Middletown transcript., 1919-01-18
A new AUTO TRUCK
Movement on Foot to Purchase Up-
to-date Fire Equipment
WILL COST ABOUT 5000. 90

when the Opera House burned there
was fortunately little or no wind. Had
the gales Of the past week prevailed,
Middletown, would have been so gen.
orally in flames by the time the outside
engines arrived that their help could
not have saved the greater part If it
from being destroyed.
This shocking possibility has aroused
some of our leading citizens to fuller
realization of the lively peril the town
runs Of being wiped out some day like
Millington and other towns around us.
for want of an adequate fire apparatus
to cope successfully with such fires at
their very. start.
Consequently, movement is on foot
to buy two ton auto truck carrying
two large chemical tanks, 40 gallons
each Zone being charged while the other
is being discharged), ladders. hose,
buckets, men and all other needed ap-
paratus, in sufficient quantity-the
whole to cost about $5OOO.OO.
This truck will speedily bring both the
chemicals and the regular water fire
hose. into action at a time when the
possibility of winning the fire battle is
a question of few minutes-possibly
few seconds!
This auto fre-f1ier is intended to safe
guard thetown and the country for radi-
US of 10 miles around Middletown-a dis
tance which can be covered in 18 or 20
minutes, judging by the admirable per-
formance of the Smyrna auto fire en-
gine which made the IL miles in ~ min
utes with all its equipment and men.
Ample proof has already been given
of the large amount of property saved
in town and country by the compare
lively slow small chemical tank now in
use. where much valuable time was
lost in getting car to haul the trailer
into the country. or getting men to pull
it to a town fire.
Every farm owner and tenant in this
whole distinct 1O miles around Middle
town will be asked to subscribe to this
sum. The tenants really are more i'll
terested than the farm owners, for
their loss in houses and barns is COM
monty better covered by insurance than
the tenants crops, stock and farm i'm
plements.
1t is the part of wisdom to be thor
oughly prepared to meet these awful
events which may cause losses in a
single instance many times as great as
this trifling first cost of a proper fire
apparatus which will give its protection
for generation or longer.
The melancholy fates of Millington,
Seaford ard other big fire losers show
to all how vastly cheaper it is to pay
for adequate fire protection than to pay
for the rebuilding of scores Or hundreds
of burned homes: not to speak of other
losses to personal property, to business
etc.. etc.
The admirable record of our able and
fearless firemen in past years will be
greatly surpassed once they have am
pier facilities for fighting this appalling
peril of Fire. Then let every good citi-
zen out with his pocketbook, and not
only do his town and community around
q praise-w worthy service but also win an
honorable place for his name on the
Fire Roster of Givers to be framed and
hung in the Engine House.
The reputation thus gained for the
town as the fire protector of the eoun-
tryside cannot but rebound to the
profits of its business men if one
should take so mercenary view of this
piece of civic patriotism.