St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-05-01
Subscription prlo. si.oo per year.

bers of the st. Johns Volunteer
Fire Department having tender
ed their designations, which
were accepted by the council
Tuesday evening. The reason
assigned for this step on the
part of the members of the fire
department is that adequate and
effective fire apparatus had not
been secured, and to longer cope
with fires with the present
equipment was too disheartening
to continue. So they quit. And
they were a most effective and
faithful aggregation. with a
record that would he difficult to
equal as fire fighters. But the
citizens of st. Johns failed TO
provide equipment when the
opportunity was at hand, and
the designations was the result.
The city council fully realizes
that something must be done in
order to induce citizens to or
ganize another brigade. and is
endeavoring to arrive at some
decision in the selection of adj
ditional apparatus. So far moth
ing definite has been decided
upon. The proposition of pur.
chasing a triple combination auto
truck. the latest and most APP
proved apparatus for fire fight
ing, was turned down at last
Tuesday evenings council meet
ing by a vote Of four to three.
A couple of the Councilmen
voted against the acquirance of
this style of apparatus on the
theory that a like proposition did
not carry at the polls by a two
thirds vote. and il was there
fore taken as evidence that the
people did not want il. This
conclusion may be more or less
erroneous from the fact that a
majority vote was recorded at
the polls in favor of the triple
combination. and while the ma
jority was not large enough to
authorize the issuance of bonds.
yet il proved that more people
favored a triple combination
than did not. And in the
minority vote were no doubt
contained all those who did not
desire any more equipment of
any nature. and we understand
there are a number of such. for
some reason. However, unless
at least one councilman changes
his views. a triple combination
is out of the question. and some.
thing else be purchased instead.
Probably a combination hose and
chemical auto truck will be se-
cured. The only advantage such
n combination gives over the
present system of reaching and
taking care of fires is the matter
of speed and little else. Water
cannot be utilized To any better
advantage, and after the city has
acquired il. il will have little.
according 10 the views of a num-
ber of leading business men.
While il may be true that in some
remote cases "A pumping attach
ment could not be utilized TO
advantage. yet in the majority
of cases il would bee of great
benefit. And all the advantages
of combination hose and chemical
would be secured in a triple COM
bination. II is true the latter
would cost probably one.third
more money, but il would bee a
thousand per cent better. viewed
from any standpoint. Even III
the business district would
benefit 10 a greater degree by
the triple combination, il isl
equally true that proportionate-
ly il would have TO bear the
greater burden of the cost, and
il must not be forgotten that
the business district is the life
of any community. But the
benefits TO be derived from a
triple combination would be far
wider spread than the business
district only. Any section where
is located a fire hydrant would
benefit, the reduction i'm insur-
ance rates all over the city would
be considerably reduced, and the |
city would have something that |
il could feel security in and be |
proud of. However, there is a
point that is highly important, |
and that is whether or not the |
city, in its present financial con-
iition. can enter into the pur-
chase of a high priced machine,
No provision was made i'm the
asst budget for the acquirance
If any additional fire apparatus,
md if any is secured it will no
ioubt cripple the general fund
ust that much. The nut is a
lard one TO crack. and il will be
impossible to please all the peo-
,le no matter how il is finally
determined. Possibly a way may
'e found out of the unfortunate ;
ituation at the next meeting
4 the city council. In the
Meantime the city is without an ,
rganized fire fighting brigade.
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