The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-04-16

toward preventing fires OF serious
nature. also vish to cali your at
tention to the low cost Of running the
motor apparatus. This amounted Ia APP
broxlmately $50. including gasoline.
oils and greases. charging batteries.
tire chains polish. etc. but does not
include several additions that were
made OF permanent nature. such as
suction hose and a spare tire and rim.
This amount Is less than the shooting
, bill for one team alone for the year"
Total Fire Loss Was sf,65e.
The report shows that the total FIRE
loss during the past year on buildings
I'm the city has been 81 .075 and on
contents OF buildings. $3.50. The in
surance on all these buildings was
sf7.490 and on the contents II was
$3.50. The losses were distributed
among the months OF the year as fol-
lows: April. 1914, on contents OF
buildings IS; May. on buildings, $50;
November. on buildings $500: on con.
tents. $50: January. 1916. buildings.
1896: contents. $500: March. build.
Ings. s3i5; contents. sl25: April.
buildings. SIS.
The report enumerates The better.
ments OF the past year as follows: l..
600 feet of 2Is-inch FIRE hose, sS59.03:
two pieces Of 2ia-inch suction hose.
S5i.15: payment on motor apparatuS.
sl.99S.75; new bell for West Mankato.
$32.12: extra tire and rim for auto,
s55: mud apron for hook and ladder.
81: trie chains. sl5,50: total. $3.017.
eettern,ents In Apparatus.
"Of tho 2h-inch fire hose above
mentioned" says the report. 800 feet
were received last year. and the bal
nnce was received this. All was paid
for the past year. however. A new
bell was purchased and hung In the
tower OF Station No. 2. the old ono
having been cracked. Hook and Lad.
der No. At the. Central station was
given a thorough overhauling and
painting. the work having been done
by men at tho station. A hose car.
with hose was placed In the pump
house at the base OF the elevated res.
ervoir on the hill. for the protection
or tho hill district. Tho alarm system
was given a thorough going over, and
put I'm flrst-class shape. The first pay
ment was made on the triplc combi-
nation car. and an extra tire with de.
mount1ble rim as bought for &C.: also
heavier tire chains. Two elght.foot
lengths or 2is-inch sutton hose were
also purchased as an addition TO the
motor apparatus. 4 new alarm box
was also Installed at the corner of
Willow and Elm streets"
Alarms Numbered Ninety.one.
During the year Just closed the de-
classified rs follows: BY FIRE alarm
telegraph. 12: by telephone. IS; by
personal service. 4. total. 81. The
causes of these alarms are classified
as follows: Chimney fires. 25; grass
fires 10; false alarms. 6: sparks from
chimney, g.; electric wires. 5; over
heated or sparks from stove. 8; steam
or smoke. no fire, 4; auto or motor.
cycle 3: burning rubbish 8; I'M
known 8; plumbers. thawing pipes. 2;
hot ashes. 2: gasoline stove, 2; over
heated tar or oil. 9; pumping out
flooded manhole. ?: smoke house. 2:
covering on steam pipe. |: sparks
from locomotive. l: lamp explosion.
]: ciraret. 1: burning meat on stove.
Il: children with matches &: total. 81.
During the year the department
travelled 40 miles Ia and from fires.
laid s.Cs0 feet Of %. inch hose. raised
27i feet OF ladders used 533 gallons
OF chemicals. and was on duty at
fires SO hours and 30 minutes. No
runs were made outside the city lin.
its.
What the Fire Department Cost.
Following Ii the list OF expenditures
for the year Just closed: Salaries. Sc.
S99.76: oats, $1i7.7i: hay. Sl08.94;
straw. s45; bran. s2i.25; fuel S221.75:
horseshoeing. sl39.7t; general re-
pairs SG4.93; soda, 1886: acid. S.85;
oil and grease. $10Ii; hardware and
paints 1888: telephone rental. S64. 30
alarm system, s2sl.SO: gas lights,
$lS.63: electric lights. slSS.75; laun-
dry. $66.40: rent for lot In Ogles ad.
dition. $40; insurance on property,
$3.50; gasolene, s27.4i; sundries,
Si10.32: total $8,438.04.
Under the subject of manual force
and discipline, the chief says. ."The
department consists of the CHIEF. the
first assistant chief. the second as
slstant chief, seven paid men aud
eighty volunteers. The discipline or
the force Is good and has been so.
No complaints In regard to the con.
duct OF the men have been received.
They have tried to be courteous and
helping to all and they do their work
faifhfuily aud I'm On nfSinta,, ,n,n,..