Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-12-16
WESTERLY AND VICINITY
Chimney Fire on Pleasant Sreetstorcal Society Hears
of Early Steamboat Navigation the Pawcatuck-C.
Palmer Chapman Overseer of State Grange-Neighbors'
Quarrel Lands Them in Court.

At 10 o'clock Friday morning fire
alarm was sent in from box II. al
| Canal and Pleasant streets. ana three
minutes thereafter the Cyclone motor
hose and chemical wagon rolled out OF
| the fire house and returned i'm just one
hour. The cause of the alarm was
chimney fire in the residence Of Chris
| TOPPER Ferrara in Pleasant street. The
| fire was of stubborn nature and was
so judiciously handled by the fremen
under the direction Of Chief Cottreli
that very little damage resulted. IN
der the regulations, neither the motor
hook and ladder truck or the motor
Rhode Island Ones did not respond, as
their apparatus are called only from
specified boxes, special calls and gen
eral alarms. Up to date this plan has
worked satisfactorily, but the time may
come when it will result in serious loss.
Here's what a Westerly fireman OF Ia
years experience said Friday soon af-
ter the departure of a single apparatus
in response to the fire alarm:
at may be an economical plan for
only one apparatus to respond to all
alarms, as under the rule $40 is saved
the fire district by that plan, as the
driver of each apparatus receives S.
when called to duty claim it is
worth the price, and that every appa-
ratuS ought to respond to every alarm,
as n matter of practice if for nothing
more. Then again, it would create
more interest among all the volunteer
iremen, and they would be ever ready
to respond 10 duty. Now, when an
alarm is sent in, the members Of the
Cyclones are the only fremen inter-
ested, but were the call general there
would be that friendly rivalry that is
essential for the proficiency of a vol
unteer fire department.
'It seems to me to be a piece of
f0l1v tho hook and ladder truck NOT
20 roll for every alarm, as in most fire
departments the hook and ladder truck
is what is needed in fire work at the
very beginning. Before the depart
ment was motorized. fault was found
with the slow getaway caused by the
delay in the arrival of horses, but all
the apparatus of the department re-
sponded. Now it is a case of stay at
home until a special call is sent out,
with all it's attendant delays and in
conveniences, and increased risk of
destruction by fire. Again, say, the
time may come some day when the
failure Of the three fire companies to
respond to the same call will result in
a disastrous fire in Westerly, and the
loss would more than compensate the
measely SIS paid the operator of the
fire apparatus, believe me. The actual
practice given the firemen by. respond
ing to all calls is worth the price to
the fire district"
The December meeting of the West.
erly Historical society, held in the
Memorial and Library building, was
largely attended by members and
guests and was one of the most inter-
esting since it's organization five years
ago. The president, Ethan Wilcox, pre-
sided and the feature of the meeting
was an exceedingly interesting paper
read by Everett Barns, now of the
Washington Trust company, with
steamboat experience, and who has al
ways been interested in that particular
feature of navigation. The subject of
Mr.. Barns paper was Early Steamboat
Navigation on the Pawcatuck River.
er Novelty, built by SpragIIe Barber in
1840, and made reference to every
steamboat that piled the river down to
the present new steamer Westerly. Mr..
Barns not only told of the general
character of the steamers, their size
and tonnage, but also of their. final
disposition. During the reading of his
paper he exhibited pictures of many of
the steamers, which served to illustrate
his excellent paper. Mr.. Barns has
perhaps the most complete collection
of steamboats, that were known in this
section, including the Long Island
sound lines, that is in existence. He
personal experiences on steamboats,,
that greatly added to the interest
The paper was generally discussed,
and personal experience; introduced by
Elisha c. Stillman, Colonel Everett E.
Whipple, William Segar, James E.
Kennedy and others
At the preceding meeting President
Wilcox was elected chairman of the
summer outing committee and he was
authorized to appoint his associates.
He announced the committee as fol-
lows: Rev. Joseph T.. Peacock, Elisha
c. Stillman, Frederick R. Greene. Miss
H. Louise Ayers, Mrs. Frank Larkin
and Miss Gertrude L. Foster.
At the annual session of the Rhode
island State grange in Providence
Thursday evening G. Palmer Chapman
of Westerly was elected overseer for
the ensuing year. The other officers
Stee-e of Cnepachet, worthy master;
P. II. VESSEL of Rhode Island State
college, Kingston, lecturer; J. C. Hop
kins of Chepachet, steward; George A
Richmond of Washington, assistant
steward Rev. C. =. Crane of SayIes-
Vile. chaplain; BENJAMIN Martin of
East Providence, treasurer; Mrs. Clara
L. Chase of Middletown, secretary;
Arthur A. Sherman of Portsmouth.
gatekeeper; Mrs. SaSles B. Steere of
Chepachet, Ceres; Mrs. Jeniamin Mar
tin OF East Providence, Pomona; Mrs.
c. Palmer Chapman Of Westerly Flo
ra: Miss Mary 1. Follett of CIlmber-
land, assistant lady steward; w. L.
Harrington of Providence member of
executive committee for three years;
L. L. Sherman of Newport, member of
state board of agriculture for two
years.
An appropriation of $50 was made
for prizes to be given as grange prizes
IT the agricultural fairs in the state,
md $50 for prizes ut the Rhode Island
fruit show.
A class of As candidates received the
sixth degree and they were subse-
quentiy entertained at a banquet: More
than 800 members of the order attend
ed the exemplifcation of the degree
work.
One feature of the many disputes be-
tween the Captains and La!imas was