The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-06-12
FIGHTERS OF FLAMES SWARM INTO MANKATO;
GIVEN HEARTY WELCOME BY MAYOR ANDREWS
Annual Session of State Association; Report
Kane; Proposed New Legislation Is Suggested;
Pensions for Volunteers; Festivities
That Will Be Tonight.

ly last night, some fireman had found
. The firemen of the state We're pleased
F.! to be. in Mankato and were certain
that they would enjoy the visit.
Talk By Judge Comstock.
Hon. w. l.. Comstock, judge of the
municipal court of this city, was the
next speaker. He began his remarks
! by supplementing the remarks of wei
come made by the mayor and asking
| the visitors eacl to feel as though
every citizen in Mankato had grapsed
, his hand heartily and bid him welcome
! Judge Comstock said further that
Mayor Andrews was in Chicago at a
medical convention last week and it
has been learned that he has visited
| the various fire stations in that city.
Some people knowing the generosity of
the mayor surmised once That he would
buy the Chicago fire department and
/ bring it home to add to the enter
tainment of the visiting firemen this
week. But the mayor overlooked the
opportunity.
There is not a building in any
town in the state, or very few, which
are not monuments to the courage and
fidelity of the tiremen of the various
towns. If the fremen of the state
possessed what they have saved, Judge
Comstock declared, they would own the
towns. Witty comments in which were
mentioned the names of prominent
Mankato firemen elected applause and
were generally appreciated. Judge Com
stock then gave a very interesting dis
cussion of the Importance of good
equipment and of general topics of
interest to the firemen. He was well
received and frequently interrupted by
applause.
I Witty Address Br. Mr.. O'Hearn.
A brief but earnest and pithy address
was delivered by William O'Hearn an
attorney of Rochester. He desired to
call to the attention of the association
one matter which was of great i'm
portance A volunteer fire department
is an organization of ablelbodied Amer
lean citizens who are willing to and
do sacrifice their time and even risk
their lives to protect the property of
their fellow men. They perform a
great service to the towns in which
they exist. Mr.. O'Hearn praised the
efficiency of the Rochester department
and recited its fine record of the
past ten years.
The principal matter which he de-
sired to bring before the convention
was the fact that the firemen have
good claim to a special tax levy to
create fund from which to pay
bigger benefits to injured volunteers
or their families He predicted that
such a bill might be well brought
before the next legislature and that it
would be popular with the people. The
firemen seemed highly appreciative OF
the suggestion offered by the speaker
and it is not unlikely before an eff
fort will be made to carry it into eff
feet.
Proud That He is a Fireman.
A patriotic and mastery address
was made by Hon. A. j. Rockne Of
Zumbrota. He was brother fireman
and proud of the fact-proud also to
be able to stand before an audience
composed of men of so much courage.
He desired to treat his subject in a
broad manner and took the liberty
of changing it to "The Duty of HUI
mainly to the Volunteer Fireman"
On memorial day the thought oc-
CURED to him that the country hon
ored the man who fought with the
rifle and cannon but was neglectful of
the hero who fought with the hose. He
saw children strewing flowers over the
soldiers but forgetting those of the
braves who had lost their lives in Il
public cause which had proven often
times as hazardous as battle. The
speaker declared that the heros of the
Chicago. San Francisco and other
great battles against flames should be
honored and their names hallowed in
history with those of war heroes.
They had fought great battles. But
Mr.. Rockne offered the assurance that
the due recognition would be forthcom
ing and soon if the fremen but con
tinued to do their duty
Speech BY Mayor Vassaly.
Hon. Charles Z. Vassely, former ma
yor of Little Falls, was the last
speaker of the forenoon. 1t was near
the dinner hour when ne took the
floor but despite the lateness of the
hour he held the wrapt attention
of the audience until the adjournment
at twelve thirty.
Mayor Vassaly said he realized the
dangerous position he was taking in
standing between the people and their
hunger and too that strong appetite
is as bad as a big fire. However,
he would trust that when he has
finished his hearers would feel as the
young woman who on the death of her
husband telegrapned her father, "John
died this morning. Loss fully covered
by insurance"
The speaker cited the fact that adj
verse brings aboutN the greatest inn
at times in stating that he
wanted to say some trite things about
the firemen. He had heard of men
who remarked to firemen after a hard
and losing fight, swell, you saved the
lot" and mad no sympathy for that
man but still he believed the firemen
owed it to themselves to do as much
for that class of citizens as for any
other. Do a fremen's duty always
or withdraw from membership, was the
advise of the speaker. Duty
is always the guiding, the animating
spirit.
II L.