The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-07-26
which some better plan may be

We propose that the city or Denl-
son employ a man and team. We be-
lieye that faithful and competent
man, with a good team and wagon,
could be secured for not to exceed
100000 per year. The government
secures competent rural carriers who
provide their own teams and equip
ment at $1,000 per year. This man,
employed by the city, should be placed
under the direction of the street COM
missioner or other official and dur
ing the day he should be prepared to
do any work that this official ordered.
At present the merchants are paying
$500 per day for street sprinkling
service. This could well be performed
by this city employee and the mer-
chants could pay the city for his serv-
ices. This service lasts about $50
days, so that from sprinkling approx
imately 100000 would be paid.
Throughout the year the city pays
considerable amounts for teaming
about the town. There is street work
to be done, ashes and garbage to be
removed, lumber to be hauled, the King
drag to be used, and, in the winter,
walks to be cleaned and banks of
snow to be removed. All of these
things could be done by man and
team whose time were at the disposal
of the city. This provides for the
working time of such an employe, but
what has this to do with fire protec-
ton? During the daytime the prob
lem of the fire alarm is not serious.
There are plenty OF people about to
sound the alarm, there are teams on
the street to haul the apparatus, the
firemen are near at hand and ready
for immediate response. The problem
to be solved is the night alarm. The
city hall could be easily arranged to
house this man and his team at night.
The regulation fire harness could be
purchased and hung ready for quick
Harvesting. If necessary, one of the
rooms upstairs could be equipped as
bedroom and we know that there
are reputable and efficient young men
in Denison who would gladly exchange
their services for night calls for heat
and lodging. This would provide a
team and emergency force of two or
three men ready to respond at once
to any night alarm. The history OF
the city shows that these night calls
would not average one month and 1t
is greatly to be hoped that this aver
age will not be exceeded. We believe
this protection could be provided with
out additional taxation and without
a penny's additional expense if we
consider the amounts now spent for
street sprinkling, and for that team
ing about the town which this man
could readily perform. Having pro
vided such a service attention could
we'll be given to the alarm system
itself. The old bell rope system should
be abandoned at once. 1t is hard work,
is ineffective, and requires the entire
time of the first man at the fire house,
which time could be much better en-
ployed in getting the apparatus ready
for business. An electric motor should
be arranged SO that the night fire
man would simply turn lever and
the alarm be continuously sounded.
Denison has grown too big and COW
ers too much territory for any bell to
be sufficient alarm. The city should
provide siren whistle at the electric
light plant and arrangements be made
with this company to sound this
whistle Immediately in case of fire.
Arrangements should be made with
the telephone company to notify both
the night fireman and the electric light
plant as soon as the fire call is turned
in so that both alarms can be sounded.
At one time it was thought to di.
vide the city into fire districts, but
this division has never been Of value
because it was too complicated. The
person turning in an alarm of fire
will nearly always describe the loca-
ton. This information could be given
the night fireman, but for the firemen
as a whole and for the public, all that
is needed is the general direction.
For this purpose the city should be
divided into not more than five sub
divisions. These would easily be
learned by all and the siren whistle
could easily signal the general direc-
ton of the fire to all the people. All
these arrangements would not involve
an initial expense of 100000, and the
cost of maintenance should be trivial.
Having provided quick and effect
i've system of alarm and men and
team ready to pull the hose cart at
once to the scene of the fire, the next
step should be I'd increase the num-
Der of fire plugs for their present To-