Putnam patriot., 1915-01-22
FIRE TRUCK ARRIVES
American LaFrance Machine Now Housed
 at Fire Headquarters
Will Greatly Increase Efficiency of De-
 partment

The American LaFrance motor. driven fire truck, ordered by the city arrived by freight in Putnam during Friday night, and Saturday morning was run under its own power and backed into the fire engine house on Union Square where it was immediate ly inspected by many citizens. During the afternoon it was given test, with the company's agent at the wheel, with many citizens aboard. It show. ed it's fine points in all ways and climbed Oak Hill, from "standing start at the foot of Wilkinson street, with an ease and surety that was pleasing to those aboard.
 W hen the matter of purchasing a motor. driven fire truck was first taken up by the council committee was ap- pointed to make thorough investiga- ton of the various makes of machines. This committees report was busi- ness like and detailed one and was inn mediately adopted by the council. At d special city meeting the necessary appropriation was voted and the com- mittee was instructed to make the pur. chase.
 As a result of the preliminary steps the apparatus arrived in Putnam Sat urday morning. The machine, it i felt, fills long felt want in the depart ment. The mode of proceeding to fires has been by horse-drawn hose carts. The city had no contract with the apparatus of the department and was continually taking chance that such necessary horses would not be available, but, to the credit of those who have undertaken to furnish such horses, be it said, that they have never been found wanting and have never disappointed the city in this respect in the hour of need. Such a system of necessity rendered the getting to fires more or less slow. No horses were at hand and those who furnished the horses would have to drive them from wherever they happened to be at the moment when the alarm rung to fire headquarters.
 Often the firemen were at the engine house and ready to start some minutes before the horses to draw the appara- tus arrived, with every second mean ing the further destruction of proper ty. This has all been eliminated by the purchase of the truck and here after it will only be necessary for one man, the driver, to rush to fire head quarters to get the machine, while all others run immediately to the scene of the ire. It is believed that by the saving of this valuable time the new apparatus will within short tipe be the means of saving property from des' truction by fire that will amount in dollars and cents to far greater amount than the first cost of the new piece of apparatus. It is matter of common knowledge that the first few minutes of q fire are the ones that count the most. Innumerable illus trations could be pointed out in the city where if the seconds had been saved serious fires might have been averted. It was reasoning along these lines that decided the council to recom- mend the purchase of such piece of apparatus. It is the general belief that the efficiency of the department has now been increased by large per cent.
 The new machine is an American LaFrance, No. 10, fourcylinder, TO- horse. power machine capable of sixty miles per hour if desired. It is a chain-driven combination chemical en- zine and hose cart. It has tlared body with seats for the men, carries 40- gallon chemical tank and cost the city S5,l00. The hose capacity of the truck is: ,000 feet of l2 inch hose and 20c feet 3-4 inch chemical bose. It is q on.selfstsrter, has double tires, on rear wheels, electricisearch light, car ries ladders, axes, coats, boots, hats, hose, nozzles, and ir fact full equip ment of necessaries for fire fighting. Never has the city ,been so favorably equipped for fire fighting as now. The machine is painted bright red and the word "Putnam" is painted on the hood.
 1t is anticipated that all of the old horse-drawn apparatus will be kept on hand for service and wifi be used at all fires where Ssecond or general alarms are rung in. What change will be made in the personnel Of the department has not as yet been an- nounced, if decided upon, but some changes are anticipated. This matter, it is expected, will be taken up by the common council, on recommendation of the fire department committee, in the near future.
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