Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-25
Of FIRE
ENGINE POSTPONED
Vote Was Tie on Purchase of the
Mott Engine, But the Mayor
Said No.

HllHui anu WHlle Jne audience at JnG
city council meeting last evening sent
up round of cheers, City Recorder
Elgin announced in stentorian tones
that the body had voted to return the
certified checks to the competing
bidders thereby indefinitely postpon-
ing the purchase Of another automo-
bile fire engine.
1t was only by the thickness of a
gnat's eyebrow split that the city
missed purchasing a Mott six-cylinder
car. Every one of the bids made the
city were voted on and all were
turned down. On the Mott car the vote
was to 7 and the mayor was called
upon to do the rub-off He voted
no" The executive explained his
vote by saying that the Mott represen-
tatiVe had persistently refused to
give his engine a road test should the
three cars be tried out here Repre-
sentative Sheriff. Of the Mott company
denied this, saying that he had agreed
upon any test the council might name,
but the mayor did not change his vote.
Turner Starts It.
The agony started when John D.
Turner councilman from the fifth
ward moved that the bid Of the Mott
company of $77OO be accepted. South
wick seconded the motion. Before the
vote was taken Turner explained that
he and Alderman Stolz had taken the
descriptions Of the three cars to com
petent automobile men and machin-
lists of the city, and had asked them
to give their opinions as to which of
the three cars was most desirable
without consideration of the price of
the cars. He declared that one and
all Of the experts had recommended
the Motif.
Jim Waring registered an objection.
He said that the council would be
foolish to go by the recommendation
Of the machinists, none of whom knew
any more about fire engines than the
proverbial pig about a hip-pocket. He
asserted that while the bid of the Mott
people was the lowest on the surface,
yet when the number of gallons of
water it was able to throw a minute
is taken into consideration, it was the
highest priced machine.
MintOn Goes on Jamt.
AT this juncture of the proceedings
Alderman Rigdon said that it had been
brought to his ears that Alderman
Mnton had just returned from a
campaign Of investigation into the
merits OF the GENUS fire engine. He
demanded that Minton tell about it..
Mr., Minton explained that Fire Chief
Savage had asked him to go to Eugene
with him and view the workings of the
Mott engine, purchased by that city
last summer Mr.. Minton said that
everyone Of the engines has something
on the others in the way of advantages
OF different kinds, but that from all
he had gathered he felt favorably dis
posed toward the Mott engine. He ad-
vocated a try-out Of the three engines
under the rules of the underwriters
test.
Alderman Hatch, one Of the special
committee named last week to arrange
for the tests, and which failed to
bring the agents together, declared |
that It would be impossible to arrange
for the test Alderman Skaife said |
that the three men who had been
named on the special committee we're
three as good men as could be found |
in the council, and II they could not |
arrange for the test there was no use
for anybody else to try It. Mayor |
Sleeves said he was willing to appoint |
another committee II there were any
three men In the council that thought |
they could bring the agents together,
and were willing to make a stagger
at It,