Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-06-08

we depart. l know that we will long
remember the convention and tourna
ment in Bismarck in 1910.
"Jim' Foley, poet laureate of the
state of North Dakota, was then pre-
sented to the boys and he put them all
in the best of humor by a facetious
little speech in which he hoped that
they would all have a good time. He
respectfully thanked them for bringing
some moisture with them. The crops
have been in need of it. And they
needed it-within and without.
The convention then settled down
to the serious work before it. The
first thing was the roll call of officers
and delegates. Following the roll
call the committee on credentials was
dispensed with, the report of the sec
retary being accepted in lieu thereof
President James A. Mahood then
delivered the annual address to the
delegates and visiting firemen. Mr.
Mahood said:
Gentlemen and delegates of the
North Dakota Fireman's association:
One year ago at DEVILS Lake, when
you elected me the president of this
association, it was the proudest mo-
ment of the fifty-two years of my life,
and today would be the happiest time
OF my life were it not for the fact
that am on the program for an ad
dress, and I assure you that if there
was any possible show to run you
would not be able to see me for the
dust.
Gentlemen, consider it the great
est honor that can come to any citi-
zen to be made the head of an organ
ization of men who give their time,
their brain, their muscle, and, if need
be, their money and sometimes their
lives voluntarily, without any hope
OF compensation, to the good of their
fellow citizens and neighbors.
I have attended good many politi-
cal state conventions and great
many meetings of grand lodge of the
different societies, but never before
have I had the honor and privil
of meeting with a better bunch Of
Indians than l have before me today.
The past year has been one of
prosperity to the North Dakota Fire
mems association, as you will see by
the report of our worthy secretary,
Mr.. H. L. Reade. The board of trus.
tees has had but one meeting this
year, and in accordance with the in
structions from the last convention
held at Devils Lake to make every
possible effort to secure rates fro,
the several railroad companies Of
the state for this tournament. Trus-
tees Charmley, Metcalf and your presi-
dent were appointed at the meeting
of the trustees held at Grand Forks
in January, to take this matter up
with the railroads. We went to st.
Paul and Minneapolis, made every
effort possible to get them to make
rates for this tournament, but with
out results.
While our society has prospered,
our old enemy, the fire fiend, has also
been very busy in our fair state. New
Rockford, Kenmare and various
towns have been visited by disastrous
fires during the past year. At Ege.
lund, in the county where I live, one
of the saddest things took place that
can happen by fre-the 500 depot
burnt and a mother and her two lit
tie girls, age seven and four, perished
in the flames, the husband and faith
er barely escaping with his life. His
neighbors and the firemen of the
town were unable to save his loved
ones from that horrible death.
This fearful calamity should teach
US all not to be careless with fire.
If any authentic list IF fire causes
be examined, it will be surprising to
note the large proportion which may
be ascribed directly to carelessness.
A fire underwater of national repu-
tation found that at least one-half of
all the fires could be ascribed to that
cause. We now have fire drill in
The schools, which is a good thing,
and will undoubtedly save many lives
in case of school house fires, but we
should go further than this with the
children. They should be taught the
ear of fire just as soon as they are
,ble to cause it. The chiefs and the
iremen could aid in this work OF
Chiefs of the volunteer
departments should look their |
own over carefully to see that as |
ew fire traps as possible exist, and
should point these out to the careless i
citizens. They should inspect their
own at least twice year for this
purpose. A most effective step to-
CONTINUED on page 81 l.