Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-11-25
THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT
A CHAPTER OF LOCAL HISTORY
WHO FAvoRs FIRE FIGHT
ING APPARATUS?
Editor Daily Leaccr:

The Telegraph still pers SITS in de-
tending the action OF the gang ad-
m.nistrat on in purchasing the
Foutz lot for fire station. Let us
see what the facts are about Shis
and about the fire department gem
era Iy.
The Telegraph says we have no
fire apparatus worthy of the name.
II this s true who is responsible?
Who had absolute control OF The
city for the six years prior to last
June? lG no apparatus was provil-
od in the six years of Republican
rule, who should shoulder the
blame?
In the year 1907 the republican
council appropriated $4,000 for the
fire department. What was done
was done with this money? The
question OF fire station was d s.
russ d and the purchase or lease
of a lot on which to buEd cen
tral station was considered. Two
.ots were under consideration, one
"a the north end of Mercer street
bridge which the ra lway company
offered to sell to the city for So
600, or lease 1t for $4,000 per an
mum, which is per cent OF $3.-
900; the other lot offered was that
or w. S. Foutz. pres dent OF the
~ Of Ill,
fered a. $4,000. The fire commit
tee OF which G. ii. Mustard was
chairman. recommended the pur-
chase of the Foutz lot, and thu
council bought It. 1t does not ap-
pear on the records why the Foutz
lot was thought to be a better bar
gain at $4,000 than the other at
$4,000, or $3.50 rent per annum.
Tho pUrchasS OF the lot for $4,000
cash took all the money appropr a.
ted for the fire department for the
year except 5000, and OF course not
much equipment could be bought
for that sum. The result is that
we are still without the needed APP
paratus.
The lot sold by Mr.. Foutz to he
city in April of this year for $4,000
cash, was purchased by him in No
vember OF last year, about FIVE
months before, from Edgar G'.
Rucker and others for $2,7OO, ST.
200 cash being paid and notes due
in one and two years, given for
thai III lot was purchased by Mr..
FoutZ at the time real estate was al
high water mark, and was sold by
him to the city when values had
droppc5 from 20 20 40 per cent.
Yet he sod this property at a profit
Of 81 200, or more than A per cent
advance in less than FIVE months,
ana at a time real estate was at a
low ebb.
The minutes OF the council show
ing the purchase OF the lot do not
mention the name of The seller.
Why was the name Of one of the
parties to a $4,000 transaction en-
tirely om tied? Did the council
hope to conceal from the public the
fact that a member OF the city gov
ernment was selling a lot to the
city at profit OF 1920? But the
Telegraph says the lot IS worth
$500 more than the city paid for It,
and that It can be disposed OF at any
time at a prof There have been
many demands made to the Tele-
graph that 1t name the purchaser
at even what the city pa d for The
lot, but Il cannot do so, which
shows that IT had no buyer, and
That its statement was a bluf. An
other FACT that has come to light
about the lot IS that tn taxes had
not been paid on t., and IL is now
advertised by the sher n for sale.
The records show also that The lot
was returned delinquent for the
present year by both w. =. Hawley,
deputy sheriff, and d. G. Lily city
NANoou uAtAB ADI thAeb dsotb0cQ UelOIc
the lot was purchased by the city.
What has the Telegraph to say
about the efficiency OF the gang"
adm nlstration in this matter. All
these things happened while the
gang controlled the city.
When the present administration
began, the woeful lack OF fire fght-
ing facilities was apparent. but lit
tie could be done on account Of the
bankrupt condition OF the city treas
ury, there being outstanding more
than ten thousand dollars I'm city
drafts, many thousand more IN un-
paid bills. and judgment against
the city for eight or ten thousand
more. The FIRE department had no
money, as $4,000 Of the $4,000
available had found It's way into
the pocket Of the PRECEDENT OF the
board OF supervisors. The council.
however, when time for a new levy
come around, appropr ated $4,000
for the FIRE department, more than