Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1910-12-29
INFORMATION ABOUT
FIRE DEPARTMENT:
MENT HAS REQUEST TO
MAKE OF PUBLIC

MAKE OF PUBLIC
The following communication
from Chief Sappenfleld OF the city
fire department is of interest to an
residents:
As there has been a great deal of
comment on the jamestown Fire De-
partment, would ask small part Of
your space to relate few facts as to
what is expected of the department
by some of our citizens, and how
much pay we get for our service.
We are expected to be at fire ob
a moments notice and have two or
more streams of water on the fiames
not one mind ever stopping to con-
slider where the men belonging to the
department may be when they hear
the alarm. For one sure thing he
isn't sitting in the fire hall with rub
, Der coat and boots on. He is more
, than likely at home in bed or at his
work mile away from the fire hall,
and maybe at church with his best
clothes on. And when we do get
there, some one who hasn't any right
to a rubber coat has them on, and if
you should ask them to lend little
aid he will say Let your firenlen do
it, they are paid for it, Yes, we are
paid for it all right, and paid good toe
$3.50 a year for the entire depart
ment. ! know of several pairs of
, trousers and shoes that were spoiled
at the Orpheum fire, and If bill for
same was presented to the council
and they should pay it, these people
! who are telling how much pay we get
would raise an awful kick, for they
are under the impression that we get
good salary for our work.
The fire department gets $3.50 a
year and there are fifty members
That is about enough to pay for
!clothes spoiled at one fire. One per-
i son remarked: "Why does the de-
partment keep such large member
ship?" Because the first ten minutes
at fire is what counts, and if man
I! is mile away he will hardly be able
to render that first service. There
! fore with fifty members we can al
ways have from to 12 available dur
| ing the first few minutes when they
can do the most good. And some
more say: Look at the splendid
quarters your firemen have It is
splendid and we are more than proud
; of it, but you must remember that IL
costs us about $40 year to keep Ha
clean and in it's splendor.
would like to ask in behalf OF
the tiremen, one favor of the spec
tators at any fire which we are apt
! to have, and that is for the people,
. whoever they may be, to stand at
least out of the reach of our streams
Of water and off the hose and give
the men who are paid" chance to
do little work without having to
crowd their way through dense
mass of people. Spectators do no
good and are an awful nuisance to the
men trying to drag big hose full,
of water over And don't You ever
think they would help, for we "are
paid for it, From now on l think
if the police cannot keep people back
we will try the persuasive powers
of stream of cold water, and any
one who wishes a second dose can
have it, and there will positively be
no charge for the application.
know the firemen will be glad to
have the people. stay at home and let
them fight the fire, and it's for their
good I have here tried to explain
what we get for our services and what
is expected of us. One hundred and
fifty dollars a year-three dollars per
man per year.
Roy Sappenfeld, Chief of the Fire
Department. .--