Norwich bulletin., 1913-12-05
WESTERLY WANTS AUTO ENGINE
Townspeople Tired of HorseDrawn Apparatus Fire Truck Too Expensive, However-Various Schemes Pro- posed-Ancient Records For Lbrary-Fine For Theft of Rifle.

At the annual meeting of the West erly fire district Eugene B. Pendleton was reelected moderator; Lewis Stan ton clerk: Everett E, Nt h pp4e, treas urer and collector, ana A>G8ene B. Pen dleton, auditor. The clG Gostrd Of fire engineers was reelected as follows:
 Samuel G. Cottren cnIef Harry 5. Coyle, William Ii. Greene and George k. Egger, assistants. Aside from the reports of the board of engineers and the treasurer. tie laying of a tax of l5 cents on a dollar and tn authorization of the treasurer to hire any money necessary Ter the conduct of the buSl- ness of the district was d discussion on the naCter Of inpI 0vIng the present plan 0I getting appar&jI5 to fires. For the past two years the service Of horses as fstEslA=sI1CG by a local IFeryTnan haS not been satisfactory. aS G14eTe has not only been long delay in 5etIi1g horses to the dreaouse bar the animals fur nished were totally unfit for the work.
 Chief CottreIi said that for years the board of engineers had recommended an appropriation Ct S450 to De paid for horse service, but al this time the board rCfraIled from making the rec ommenda1iOn, as the service rendered by the HVeryman, whose barn is near the frehouse has been 50 unsatisfac- tory that he considered the approprla- tion money wasted. The board of en- gineers therefore put this important matter up to he meeting of the voters of the lire district for adjustment, as the fire department in order to be eItf- cient nI lst have d Way 10 get fire ap- paratus out Tic.cur 3ei2y.
 Eve.-ets :. Wj.:.>-;e, &s,a<-rer. said that Iise-6 was 2 Ci; 2 -5,S sentiment faVoraDlo to t..a ,.atrci.l.a si motor driven fire a.-.-'a.c .. 9ls.sGT of the triple action >yI.c ,- .. a.s1tcll and hose com mbinatiou. N..iuie ta was favorable to secure the besl there Is in the fire lighting. line, the finances of the dis trict Would n0t 9arrat. c4e purchase of a motor driven ai.sss5ra. lis at this time lie said thai V GA. he t1aasllrers re- port, which zt-ssI ,2F. SQ. showed a balance and 0 C.aares.5.a |: t.7e .lebt over that of a yo&r ago. notwithstanding the eXtraoCt>l 1.-5Z, eT pe2SeS attending the relocation s,l 5ac fitehouse, bills had been recelyei siuce then that in- crease the !nCle 5Ge1r ess- So much so that there wcui0 se no money availa- ble to purchase modem fire apparatus, the debt timlt oi che dre district being $T,050
 William Martin hoped there might be srEre VgaE 70 iucgsase the efficiency or the depay$n3-s>3<- 5Y adding modern &oPaEaS0s, a. the present system is not ap to the sc@ndaTd of the personnel of the depaT TtEEent-
 Everett Barns said he regretted that the faraneiAS cesauG4iaa of the district did Bot warrant the purchase of the best there is in motor driven fire ap- parat1S and suggested the purchase of a tractor. stating that 1t could be used 10 rush one apparatus to fire in short order and then go after the other fire waEons and have them all at the fire tn quicker time than is now done by the weak horses furnished the owner Of which should have been prosecuted for cruelty to horses
 In response to query from Charles H. Ledward, Chief CottreI said there were plenty or good horses in Wester- ly. but that they were not stabled near the firehouse- He believed that good and economical service could be se- cured if the district owned the fire horses, instead of paying $450 a year for inadequate service. He said a barn might be erected on town property and the district purchase a pair Of horses 1 This pair and the pair owned by the town could be a3s1d thefe and the pairs alternate on public work and by that methoet there JsoGld be one pair of horses availatls@ in the daytime and 1 two pairs at night IL Wou}d be better | still for the fire district to own the l four horses, v-j2yIr a pair on the high 1 way alternately, ard the horses would ! be sell sDp{sJS5inge T!}9n there would ] be better E0S'9e service than ever be- ] fore. and at leSs cost
 On motion Of Frederick C. Buffun1, the board of engineers was authorized 1 to provide means for the drawing of l fire apparatus far the ensuing year, or ! any part thereof, al a Iotai cost not to ! exceed S455. On motion of Everett i Barns. Chief Cottreil was made char i man of a committee of i've, the other ]! four members to be selected by the i chief tc gake into consideration this ! Whole matter and report tc q special | meeting e the fire district to be called . ny the secretary when requested by the I chief.
 The committee on relocating the fire | house. coEnposeG of Charles J. Butler. Samuel C. C4ttseii and Albert N. Gran i dali, appointed at the annual meeting of 1912. Te.2~ged the work completed i and Ire c-t2Glietee was discharged 1 wilh th5,=lks.
 Chief i'c reH stated that Colonel CraIidai4 .:al not only sel~.ea as com rnitteenla!t iesl had Sis: si,tu the work his IeeTs"Ha5 ea.J1rfiAltE sirirr up two months cf Li5 t.rle to -le EorE, and also did actu1l ceIpa1ter5zlg work be- sides He suggested that Colonel Gran