Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-01-29
FORGET ABOUT FIRE TRUCK
CITY COUNCIL, UPON BEING m
FORMED OF ACTION OF F. b.
A., DROPS MATTER

council held Monday evening, called to
receive the report Of the fire truck
committee and to take some action in
regard to building a corral for two
elk at the Pine Grove park, the CITY
fathers extended vote Of thanks to
the committee for their work and
unanimously voted to "forget about
the fire truck and authorized the
park committee to build a corral for
the elk, the cost not to exceed $1,000.
Val. E. Kaspareks appeared in be-
half of the citizens and asked that the
city erect corral for two elk. He
Informed them that the cost of getting
the animals would be taken care of
by the citizens, money having been
secured through public subscription,
and that the only other cost to the
city, excluding the corral, would be
for feed for the animals, which would
be very small. BY a unanimous vote
the council authorized the park COM
mittee to have the fence built.
City Clerk Schallern read the report
of the fire truck committee. The re-
port is published in full below. After
it was read Geo. Emder, chief Of the
fire department, explained that it was
impossible to get any accurate data
on the cost Of fire fighting when a
truck is used but estimated that it
would pay for itself in one year
through the reduction in insurance
rates.
Alderman Newman asked what as
surance was to he had that the truck
could be successfully used in deep
snow. Emder stated that the .compan.
les claim that no trouble would be ex-
perienced from snow. He said that he
had heard of instances where the truck
was used to make tracks for the horse
drawn apparatus.
Someone mentioned something about
getting aid from the relief association
to help purchase the truck. Mr.. En-
der Immediately Informed them that
as far as the relief association was
concerned, they had better "forget''
about getting aoy help from then. =
This settled the fire truck question
and Alderman Bell moved that a vote
of thanks be extended to the commit
tee for its work and that the city
" forget about the fire truck.'' His
motion was unanimously carried, the
aldermen knowing that the city had
not enough funds in it's treasury at
this time to purchase a truck outright.
Following is the report of the truck
committee:
To the Honorable Council of the City
Of Little Falls:
! Your committee, appointed to in
vestigate the advantages and disad.
vantages to the city in owning an au-
tomobile fire truck for the fire depart
ment, reports as follows:
We got into communication with
many firms which manufactured OF
handled automobile trucks and ecured
photographs and specifications OF diff
ferent styles Of trucks with approx
mate prices. After due consideration
1t appeared to us that good, service.
able truck that would answer the re.
quirements of the city will cost in the
neighborhood Of $4,000.
In order to find out the cost of fire.
mems service hauling under the pres.
ent system we examined the records
for the past three years and found the
average cost Of every fire to be $50. .25
and the average number Of fires to be
II, making total average cost pei
year to be 1920 for service and haul.
ing. What the cost will be under the
truck system can only be estimated
but will probably be from $500 tC
$1,000. Under the truck system the
cost Of hauling which amounts to one.
sixth Of the whole cost under present
system, will be eliminated as well az
much of the cost of service as many
fires will be answered by the truck
alone.
Assuming, then, that the cost of the
fire department under the truck sys
tenn will be from $500 to $500 more
than the present system, it remains tc
be considered what benefits there will
be to Offset the increased cost.
1t can readily be understood hat
the promptness with which a truck
can be brought into action at fire
will save much property as very otter
whole building can be saved from
burning if the fire is attacked in the
early start. How much property car
thus be saved can only be guessed al
but the total value may run into the
thousands during a year.
Upon inquiry we are satisfied that
the insurance rates in the busines,
part Of the city will be reduced from
Is to 25 per. cent with the acquisition
OF a partly paid department and q
truck.
: Respectfully submitted,
&C. M. A. Fortier,
Chairman
i just as the council was about *
adjourn for the evening Chief Emdel
called their attention to the condition