Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-05-25
UP TO THE COUNCIL
FiREMEN IN MEETING LAST
NIGHT SAY THEY ARE POWER
LESS TO DO ANYTHING

e.
THAT WHEN THE COUNCIL PRO-
vlDEs SUITABLE APPARATUS
They WILL ACT
The mass fremen's meeting last
night did not materialize in any very
large masses and was very little more
than meeting OF the. Pioneer Hose
Company No. /, only two members Of
the Banner Hook and Ladder COM
pany being present and the Pioneer
Hose company was not represented at
all.
Chief Holman was elected Chairman
and H. L. Reade secretary Of the
meeting. The latter outlined what
had been done by the city council, or
rather what had been talked of in the
council and general discussion fol-
lowed. The concensus Of opinion was
that with so few present it was inn
practicable to act as a department
and it was emphasized time and again
that the matter was up to the city
council to do business.
As cleaned from the remarks of
one Of the oldest and most active
firemen in the department the firemen
feel about this way: They have ever
been ready to give their time and
labor at fires without hope Of reward
other than the satisfaction from
knowledge of duty well done. For
some time back they have been handi.
capped for proper equipment and a
place to properly house it. AS re-
suit interest in the fire department
has fallen off, as was illustrated by
the paucity of members at the meet
ing. That it was the place of the
city council to decide what. il any
additional apparatus, the city can or
should have, arrange for a partially
paid department and such other mat
ters along this line ais its Judgment
shall dictate. When this is done there
viii be no trouble in the members of
the department carrying out the
wishes Of the council to the letter and
going at the work with renewed inter
est and activity, but until the council
does decide on its policy there is no
need Of further action on the part Of
the department. That as the depart
ment now stands there is little to en-
courage the members and its dissolu.
ton as department is imminent un-
less the council gets busy with some
thing more than discussions.
Aldermen RichhoH and Reade were
present and stated that as far as they
were concerned, and they believed
the other aldermen felt the same way,
they were ready at all times to favor
ably act upon such recommendation
as came from the fremen, but that In
the last year or two the f1remen hal
i asked little or nothing, although i
great deal of talk had been INDUCED
In on the outside among the members
of the department. After further dis
cussion along these lines the meeting
adjourned without date. s
h Some OF the members of the de-
partment seemed to feel that the
press had at various times criticised
the department unjustly, perhaps, but
IN this they themselves are unfair.
The papers Of the city, like the citie
I gems generally, fully appreciate the
good work always done by the Yolun-
feer fremen. and they also realize
that few cities OF this size nave 4
4 better equipped department, so far as
Its personnel goes, than Bismarck. II
as not recalled that the papers have
ever been behind In advancing any
Interest which the department has
wished advanced, but, on the contrary
have always been ready to give what
ever assistance they could to aid tt.
u is true from time to time atten-
ton has been called, In telling the
story Of q FIRE, to defects in the ap-
paratus which should not exist, even
Ia q volunteer department, but such
comment has never been made In a.
nirit of hostility 10 the fremen. The