Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-03

unteer to take care of its fire hazard.
Property in Augusta is worth millions
of dollars. Busy with our individual
cares by day, we leave to you men the
arduous duty of protecting our bust
ness places, our shops and mills and
homes against loss from fire. BY night,
when the whole city sleeps. how lit
tie we think what it means to have
this great burden of watchfulness
shifted from the shoulders of the
community to the back of fire de-
partment.
New Fire Station
1.-THE Augusta fire department is not
well housed nor has 1t more than what
is barely necessary as equipment, while
the compensation of the firemen is little
or nothing. | believe the time has come
when we should seriously consider the
building of a central fire station. This
station should be substantially built.
should be adequate for the present and
the future, should be big enough to house
our apparatus and new apparatus to
come and should provide headquarters
for such of our fire boys az choose to
dwell there. Location for such a fire sta
finances of the city will permit the build
ing of the fire station, to cost with land
not more than $4,000, next year. When
our citizens really know the full stu
alton and the needs of this department
there will be a general willingness TO
have this splendid piece of work done. We
owe this to our selves, to the future of
Augusta and to the men who render such
ungrudging service.
Motor Truck
With the advent of the new central FIRE
station there will need be much improve
ment in our signal system, and then We
shall have to face in common with all
other cities of the country an investment
in motor fire truck. The fire depart
ment never had six better horses then it
has today nor has the time come in Au-
gusta to do away altogether with horses.
The motor truck. however, is almost in
dispensable. The first cost Is large but
the upkeep is small and the service rem
dered great. Such a fire truck with
chemicals could cover large territory
and be of great benefit to outlying dis
tricts. The expense account of this de-
partment Is bound to be larger and the
city must face this condition in the very
near future. Insurance costs money, and
rates in great measure rise or fall in pro-
portion to the communitys willingness to
provide equipment for the most approved
methods of fighting fires.
1.-The department has new chief. I
commend your new chief to you and 1
commend you to him. You are all under
civil service and you are to live together
until you either resign or die or are re-
tired. 1t Is for you men to find how best
to live together, to learn the value of
discipline, to set store by hearty cooper
alton. to learn mutual helpfulness and
the worth of real fellowship. 1 know of
nothing in the world so good that it can
not be made better. The Augusta fire
department is not so perfect but there
Is chance for improvement. l suggest
that you study in what ways the depart
ment may be bettered, and Just how q
greater efficiency may be brought about
need hardly suggest to you men the
need of increasing pride in this service
in which you are enlisted l need not
say how important it is to have the de-
partment stand well with the community.