable protection from frerisks. NIr. Poland's plan was made the basis of the citizens organization and the list of articles for department apparatus suggested by him was adopt ed with one addition.
 Select Brigade Chiefs
 After the fire board was chosen the members held a short session to s7lect head, of the different brigades of fire fighters which the plan adopted re- quires to be created. W. A. sherman wa, named as chief of the engine bri- gade, with a force of ten men; John A. Nelson and II. W. Ross, chiefs of two hose cart brigadcs, with fifteen men each; Thomas Boyd, chief of the hook and ladder and bucket brigade, with thirty men. The members of these brigaJes will be chosen by the chief of each from the list of volunteers.
 The meeting was largely attended, especially by merchants, and although the discussion was somewhat lengthy not a single voice was raised in objec- ton to the purchase of the extensive apparatus suggested by Mir. Poland. Judge Morford presided and Frank L. Ballaine was secretary.
 Provides for Fire Station
 Mr. Poland's plan provides for the erection of fire station on vacant lot to be furnished temporarily by the townsite company, the building to be twenty-five square feet with belfry for an alarm bell and of sufficient height to dry the hose required. In behalf of the railroad company he offered to furnish the dimension lum- Der required for the building, and eX- pressed the opinion that volunteers could be found to do the carpenter work. It was agreed that the build ing should be located not far from the corner of Fourth avenue and Adams street, in order to give the department a downhill run with their apparatus to the business district.
 The subscription list for the neces- sary funds was headed by MT. Poland for the railroad company with $2OO.
 At the meeting of the chamber of commerce Thursday it was voted to accept the project formulated by the citizens mass meeting to purchase additional fire apparatus to be used in connection with that already secured by the chamber and to assist in the organization of volunteer depart ment under the direction of the com mittee of five of which the three mem- bers of the chambers fire committee constitutes the majority.
 Business Men Subscribe $500
 Business men of Seward in a few hours yesterday subscribed $500 to the fund to purchase complete appar- atuS to equip volunteer fire depart ment in this city. These were all $lOO and $50 subscriptions except the $20O subscription of the railroad company.
 Only the larger business houses were reached, yet the fund at noon was only Sl6O short of the amount estimated to necessary. That sum will easily be eX- ceeded by the subscriptions from the smaller merchants and individuals not in general business. w. M. Sauers, E. l.. Whittemore and F. H. Stewart are the committee engaged in raising the fund.
 Hang Up Fire Bell
 The bell belonging to the Catholic society was hung up across the side walk from the fire station yesterday afternoon to be used as a fire alarm In1l EotbnV Nupnpn Oavp DppOiSSiOn