Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1911-06-30

Gals down, sleep in the fire houses.
They are on duty constantly day and
night, except during time allowed for
meals. If they go out to eat three
times a day, they are allowed an hour
and a quarter for each meal; if two
meals, two hours each; If only one
meal, three hours. Other time off
duty for f1remen is four periods a
month Of 36 hours each and two of "a
hours, and they are also allowed two
weeks a year under full pay. Lieuten-
ants and captains are allowed three
weeks annual vacation and battalion
chiefs and deputy chiefs a month.
Their duties, besides handling the
hose, ladders, standpipes and other ap-
paratus and doing all that is to be
done at a fire, are to take care of the
fire house, horses and equipments; in
short, to do everything about the place
except washing the clothes and TAX
ing care of the beds. All fremen pay
for their own uniforms.
The pay is advanced to $1,000 the
second year, to $1,000 the third, and
to $1,400 the fourth. They are known
as f1rst-grade firemen after having
served three years, and after working
six months in this grade they are
permitted to take IN examination for
promotion to engineer or assistant
foreman (known as lieutenant). This
covers, to quote the civil service rules,
the writing of a report to a superior
officer on some designated subject;
knowledge of the administration, or
ganization and discipline of the fire
istrative relations of such department
with other branches of the city gov
ernment; knowledge of laws or ordi.
nances relating to fire duty; knowl-
edge and construction of departmental
rules and regulations; and such other
pertinent subjects as the commission
may prescribe
If your boy should aspire to be an
engineer, he must learn to manag
the steamer, and he is allowed a Pc
riod in a sort of school to help out
in this. A similar rule governs ap-
pointment to pilot on a fireboat. En-
gineers are paid $1,000 a year, and
pilots $1,000. The promotion to the
grade of assistant foreman, or lieuten-
ant, is the one generally sought, as it
Is in more direct line of advancement
to still higher positions, and now car
ries a salary of $2,100 annually.
After working six months as lieu
tenant your boy is eligible to take the
examination for promotion to captain,
or foreman, a position which carries a
salary of $4,000; but this does not
mean that he will be made a captain
four years after he has started in the
department. Vacancies do not occur
SO conveniently, and promotion comes
only when there is a place to be filled.
The higher the promotion the fewer
there are of them and the harder they
are to reach. However, positions
often become vacant, and they are al
ways filled by promotion. The chief
of the entire New York department
grew up from the ranks. The total of
over 1900 men in the service includes
n chief, Is deputy chiefs, 81 chiefs
of battalion, 259 captains and 361 lieu
tenants. Every one of these posts is
possible of achievement by your boy.
The captain has charge of a COM
pany, consisting usually of ten firemen
and two officers, although there are
double companies of twice the num-
Der. Six companies make a battalion,
presided over by a battalion chief, who
is paid $4,000 a year. Over the bat
talon chief is one of the deputy
chiefs, paid $4,000 annually, while the