St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-04-17
Subscription price si.Oo per year.


In view of the fact that the
members of the fire department
have rendered their designations
to take effect April 2lst, the city
council is forced TO make provis-
ion for better fire fighting equip
ment in order TO preserve any
effective fire fighting force.
This fact is fully realized by the
new city officials, but they are in
somewhat of a dilemma as to the
nature of the additional equip
ment to be secured. A commit
tee has been appointed to inves-
tigate the merits of a combina-
tion hose and chemical engine,
and also look into the merits Of
a commercial truck of a ton or
more capacity. 1t is certain that
some sort of equipment that is
adequate and competent TO fight
fire with celerity and dispatch
must be acquired in order to
keep a capable fire company on
duty. The voters. by some
strange line of reasoning. turned
down a proposition TO secure the
best engine that could be procur-
ed. Why they did SO is rather
difficult of comprehension. One
city official stated that he heard
the proposition discussed freely
while he was making his cam
paign. and the concensus of
opinion seemed to be that a COM
bination hose. chemical and
pumping engine would be of no
particular benefit TO the people
removed from the business dist
rict because the pressure of
water or the pipes were believed
TO be not large enough to use the
pumping attachment to the best
advantage. Therefore. they did
not feel like helping TO pay for
something that would benefit
the business district only.
and so they voted against
the bonds. How illogical An
opportunity was afforded 60 pur-
chase the best fire fighting equip
ment known, complete in every
respect. And the only thing
that st. Johns had need to con.
cern itself about was the interest
on the bonds. The principal
would in all probability have
been taken care of after anneXa-
tion TO Portland. The cost to
each of the more moderate prop
erty owners would not have been
over % cents per year. And a
lowering in the insurance rates
of approximately twelve per cent
was assured. which would wipe
out all the cost and more of the
engine on the part of the small
property owner carrying insur-
ance. until the bonds would have
matured, and even then they
could no doubt have been con-
tinued indefinitely. And so far
as the business district being the
only section benefited by COM
bination hose. chemical and
pumping engine. il is an errone-
Gus impression. Where the
water pipes are too mall on the
water supply inadequate 10 work
the pumping attachment TO adj
vantage. the districts would have
had the benefit of the hose and
chemical and the speed of the
auto truck in getting 10 the fire.
And later, when the other dist
ricts had been better supplied
with water equipment. they
would get all the benefit To be
derived. Now the city council
is forced into a position whore
il must supply something ade-
quate and satisfactory To tse-
men. And the chances are that
il will purchase a combination
hose and chemical. costing i'm the
neighhorhoOd of $4,000. This
cannot be bonded for without
another election, but the people
of st. Johns must pay it outright
or on the installment plan, both
principal and interest, and the
Insurance rates will not Ice low
cred as much as with a better or
more complete machine. The
result is that We pay more mon
ey and get less for it than if the
bonds had carried ON April 9Th.