The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-19
.STRATFORD FIRE
 HEADQUARTERS NO
 LONGER HANG-OUT
Selectmen Issue Order Pro- hibiting Loitering About
 the Fire House.
(Special to The Farmer)

Stratford, March 19.-The town of Stratford is agog today over ruling of the selectmen passed at a recent | meeting to the effect that the local ; fire houses are no longer to be con- sidered town lounges for the discus /, sion of politics or town gossip and the ! repository of automobiles during cold and frost bitten nights. This action was taken following many and re- peated complaints by members of the department and will become effective Sunday, April 1.
 If the ruling is strictly adhered to it will hereafter be a pride for the l Stratfordite to visit the central sta ton and view the shimmering brass of the apparatus, the newly painted helmets and the whitened tires of the big chemical.
 Mot that work has not been prop er1y done," asserted townsman to- | day, but. with the stragsler absent, by the town will be able to devote more thought to the upkeep of the towns important department The order bringing forth comment reads as follows:
 
 have full charge of all branches
 of the fire department in the
 town of Stratford. That all SUD-
 plies be bought by them, and no bills will be recognized unless or dered by them.
 Resolved, that no person is allowed to lounge around the fire house nor to make the fire de- partment a place of hang-out." Also that no autos are to be stored in any fire houses and mo- tices are to be posted to that ef-
 feet in each fire house and each officer in charge will be held re-
 sponsible, beginning April 1.'' Heretofore it has been the habit of many persons not connected with the department to drop in on pleasant and unpleasant mornings to pass the time of day. So prevalent is the hab- 1t said to have become that non-mem- bers have remained throughout the day except when the bangs of hun ger called them to their homes. The edict, however, does not state that non-members will not be allowed to enter the fire house. Any person is privileged to enter provided he has business to transact but hanging around will not be tolerated.
 As regards the placing of automo- piles in the fire houses the selectmen feared that in the event of fire they would impede the quick departure of the fire apparatus.
 R. w. Rockwell and Fred Donald son were appointed special police men. Their term of office will ex- pire Oct. 1. 1917.
 It was voted at the meeting to give Otto Braatz, A. Afenslxy, George J.. Pierce, D. A. Francese, A. Johnson, J. Jordan, Thomas Mannion and Mrs. Sarah C.. Bradley. 30 days in which to pay their sidewalk bills. If the bill that time a lien will be placed on the property by the selectmen. :. A mass meeting will be held Thurs day evening on the second floor of the town hall for the organization of permanent coast artillery company. Already TO persons have enlisted. Letters were sent out today inform ing all who have Joined of the meet ing. Among the new recruits who added their names to the list today were John Wood. Raymond Boards ley, Morris Carey, Leo G. Cummings, George K. Wilson, jr., and Ralph Van Siclin. Following the meeting a so- cial session will be held.
 Mrs. Kingsley Hill will be the speaker at the meeting of the Child Welfare club Tuesday afternoon at the Center school. Her subject will be Dental Hygiene"
 CORTEZ 0. ROCKWELL. Plumb ing and Heating, jobbing a speciality.