The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-01-29

The camel question would not down.
Frowned on by the leaders of the
state volunteer tiremen and dis
couraged by Fremonts official repre-
sentatives, the wet" and dry" issue
still forced itself before the conven-
ton at the last moment when the
question of locating the 1909 conven-
ton came up.
Garry Banner Into Convention.
Fremont wet" town was bidding
against Alliance and York, both dry"
Before the nominating speeches
were made Fremont delegate
marched down to the front of the thea
ter with a banner. 1t read, "Who
wants to be a camel?"
Mayor WOLF Makes Bid.
Mayor WOLF of Fremont in behalf of
that city invited the firemen to Ere
mont His talk was well received
Invitations were then read from
Mayor c. C. Smith of Alliance, the AL
lance Commercial club, Acting Mayor
w. NJ. Willdman of York and the
York Commercial club.
RidoeI Starts Fireworks.
w. s. Ridgell of Alliance exploded
the bomb Ridgell is prominent
on the convention floor. He invited
the convention to Alliance and started
off along the usual lines. Then he hit
the dry question.
He explained that Alliance was dis
eliminated against because the town
was dry" He made caustic reference
to the Fremont banner and to the
camel issue generally.
Ridgell demanded to know whether
or not the convention would endorse
those things. If he did he served no
tiCe that if Alliance asked for the fire
mems convention next year it had
better ask for the convention of NE
braska Volunteer Booze Fighters"
Alliance Has Its Oasis,
Then Ridgell told the convention
that if any fireman had to have some
thing to drink when he came to Al
lance he could get it. "If the town
goes dry in the spring-and it is very
will still be something
to drink there and if the saloons are
not open it will be free. In Alliance
like any other dry you can get some
thing to drink" Alliance, he ex-
planned, had three clubs.
But he didn't consider saloons in
any way necessary to firemen's con-
vention, the speaker declared.
Alliance, Mr.. Ridgell concluded, was
a town of 5000 the best town of it's
size in the state. 1t was to the asso-
cations advantage to go there in
order to get in touch with new terri
tory.
Strike Booze" From Record.
Ridgells words created stir.
]. c. Elliott of West Point took the
floor, 1t was the first time, he said,
that the question of booze" had ever
been mentioned on the floor of the
convention. He deprecated it and
moved that all reference to booze"
be stricken from the Alliance man
speech in the official record
A stenographer takes down a report
of all convention transactions and this
is published in pamphlet.
The convention voted to strike from
its records all reference to the camel |
subject in Mr.. Ridgells speech. And |
then on his suggestion it rejected the
camel sign.
Mayor WOLF spoke again, Come
to us because it is Fremont. Don't |
come because of camel sign. We |
are proud of the firemen and we want |
you"
Offers Wilbur.
T. w. Clements of Wilbur suggested |
that the convention avoid a fight and
go to Wilbur.
Then they voted.
Fremont won on the second ballot.
Good Feeling Restored.
After the result was announced good
feeling was restored. Alliance was