St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-05-08
Subscription prio. st.Oo per year.

GedCneQ a uedulOCk SO lar dS
selecting fire apparatus is con.
cerned. A triple combination
has been voted down and an auto
truck has met with the same fate.
The council has failed to agree
as to what shall be secured. All
however, are of the opinion that
some kind of apparatus should
and must be procured. The peo-
pie in general also seem to be
divided on the question as to
which is best to buy. One coun-
Gilman has stated that the reason
the people in the outlying dis
tricts did not want a pumping
engine was because in some in
stances the pumping attachment
might not prove of material ben
eft. And the business section
does not want anything else. be-
cause nothing else would prove
adequate in case of a large fire.
OF the two factions it would seem
that the business interests are
the more magnanimous. because
they propose that an apparatus
be purchased that could be util-
lied. all or in part, anywhere
in the city, while the other fac
tion wants an apparatus that they
believe will serve TO the greatest
degree of efficiency in the resi-
dence district only. and would
not avail against fires in large
structures. Il is also contended
that the city of Portland posses.
ses no triple combination ma
chine, but il is explained that
Portland has no need of a triple
because IL has paid men at hand
TO man the different pieces of
apparatus separately. while in
smaller cities where less paid
men are used. the triple is the
only practical machine. where
only one machine is procured.
Portland, however. has two COM
bination hose and pumping ma
chimes. the same as demonstrated
in st. Johns. but without the
chemical engine. And the price
paid for each machine. il is un.
derstood, is $4,000. II would
seem that the best would not be
too good for st. Johns. Progress
siye in most everything else, st.
Johns has not been progressive
so far as fire fighting apparatus
is concerned. Those opposed 20
a pumping engine give NJ one
reason for their stand tnat the
water supply is inadequate and
without sufficient force. Those
in favor of the pumper contend
that is the very reason why a
pumping attachment is essential
10 supply force where force is
lacking. As a matter of fact
pumping attachment can be used
wherever there is n fire hydrant.
and the speed of the engine could
be regulated To suit the size of
the mains.
IL is now proposed 10 find
way out of the difficulty by hold.
ing a special election. and leav-
ing il up to the people 10 decide
what kind of apparatus they
want. Whether this will clear
the atmosphere TO any great eX-
tent, or be a wise move To make.
is a matter of conjecture. The
people as a rule, some contend
know little or nothing about fire
apparatus, and. therefore, dim.
cult for them 10 vote intelligently
upon same. II is pointed out
that they have elected repre-
sentatives 10 look into matters of |
this nature, and get what is |
most feasible and practical, after |
a thorough investigation; that |
the people do not have the time |
or the opportunity TO investigate, |
and when they vote ON such a
proposition can only do so blind
ly or from an impression they
have formed from what they |
have seen or heard and knowing |
little or nothing concerning such |
matters, il is more than likely |
that price would "cut more ice"
with them than anything else,
and the merits of the machine |
given little consideration.
In view of the fact that We |
have no organized fire fighting |
force, have only inferior and |
inadequate apparatus. and that |
there is a likelihood that insur.
ance rates will soon increase or
be cut of i'm some instances,
there is justification for calling
a special election, since the
council cannot agree. Under the |
provisions of the city charter il
is somewhat doubtful if fire an.
paratus could be purchased ON
the installment plan, whether
the city has the right to purchase
without having the II
money on hand with which To
pay for that which is purchased.
Therefore a bond issue would
seem TO be the practical thing to
do. Some citizens claim that the
city council. as representatives {
Of the people, with the oppor-
-unity TO investigate, should de- I
tide for the people as to what is I
needed. if they themselves could i
agree. tits not so much what is {
he most popular, but which i'm c
he estimation of the couneiln,en G