The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-07-08
Barre City Council Proposes
to Have Change in the
Fire Department
CALLS FOR SELECTION
ON OR BEFORE AUG. a
E. M. Tobin Is Now Giving
"Part Time" Service
as Fire Chief

move, was made by the Barre city
council last night to secure the services
of an "all-time' chief of the fire depart
ment instead OF a part time" chief, as
has been the case since Q. B. Glalding
resigned in order to accept the - On
Of cemetery commissioner The sent
chief is L. NJ. Tobin, who was noted
from the position of first ass 4 \ chief
when Mr. Gladding stepped e
The matter Of having - 'aIl-time"
chief has been hanging f - the council
for some months, and 20 Il stated last
night that the eouns 20 had been in
favor of an 'all-tim - lief for months
but that no move had en made to bring
the old arrangement back into position.
80 motion was made forthwith that it
was the sense of the meeting that fire
chief be chosen who should give all his
time to the department. The motion
was carried without a dissenting voice.
| Then the motion was made that the fire
committee proceed to bring in recon-
mendations to the mayor for appoint
ment to the position, and after a little
discussion it was decided to amend the
motion to make the action BY the fire
committee obligatory on or before Aug.
| 4. This motion likewise went through
unanimor y.
1t is expected, therefore, that the fire
committee will canvass the field and
make at least two recommendations for
appointment by Mayor Glysson. 1t is
expected, too, that the candidates will go
tbrI,,nb LaE
shall be declared eligible for the appoint
ment.
Several weeks ago when the matter
Of appointment of fire chief was upper
most, possible candidate for the posi-
tion was presented in the person of A.
G. Preble, veteran fire fighter of the
Lynn, Mass, department and recently
chief of the Fore River shipyards fire
department. Mr.. Preble came to Barre
and canvassed the local situation, visit
ing the department and other city of
fees; but it is understood he returned
to Quincy, Mass, without anything sef
mite coming from his visit WhetL~. or
| not Mr.. Preble is still a candidate is not
stated
| There are few local men who have
been mentioned as possible candidates
for the appointment and one or two are
understood to have said that they would
| like the place at a salary figure in the
vicinity of the money paid to the former
"all-time" chief Mr. Gladding Chief
Tobin is receiving $500 year for his
part time" service as the head of the
department, and Mr.. Gladding was get
ting l,l50 when he resigned.
Public Health Matters Discussed
Another important action by the coun-
ell last night was a hearing with Dis
trict Health Officer G. II. Burr on the
matter of public health as far as it re-
lates to the duties of his office and his
relations to the city; and after the dis
cussion the council referred to the legis.
lative committee and the city attorney
the question whether there is conflict be-
tween the city ordinances and the public
statutes relative to the appointment Of
secretary of the local board of health.
The present members of the local board
Of health are James Smart and John G,
Mcleod, and it is proposed to make the
district health officer the secretary of the
board if such a move is possible.
In his discussion with the council Dis
trict Health Officer Burr stated that he
had "only" 50 cities and towns TO cover
and that consequently he could not
spread himself as thickly over the dis
trict as he would like or as the work
might possibly require So, If Barre did
not propose to have health officer of its
own and was willing to take him on, he
would do the best he could under the
conditions. He proposed, first, to get
the district as well organized as possible
and TO enlist local officials in public
health work to considerable extent
After that his plans will be briefly as
follows: (ll To have regular analysis of
water supplies in cities and towns, al
though he would not be able personally
to attend to the sending of samples:
t2l to- have milk supplies tested and
have regular milk inspections later on,
and to keep published list of licensed
dealers in milk; t3) to quarantine in
luenza; (4l to have medical examination
in schools children once examined not
to be re e-examined unless epidemic breaks
out, the first examinations to cover nose,
throat and chest and for certain other
conditions, children to have examination
by private physicians if their parents so
desire Barre, he was informed, already
has its system of Inspection; (5l to
handle only such complaints as come in
writing from officials, police or some re
liable persons; CO.. TO insist that dead
bodies shall remain as found II there are
indications Of foul play; a. to have
doctors quarantine their own cases and
to permit no release from quarantine ex-
cept through authority from the district
health officer and in cases of light con
tagious disease where no physician is
called, head of the house must take
steps toward imposing quarantine
The council and the district health
officer had very harmonious conference,
and there were indications that the Of
forts of both would be co-ordnated to-
ward the betterment of public health in
Barre, only DIR. Burr emphasized that
the great size Of his territory precluded
the possibility of his paying much per
sonal attention to any one city or town,
so he was going to depend in large part
on local efforts through the local boards
of health.
Other minor matters taken up BY the
council on Dr. Burr's departure included
the adoption of the report of the light
ing committee denying petitions for
street lights on Keith avenue and
Spaulding street 1t was stated orally
that trees on Keith avenue nterfered with
the light already there The bond to
the state for admission of James Sulli.