Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-04-18

The last meeting of the old city
commission was held last evening,
Commissioner MarQuett retiring to be
replaced by Henry Tatley who takes
Office today.
The most important business Of
the evening was the passing OF tine
fire department ordinance. NJ. Van
Horn was present and stated that he
thought the commission was hasty in
passing the ordinance, that it seemed
to do away with the old volunteer
companies. who had worked long and
faithfully in the past aud he believed
they should leceivc more consi:lera-
ton.
Commissioner Marquett explained
that the ordinance did no. do away
with the old companies, that it simp-
ly called for the appointment OF u
chief and assistant chief of the depart.
ment and as many firemen as the city
commission saw fit; that he had a
resolution ready for introduction,
when the ordinance WAS "assed. to APP
point the present chief and assistant
chief to the same positions as they
now hold as well as number Of
fi' emen now De'orgins to the volun'
t;er companies ?ni further tlElt all
members of the volunteer companies
would still be expected to act at fires
in case those appointed now as reg
ular firemen could not cope wi ththe
fire. He also explained that all fire.
men serving would be paiu for each
fire at which they served. He be-
lieved there had been great deal OF
transformation scattered around about
the intentions Of the commission;
that two meetings of the volunteer fire
men had been called the past two
weeks to discuss the ordinance and
that at one meeting only six men
turned out and at the other about ten
out of membership of Is; that the
ordinance was not new thing but
had been talked of for two years;
that the city had now reached such
size and proportions that it could not
depend upon a volunteer organization
and paid department is necessity.
Commissioner Jackson stated he
had talked with both Mr.. Van Horn
and Commissioner Marquett and so
far as he could see they both wanted
about the same thing and he was in
favor of the ordinance. And WIN
Mr.. Marquett moved that it be passed
all the commissioners voted in favor
OF it.
H. A. Thompson as chef and Geo.
Fortune as assistant chief of the de-.
partment were named by Mr.. Mar
quett and confirmed by the commits
sion.
Mr.. Marquett named the following
members of the various voluteer com.
panies of the city to act as firemen:
From Pioneer Fire Company, Frank
Wilcox, Ed Francis, Frank Meitzel;
Fro mPioneer Hose Company, Alex
Logan, Shed Lambert, Wilbur Rohrer
From Banner Hook and Ladder Co.,
Chas. Vettel Elmer Brown, Eric sumo.
quist, Arthur Gussner. The appoint
ments being confirmed by the com.
mission.
The following resolution of thanks
to the volunteer firemen of the city
was also introduced by Commissioner
Marquette and passed unanimously:
Whereas, the volunteer firemen of
the city have rendered good and faith.
full service to the city ever since the
organization of the various fire COM
panies in 1877, and
Whereas, through their efforts thous
ands CT dollars have been saved the
property owners and tax nayers of
the city, and
Whereas, the city has now grown to
such size and the property in the city
has now reached such large proper
lions that a paid fire department has
become a necessity, and
Whereas such a paid department
has ujst been created,
Therefore, Be 1t Resolved, that the
thanks of the board of city commits
sioners be extended to all members
of the Pioneer Fire Company, Pioneer