The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-16
70 HEAR ENGINE SALESMAN.
COUNCIL DECIDES ON TUESDAY
FOLLOWING ITS NEXT MEET.
ING, THE PURCHASE OF
AUTO ENGINE.
Lengthy and Hot Discussion I'm Coun-
Gil Chamber on Work and the
Needs Of the Fire Department
HAS Nothing nc All, not even a
Ladder."-Council Has Expended
mo- Money ON The Department.

lne discussion OF the fire depart
ment. is needs. It's wants and It's
shortcomings. by City Council Tues
day night was by far the most in
teresting topic brought before Coun-
ell for their consideration. The dis
cussion was begun by Alderman
Glenn. the chairman OF the fire COM
mittee. when he stated that the fire
department had To have some help,
and that he would move that the
first Tuesday after the next meeting
Of Council be appointed as the date
for the hearing by Council of the
various representatives Of the manu-
featuring companies and that Coun-
Gil by then be ready to purchase st
least an automobile fire engine and
hose wagon with chemical engine at
tached.
The discussion from the time this
motion was made until II was passed
was exceedingly warm. Mr.. Glenn
and Mr.. McKeiver both stated most
emphatically that--in Mr.. Glenn's
words-"the city has purchased dur
Ing the administration OF the pres.
. ent council not a Gods thing for the
hre department" Mr.. Glenn stated
that the condition Of the fire depart
merit at present was as bad as Il
could possibly be. for the department
had nothing and could do nothing In
case Of a big FIRE.
The discussion commenced when
Mr.. Glenn was called upon to report
for the fire committee. He said that
he had been working ever since ne
had been on the fire committee to get
Insurance rates In Sumter lowered.
He had not yet been successful and
he never would be unless the f,rs
department was better equipped. He
said that every department except his
had asked for appropriations for GER
tain things and had secured them. He
had asked and been refused. He now
wanted to ask Council for the last
time 20 get equipment for the fire
department
The fire department. was the poor
est equipped one I'm the State for a
city the size OF Sumter. and was to
tally inadequate to do the work ex-
pected OF II. II there should happen
TO be two fires at one time. II would
be impossible to fight but one Of
them The other one would have To
burn until the first one was extin.
guished. The horses were old and
could not take more than one run
night. and one wagon was In such
condition that mono OF the fremen
would ride on n. There were va
rious other wants. and things that
the fire department. did not have. too
numerous to mention.
Mr.. McKeiver seconded all that
Mr.. Glenn had sail and told a num-
Der OF other things about the fire de-
partment which were OF interest. but
which were true.
Mr.. Cuttino thought that the fire
department needed to be reorganized.
He said that there was no interest
displayed by the members of the fire
department The things that they
had were not proprly kept and he
did not see that the city ought to
S've anything to the fire department
until there were more active members
and the members displayed more In
terest. The lack OF interest OF the
department was shown at the recent
fire on Hampton avenue. when IL
took The engine a long time TO get
To the fire and then more than five
minutes Co get IL To working. He
said that there was an insurance rate
adjustor in the city that day and ne
thought that " he had seen the work
OF the fire department on that oc-
casion rates would have been raised
instead OF lowered.
Mr.. Booth said that there was lack
OF proper management on tho part
Of the fire department Of what was
In their possession. III the fire depart
ment did not know how to keep and
To use what they now had. ne did not
see why anything more should be
purchased for them.
Mr.. Glenn and Mr.. McKeiver both
Joined In In stating that the fire de-
partment had nothing To keep and
that there had not been bad manage
ment on the part OF the department
at the w. J. Andrews fire. as stated
by Mr.. Booth. but lack OF material
with which TO fight the nre.
Again and again Mr.. McKeiver and