The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-12-03
. A FIRE TRUCK.

We understand that certain mem
bers of the City Council have been
investigating the matter of purchas-
ing fire truck to replace the present
fire-fghting equipment of the city.
1t is stated that it is too expensive
to keep up the equipment now on
hand, and we suppose the claim is
being made that it would be cheaper
for the city to buy motor truck.
We do not believe that the present
is the time to invest in fire truck,
or any other kind of motor driven
vehicle. Everybody knows that the
materials from which these trucks
are constructed are higher now than
at any other time in the last fifty
years. The war has made extraor-
dinary demands for steel products,
and other things which enter into
the construction of these vehicles,
and they are higher now than on a
normal market.
We are not enough of an expert
to pass upon the relative values of
the present equipment and of a fire
truck in the matter of fre-fghting
capacity. We are of the opinion,
however, that it will not be cheaper
for the city to maintain the motor
driven truck than it is to keep the
horses now owned by the city. We
shall need as many men with the one
as with the other, certainly we will
have as many as we have been accus-
toned to have at the fire depart
ment.' The truck will not eat, it is
true, when it is not being worked,
but the interest on the money which
will be invested in it, will buy a
good amount of corn and fodder, as
well as other needed things.
But this is only a small part of the
expense of such truck. At best 1t
will not last more than five or six
years, and then we shall be called on
to purchase another. 1t costs five
thousand dollars in the beginning,
we shall have an annual depreciation
of one thousand dollars, which is
quite loss for a city like Abbeville,
and if it must be repaired OCCASION
ally there is still another story.
Another question which naturally
arises is where will the money come
from with which to pay for this fire
truck. If it is taken out of current
expenses, there will be little left
with which to pay the city officers
and the policemen, to say nothing of
needed street work and other charges
The city council certainly has no
right under the decisions of the
court to pledge the credit of this city
for the purchase of property of this
kind without petition from the
free-holders and vote of the people. ,
1t has been charged that the city
council is spending considerable
amounts of the money levied to pay
off the bonds of the city eventually. .
We can hardly think that they are
thus misappropriating the peoples
money. They would hardly do this,
but when big sums of money are to
be raised it is sometimes suggested
that the money be BORROWED" from
a handy fund, when in fact there is
little chance ever to repay the sum.
This is way of doing indirectly
that which should not be done di-
rectly. We hope that the members
of the city council will not allow
themselves to be persuaded to "bor-
row. from the sinking fund for any
purpose of this kind. No graver
mistake could be made. We owe it
to the taxpayers of this city and to
the bondholders to have this money
on hands at the proper time to pay
these bonds. Good faith demands
that it be expended for no other
psrpose.