The Glasgow courier., 1918-08-30
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT
Contributed. \
(Ontrlbuted.)


man. we think, does not fully realize
the important and efficient service
that is being rendered by our volun-
teer fire department and we are not
giving them the aid and encourage
ment that is due and coming to them.
The boys in our fire department are
giving their services for a fee that
does not even pay for the cleaning OF
the clothes they wear to the fires and
in many cases they have absolutely
ruined their clothes, besides have suf-
fered no small ills from the effects
of smoke, wettings, cold and expos
ure during the past winter and sum-
mer, that has put several of them
in the hospital for several weeks.
Their actual compensation has been
from SO cents to $500 per month.
They have made a little money on
the two dances they have given, but
do you know that this money and a
small amout they have received from
the State Fire Fund has been used to
pay the hospital and doctor bills of
several members that have been laid
up on account of the ills they have
received while protecting the prop
erty of the business men and property
owners of our little city.
Just think it over for minute and
consider the fires we have had since
the first of January and we are sure
you can realize the efficiency of the
department and the boys that are
making it a success and credit to
the town, yes, even more as the chief
of State Board of Underwriters has
said that Glasgow has the best and
most efficient fire department of any
city it's size in the state and is ex-
celled by none three or four times as
large and yet it is not paid fire de-
partment, but made up of volunteers.
Consider the chances for big losses
that they have had to cope with this
year so far!
The Odd Fellows Hall, when the
weather was many degrees below
zero, and the conditions were the
hardest, they kept the fire under con-
troll and saved many dollars worth
Of property that was in danger; next
the Gibson opera house which was
a fire that threatened the main bust
ness part of town; then the fires in
kritchiver Studio, which were the
start of two fires that could have
caused a property loss of $5O0,OOO or
more and the work that was done in
these two fires can be uunexcelled by
no department in city that has
many times more men and much bet
ter fire apparatus than in our city;
and then the two fires that took place
at the same time the other night, the
Kent Sash and Door Factory and the
Model Bakery, was circumstance
that should be worthy Of much praise.
Two fires going on at the same time
and our boys again proved their merit
and efficiency by eXtinguishing these
fires at very small loss to the
property owners and again saving a
possible loss to the business part of
town of 100000 or more.
There have been numerous small
dwelling fires that have been extin-
guished with the same degree of eff
cheney and for this efficiency and
good work the boys of the Glasgow
fire department are getting paid the
big sum of soc to $500 per month,
but that is not all, these same boys
are going down into their own pock-
cts and paying for the hospital, doc
tor bills, etc, for the men that have
been sick and injured while protect
ing the property of the citizens of our
city. The boys don't want any money
for their services, but they have ar
association, the Firemen's Relief
Fund that is for the benefit of their
sick members, to provide for them
when they are sick or injured in the
performance of their duties and |
think the property owners should dc
something to see that this Fund never
gets so low that the boys of the de-
partment have to provide for the in
jured in their department when THEN
services are such that they save the
business men and property owners
the many thousands of dollars they
have in the past few months.
The citizens of the city of Glasgow
have ever been generous bunch tC
any worthy couse and here is prop
osition that is worthy of some action
Get busy and lets do something fo,
the boys of our fire department..