The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1918-07-18
COMMITTEE REPORT
ON FIRE PROTECTION
Recommendations Are Made to Ac-
cord With Desires of
Citizens.

On Saturday evening, July otn, d
meeting was, held by the citizens of
Heppner in the Star theatre for the
discussion of matters pertaining to
better fire protection. This paper
made mention OF the meeting in last
issue and it is not necessary at this
time to give further details, but we
desire to put before the public the
report of the committee appointed,
which report we were unable to pub
lish last week. 1t is as follows:
We, the committee appointed by
the chairman of the citizens meeting
held at the Opera House on Saturday,
evening. July 9th, and instructed to
initiate a movement for better fire
protection for Heppner, beg leave to
report to the City Council as follows:
Adhering to the expressed wish of
the said Citizens Meeting, we inter-
viewed Mr.. Mike Curran on July Sth,
and asked him to organize fire de-
partment in this city with himself as
temporary fire chief, Mr.. Curran hav-
ing been highly recommended for
that position, and having efficiently
served as fire chief of The Dalles for
ten years just prior to his coming to
Heppner.
Mr.. Curran accepted this response
-bility, and went on duty Monday
morning, July Sth, in conjunction
with City Marshal Clark, in re-reel-
ing the fire hose, oiling the various
joints thereof, locating and oiling the
various fire hydrants, and preparing
generally for future fires.
This Committee, on behalf of the
~citizens, guaranteed Mr.. Curran his
wages until special meeting Of the
city council could be called, and,
voicing the expressed wish of the cit
izen's meeting, we strongly recon-
mend that the city council appoint
Mr.. Curran as fire chief at reason
able salary to be paid out Of the gen
era' fund of the city's finances. so
that the additional expense can be
borne by every property owner with
in the city's limits instead of by the
few business men along the main
streets who are already bearing the
burdens of public contributions.
We further recommend that the
regular city marshal be instructed
to be on duty nights, and that the
fire chief be given concurrent author
ity to make arrests the same as the
Marshal and that the fire chief be on
duy during the day time, and that
this arrangement be in force especial
ly throughout the present harvest
season.
We also visited the power house
and interviewed the manager, Mr.. w.
E. Pruyn, in, regard to the water
pressure used during fires. Mr..
Pruyn stated to us that during the
last two fires the full force of the fire
protection reservoir was turned on at
all times from the beginning, and
that only two small service pipes on
back streets were broken by the high
pressure, and that none of the main
pipes were broken thereby.
Mr.. Pruyn stated that the lack of
force was perhaps due to the hy-
drants not having been fully opened
up. We find, upon interviewing fire
fighters at both the recent fires, that
the water pressure was very weak,
and that the disastrous losses of
property was largely due to the delay
In getting good force on early. We
have found citizens who think that
the city main pipes are too weak to
turn on the high pressure. Whether
this Is the case or that the inexper-
fenced fire fighters have not been
turning on the full force at the hy-
drants we do not know, but recon-
mend that this all-important matter
be investigated by the fire chief and
remedied as soon as possible.
We further recommend that the
city retain the present hose carts,
equipped with good, strong hose, and
that hook and ladder truck, equip
ped with hooked ladders, plenty of
extra hose, axes, buckets, etc, be Sc
cured to take the place of the two
hose carts destroyed in the recent
fires. We find that in both the late
fires ladders were sorely needed but
none were to be found at the right |
time, and that lot Of property might
have been saved by their use.
We carefully investigated the or
igin of the last fire by interviewing
the County Sheriff, the City Marshal,
numerous eye witnesses and other
citizens who might be In position to
throw light upon the matter, but we
have been so far unable to find any
satisfactory explanation as to its Or
igin.
Without an organized fire depart
ment and an experienced chief to
look after the proper handling of the
carts, hose and nozzles, and without
a sufficient force of water to check
fire In the start, the city will remain
at the mercy Of the flames Of future