The Somerset reporter., 1906-04-05
TOWN MEETING.
The Adjourned Session Held
Monday Last.
Fire Department Affairs Discussed and
Appropriations Made.

Fire Department Affairs Discussed and
Appropriations Made.
Town Clerk, Geo. simpson and L. L
Walton in his capacity of Moderator
were at Grange Hall at 2 o'clock, last
Monday afternoon, to which place and
hour the annual meeting of March 18th
last had made adjourum ent, and the
necessary votes were passed adjourning
the meeting to Weston Hall, in the fire
department building, where the Corpor
alton had conducted its deliberations in
the forenoon
Upon calling to order the Moderator
be to receive the report of the special
committee on Bylaws appointed at the
last meeting. Ernest c. Butler, chair
man of this committee, submitted the
report. The Bylaws suggested for the
approval of the town we're revision of
those formerly in force in the corpora
tion with such changes as the commit
tee thought might be of advantage
They were read and voted upon section
by section. The portion covering the
Police Department was readily approved
of and for the future the selectmen will
appoint the police officers and these
officers will elect their chief. The sec
tions pertaining to the Fire Depart ment
were then taken up and in this also the
selectmen have the power to appoint
the chief and two assistant engineers
but in such appointments they are an
| joined to give consideration to recon-
mendations made by the fire companies.
Up to this point there had been very
little discussion but on the question of
who should employ janitor for the
Fire Department there was some diVi.
' sion of sentiment, the final decision be-
ing that he should be employed by the
Chief Engineer on the ground that his
duties would be chiefly the care of the
fire apparatus. Then came the question
of who should have charge of the De-
partment building. No question was
raised SO far as the lower part of the
building was concerned, it being con.
ceeded that the chief engineer should
have entire authority, but the contro.
versy was over the upper portion of the
building, particularly Weston hall.
Members of the Fire Department
maintained that the entire structure
was built as Fire Department
building and that every portion
of it should be under their control.
They stated that they had no wish to
interfere with the use of the hal in
such a manner as to afford the fullest
benefit to the citizens of the town and
claimed that if the hall was put in their
care such use would certainly be afford
ed. On the other hand the faction who
believed the hall should be subject to
the control of the seectmen argued that
under their care the use of the hall
would of course be granted to the mem
bers of the Fire Department under all
reasonable circumstances The final
vote on the question was 121 TO % in
favor of vesting the control of the upper
portion of the building with the select.
men 30 that " eston Hall and the other
rooms on the same floor will be il their
care.
Some discussion was INDUCED in on
the question of who should care for and
clean the apparatus after fires The
view that the members of the depart.
ment could not reasonably be expected
to do this finally prevailed. and it war
voted that it be cleaned and safely stor-
ed by the janitor
The following curfew regulation the
first probably ever in force in Skowhe
gan, was adopted.
Continued on Page Severn