The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-06-12
The Many Topics That Were
Discussed By the Association

i The best fire alarm system for vol
unteer fire departments was discussed
in papers read by fremen from James
vile and kasson. The GAINESVILLE sys-
tenn of telephoning an alarm to the
mill and having the steam whistle
blown was thought good method of
giving an alarm. Next to this probably
was the common practice of having a
bell i'll the fire house tower.
One of the most interesting and i'm
portant topics discussed during the
afternoon session yesterday was "The
Use of the Two per cent Insurance
Tax in Volunteer departments" r. p.
Chase of the Anoka department and
Chief E. NJ. Twiford of Owatonna read
excellent papers on this subject and
both maintained that all the tax ap-
portionments should go to the firemen's
relief funds. Representatives of the
Lake City and Montevideo departments
agreed with this proposition.
| Iron Shutters on Buildings.
Captain Barrett of Minneapolis read
'another paper on Iron shutters on
buildings-are they an aid or a him
drance to the fire department" 81
would say that iron shutters OH build
, ings are being extensively in conges-
: ted districts in almost every city
From my past experience in the fire
department, l have found iron shut
tiers to be great aid, especially in
preventing a confagration.
Il will cite a few cases during my
time of service in the fire department,
where fires were confined to buildings
where it originated, in congested dis
tricts where some of the buildings
were equipped with iron shutters.
''The Paris Murton Candy company,
fire in 1888; Minneapolis Tribune, fire
in 1889; the second Tribune fire in
1899; Bijou opera house, 1890; Mime
apolis paper house, 1890; w. X. Nor
rison Hardware company, 1906; Pills
bury Ancor flour mill, 1896, and several
more, too numerous to mention, with
out taking up too much of your val
liable time today as there is other
important business to come before
the convention for the welfare of the
state fremens association.
"Iron shutters placed on doors and
windows are a great aid to the fire
department, but they should be placed
on buildings in such manner as to
be opened from the outside and should
be arranged to open with lever
or some appliance which would be
great help in case of fire. for the
introduction of streams of water.
81 will cite the case of the w. X.
Morrison Hardware fire Q9O6) where
the iron shutters were fastened on
the inside of the building in such
manner as to make it very difficult to
open them, and one of the officers
of the department and myself had to
use batting ram to break open
the shutters, after crowbars and fire
axes failed, which proves that time
could be saved if the shutters, on any
floor of building, could be opened and
closed from the outside.
Il would also say that there is a
very large per cent of total loss. an
nually, by fire in the United States
due to fire extending from the build
ing in which is originated to adjoining
property, and in instances resulting
from confagration. The congested dis
tricts in all the cities are becoming
| more crowded and old buildings are
making way for new structures of
larger area, and it is of the greatest
! Importance that the windows and doors
| should be protected with iron shutters
and metal sash windows with wire
glass; That we do not have moEs
| confagrations is wonder to those
| familiar with conditions in congested
districts. Respectfully submitted, j. P!
Barrett, Captain Engine company, No.
l."
| A Gaylord representative considered
shutters an aid was inasmuch as they
prevented the spreading of fire. This
however, was advanced only as the
| experience of the department of Gay
lord where the buildings are but two
stories high.
The Minneapolis department consid-
cred iron shutters hindrance and en-
drosed woven wire glass as far SUI
perior.,
A representative of the Elgin read an
excellent paper on the organization and
partment The subject was treated in
detail and at considerable length.
! Under the last special topic 'The
Duties of Delegates to the State Asso-
citation convention and to cities and
towns they Represent" papers were
read by representatives from lie Sueuf
Echo, Lamberton, and Pennington.
The speakers offered many valuable
suggestions all of which were atten-
lively listened to.
/ The topic discussions were an inter
esting feature of the convention and
beneficial in the same large mea-
Isure they were practical.
| Prayer that opened the morning ses-
sion was offered by Rev. Robert Hughes
pastor of st. Johns Catholic church
in Mankato.