Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-09-10
FIRE Dept. WANTS $1,000
Claim Made That a New Re
peater Is Needed.
Chief Niles Gets an Increase In Sal
nry mt Meeting of Board thr Al
dermcn-Mayor Vctoes IN
$500 job.

1t came to the attention Of the beard of
aldermen Tuesday at their regular
monthly session that the fire department
was in need of n new six-circuit repeater
ut fire station one to replace the present
four-circult repeater, which has been In
use for a period of 20 years. Tie increas-
ing number of fire alarm boxes and the
fact that the present repeater has been
burned out several times and has been
frequently repaired and that 1t has caused
the department apparatus to go astray
several times were facts that warranted
tho board of fire commissioners in appear
ing before the city fathers and asking
that a new repeater be bought at once SO
n to preserve the efficiency of the depart
mont As the new apparatus Will cost $500
the aldermen. although disposed to think
perhaps It was needed, were not inclined
to vote an appropriation for II off-hand
and It was decided to refer tho prop 'siton
to n committee of three TO confer with the
fire commissioners ana mako an investi-
cation.
The question came up fl t1rc form of n
resolution unsigned, TO the effect that the
fire commissioners he authorized to buy q
new six-circuit repeater. L. 70. Perkins
chairman of the fire commission, was
called upon to make an explanation He
said that the present four-cirouit repeater
| had been in service for % years and that 1t
was showing signs OF wean A new re-
poatcr is needed to keep the efficiency OF
the department. Five or six times within
the past two years the instrument has
baked and has sent the apparatus to Diff
ferent boxes. The most recent example
of the eccentric working Of the device
was Mt the Klifa club fire. The alarm
supposed to have been rung was box Z.
Stations three and four got It all right but
| station one responded to box and the
rest of the apparatus went down to the
lake. Mr. Perkins said that the most i'm
portant part Of an alarm system was the
repeater and that the present one was
worn out The cost of installing q now
one would be $3.50 and the Gamewen
company, VINO furnished repeaters, would
probably make an allowance for the old
repeater In exchange.
chief Niles was called upon for
further explanation. He said that the
fire alarm system in the city consisted
of about % miles Of wiring and that
there were &C boxes on the four cir
cults provided. All the boxes south
Of Main street were on one circuit so
that If there was n broken wire the
whole fifteen boxes in the southern
part of the city would be put out of
commission. BY the new arrangement
with n siX-circuit repeater there would
be II boxes on circuit The chief
suggested, also, that the present re-
peater now In use was not only worn
out, but it was also out of date. Wire
Inspector PreSsey also recommend cd
that n new repeater be installed. Al
dermen Drew. Buell. and Lamson were
inclined to think that the matter of
purchase should be given serious com
sideraton and on Alderman Lamso MS
motion 1t was voted to leave the mat
ter to committee of three for the
present. 1t was represented that the
apparatus could not be completed fol
operation inside of six months.
A communication from the fire COM
missioners was received to the effect
that an increase in the salary Of Chiei
Niles was desirable. He has been Of
Ifered two positions that will pay hin
more salary than he is getting now
! but it is not eXpedient to let him &c
at the present time rs 1t would be diff.
ficult to fill his position with a mar
properly qualified. 1t was recommend
ed that he be given an increase of sal
AIRY of two dollars per week.
Following this was n resolution tha
the salary of the chief be increased tC
$25 per week. Alderman Orator
moved that it be laid on the table
Alderman Dwyer seconded the motion
Alderman Lamson proposed an amend
mont that the resolution be adopted
A yea and nay vote was called for anC
, the amendment was adopted. Alder
man Hall, Lamson, Reynolds, Dion ant
Buell. voting for II, and Aldermen
: Dwyer Grafton and Keislich votini
, against IT. The resolution was thci
, adopted as amended. Alderman Dwye
, took occasion to say that he had want
ed the matter Of paying the city OF
flcials settled in the spring when TIL
{ salaries committee was in session. H
D added that he had wanted to increas
y the fire chiefs salary as he had want
t ed to increase the salaries of severa
= other officials of the city, who, h
/ thought, were underpaid. He though
/ that IL was an imposition to bring tn
matter of ono officials increase o
Z salary forward now. Alderman Lam
son said that it was only proper I
3 increase the chiefs salary in view O
Q the fact that he might take Some othe
I. position and that new circumstance
= had arisen since last spring.
4 STREET LIGHTING.
3 Resolutions were adopted to plac
{ street lights on North willard stree
o between Pomeroy and Archibald street
Il and on Spring street between Walnu
y street and Elmwood avenue. A smi
: lar resolution to place one In Shell
g burne road between the foot of Ledg
/, road and the willard residence wa
I referred to tho light commission.
q Superintendent MacBroom reporte
again on the proposition to ligh
h Pittsburgh avenue and the Heineber
- bridge. His communication to the ei
c feet that he suggested the system {
J. street lighting on PlattsburGh avenu
n from North avenue to the bridge b
IT continued and that six lights be In
e stalled. The cost he figured at s217C
Il for installation and s144 year fc
maintenance, including two lights o
l. the bridge. Alderman Keisli,h though
= this was too expensive and introduce
II n resolution that two lights be install
9 ed on Plattsburgh avenue and two o
the bridge. This resolution wa
/. adopted.
n MAYORS VETO SUSTAINED.
y Mayor Burke returned without h
approval the resolution to ex,pend $50
= for building "A retaining wall on I'll
l. east side of South Union street nef