The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-11
CITY COUNCIL VISITS
MISHAWAKA FIRE DEPT.
MAYOR, COMMITTEE OF THE
COUNCIL, FIRE CHIEF AND
EXPERT MECHANIC TAKE
TRIP TO SEE MOTOR FIRE
TRUCK.

Wednesday afternoon Mayor J.
b. Bowel, Councilmen Farmwald.
Underwood and McCrory, with
Chief F. H. Kuhn and Ed. Holdings
head as expert mechanic, on in
vitation of Chief Busse of Misha-
awake, visited that city, and were
shown the motor fire truck that has
been in service there for nearly a
year.
The truck is OF the American-La-
France make, the same as was
illustrated at the last regular meet
ing of the Council. At that time
the agent desired to exhibit
truck for the benefit Of the Coun-
Gil, but it was thought that it
would be wiser to get right away
from the talk of any agent, go and
see the machine in actual service,
where it could be quietly gone over
by a mechanic, measurements TAX
en-, and tests made, that would be
more what the Council really want
ed to know.
| Chief Busse and his men were
most courteous. Perhaps not more
so than fremen are the world over,
but they gave themselves over to
showing their guests the quarters
they have to live In, the apparatus
they have to work with, and all
the details of the life they live.
They are fine body of men, there
being twelve men besides the
Chief, and two stations. They have
the Gamewell Alarm system, and it
was explained that the large fac
tories of that city are so conencted
with the fire station, that the man
who discovers fire anywhere about
their works, does not have to run
to the office, or to some city box to
give the alarm, but at various places
about the works is placed electric
appliances which when set going,
not only give the signal for fire,
but actually open the doors at the
station, release the horses that take
the big hook and ladder truck, and
clear the way for the immediate
start of the apparatus. Their city
alarm system has thirty alarm boxes
in variorc coof;opc
At each of the two fire stations
the men set the gongs going, and
the fire horses came tearing out to
be hitched up, and in second or
two were ready for the start.
Besides the horse draw apparatus,
was the Motor truck, which is the
main reliance in cases of need. It
is fitted with all the appliances that
go with a modern fire department,
Including the chemical tank and
hose. 1t carried twelve hundred
feet of hose, and with FIVE men to
work the various appliances, all
trained, makes a very efficient force.
The committee found that the
machine was perfect, in that it was
up to the claims made by the
printed matter of the manufacturers
Mr.. Hollingshead went through the
mechanical makeup of the truck,
and declares that it will develop
more than the 60 horse power
claimed. The work and material he
found to be first class in every way.
In order to know of the ability of
the truck to stand severe service,
Chief Busse got in the drivers seat,
and with two of his men, and the
six of the committee, an exhibition
was given that certainly demon
strated the power and strength of
the machine.
Smooth pavements of course
were easy, even the steep inclines
were taken with no effort. Sudden
ly turning to a side street Chief
Busse stopped, and they were at the
foot of a steep hill of loose sand.