The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-04-24
From fridays oai,y. Z


The fremen of the village at a
meeting held last evening in the
same hall had a lengthy discussion
of the same topic, and the consen.
sus of opinion was that the depart.
ment should be kept up. No one
was in favor of disbanding II, and
depending altogether on the fire
service of the city OF Mankato to
extinguish the fires OF the village.
II was agreed. however, that there
were likely to be times when the
help of the city flremen would be
greatly needed, and at such times
the village firemen should have
that assistance. be,
Pay For One Fireman.
At recent conference between
committees representing the city
council and the village council,
the propositio was made
by the city officials to undertake to
put out all fires OF North ManlSato,
with such help as might be given
by the village fire department, on
condition that the village would pay
the salary of one of the city fire.
men. This would mean an expendi-
ture by the village of sT2O year.
The village firemen decided last
evening that they would not rec
ommend that the village council ac-
oept that proposition, as it would
be quite an addition to the expense
of running the village, and would
necessarily mean an additional tax
levy.
TIL fremen decided to recon-
mend that the village and city
councils agree on some compensa.
ton to be paid to the city by the
village for such help as the city fire
department might give, in cose the
help of the city firemen should be
called for to cope with fires of such
size that the village firemen could
not handle without such assistance.
Start Educational Campaign.
II was decided also that something
ought to be done to educate the
people OF the village up to the prop
er method of calling the village fire
department. Many people Of the vii
lage do not know how this liz done.
They simply call central telephone
operator telling her that there Is a
fire in the village, and hang up
without telling where II is. The
proper way to do is to call the chief
operator and tell the street and
street number OF the house where
the fire is. Then the operator will
ring the village fire bell and call
the village department It was de-
cided last evening TO recommend the
printing of "stickers" TO be placed
on all the telephones of the village,
telling Just how TO call the village
fire department.
Reports Will Be Submitted.
All of these recommendations will
be embodied in report to be CON-
piled by a special committee, ap-
pointed for the purpose. This re-
port will be read at the mass meet
ing next Thursday evening. The
committee appointed by william
Bohrer, chief of the FIRE department,
who presided at the meeting, con-
sists OF w. p. Grimes, Dennis Dom
ahue, Joseph Eirscher, c. A. Keene
and Joseph Leonhardt. The commit
tee will meet next Thursday even
ing to comp''o the report. The re-
port will also include an expression
of appreciation on the part of the
village firemcn for the assistance
that has been rendered from time
to time by the city firemen in ex-
tinguishing fires In the village.
Committee on Instruction.
= Another committee. consisting of
G.. A. Keene, w. p. Grimes and
Frank Mcclure, was appointed to
perfect plan OF instructing the
people In the proper method of
calling the village fire department.
Tho villagers are to be instructed.
moreover not to call on the city
fire department., without being auth
crized by the chief or some other
official or member of one of the
village fire companies.
Chief Bohrer remarked that the
North Mankato firemen, who happen.
ed to be in the cityiwhen there was
need of additional help TO put out a
city fire, and a second alarm was
turned in, were always ready and
willing to help fight the fires
there. This should be considered
as we'll as the help that was given
by the city department 10 the
village firemen.
Mr.. Kircher said the village coun.
ell should make some rule In regard
to the calling OF the city firemen
for village fires.
Too Many Calls.
: Mr.. Keene said the whole trouble
over the service that the city fire.
men we're giving in the village was
due to the fact that the people of
the village had gotten into the ha- /,
bit OF calling the city firemen for
every little fire. and forgot that there
was a village FIRE department at ALL |
He spoke of the time when the |
was on fire. and said the
city FIRE department was called by |
a village fireman. before the village |
FIRE department was notified OF the
existence of the fire.