The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1919-06-26
CITIZENS ASK BETTER
FIRE PROTECTION
VIII Ask City to Provide Fire Chief.
Town Faces Higher Insurance
Rates Unless the Risk Is Re-
duced soon.-Meeting
Friday Night.

The citizens of Heppner are de-
manding better fire protection. They
want fire chief, backed by a we'll
trained volunteer organization to
take charge of the fire truck which
the city recently bought. They be-
lieve that the city should provide fire
protection, but they are willing to go
down into their pockets to pay for
such protection at the present time
and until such a time as the city can
provide ways and means for paying
for such protection.
These sentiments have been ex-
pressed by a large number of citizen
business men since the first meeting
took place last Friday evening when
Hose Company No. l met to discuss
the problem and see if there was any
possible way by which the town could
have fire chief who might take
charge of and train a volunteer or
5ohALdblOh VI III AT lDdL
time the men present decided that in
the event the city was unable to f.
nance the proposition, the citizens
should take matters in their own
hands and as a result they appointed
Mike Curran fire chief and instructed
he committee consisting of Roy
Whites. E. NJ. Shut and Chas.
Thomson to solicit funds to guarantee
he salary of Mr.. Curran and such
other expenses as might be necessary
to keep up an efficient fre-fghting
organization. These men went forth
and shortly had subscriptions total
ing $155, raised solely among the
business men of the town.
However, the sentiment is growing
that it is question which belongs
70 the city council of Heppner for So
iution, as some have pointed out that
fire protection should come primarily
from the city itself. Therefore, after
meeting was held at the Fair pa
vilion Wednesday evening and there
vas such a poor representation of
citizens present, 1t was voted to call
meeting of citizens for Friday night
in the Odd Fellows hall, at which
.ime members of the city council
will be present and the problem will
)e taken up for definite solution.
II has developed that insurance
rates in Heppner stand in line for
ubstantial increase in the near fu-
ture as result of the report recently
made to the state fire marshal by dep
lty marshal Stokes, who was inves-
igating conditions In Heppner re.
emily. The state fire marshal did
lot mince words in calling attention
o these conditions and added that he
vas sorry to learn that Heppner had
dispensed with the services of Fire
chief Curran. Unless better fire pro-
.ection is provided at once, and under
uch conditions as put forth by the
state fire marshal, there will be re-
Fatlng or hre insurance in Heppner
and that rating will be upward, not
downward.
1t is unnecessary to call attention
to the serious and almost critical con-
iition which faces Heppner today as
egards fire protection. A repetition
past fires, such as happened here
bout year ago, would find us just
bout as little prepared to cope with
hem as we were then.
1T is THE DUTY OF EVERY CIT
ZEN, AND ESPECIALLY EVERY
PROPERTY OWNER TO ATTEND
rHE MASS MEETING OF CITIZENS
N THE ODD FELLOWS HALL To-
IORROW NIGHT. DON'T FAIL
70 BE THERE AT s O'CLOCK.