The daily morning oasis., 1919-12-28

ent building was commenced and COM
pleted about December 24th., of the
same year. This building was entir-
ely financed through the efforts of
the officers and men composing the
Volunteer Fire Department. The OBJ
jects which brought this building in
to reality were primarily. for the pur-
post of giving a decent and respect
able looking home for the fire ap-
paratus, and secondly, to create a
place wherein social and public fun
ctions might be held to a better adj
cantage than were possible elsewhere
1t was also in the mind of every mem
ber of the organization, to provide a
suitable, central location wherein the
town offices might be quartered. 1t
will thus be seen all of the motives
have been fulfilled and without any
mercenary intentions. The Santa
Cruz Club being recognized as town
necessity, was asked to pay but $100
per month as rental. The eTown
for it's various offices paid $1OO mon
thly up to January 1, 1918, from
which time the rent has been SIPS per
month. When this increase of $25
was requested, one of the Councilmen
objected thereto, and at the time a
vote was taken upon this increase
he asked that his name be recorded
as voting against said increase. The
department very shortly afterward
was offered by one of the local mer-
chants; $3.50 monthly for the same
space occupied by the Town Hall, and
this merchant would still pay the
same amount, or perhaps more, per
month as rental No rent has been
asked for the large room occupied by
the fire apparatus. From these
statements it can be readily seen
that there has never been any effort
nor intention on the part of the Fire
Department to gouge the taxpayers.
What Have Taxpayers Paid For
Fire Protection?
Until the latter part of the year
1913 the Town of Nogales paid to
the Fire Department $25 monthly and
q like sum was obtained from the
Town Of Nogales, Sonora, for its pro-
lection. After that time conditions
Were rather unsettled and the Off
cials changed office so rapidly, that
1t was determined to withdraw the
fire prot lection from Nogales, Sonora,
and of course this sum of $25 monthly
was no longer assailabls. 1t was then
the Town Council voted to contribute
$50 per month to the Fire Depart
ment, which has been continued. Out
Of that was purchased some of the
hose and all necessary supplies
for the fire trucks and paid custo-
dian of the fire apparatus. The
present large fire truck was purchas-
ed by the city and the Fire Depart
ment Organization paid $1,000 of it's
funds on hand toward the purchase
price. Taking into consideration the
past nineteen years, the amount of
taxpayers money used in support of
the Nogales Fire Department has
been less than 5000 per year. The
Town has fire equipment valued at
not less than $4,000, part of which
was paid for from the funds obtained
by the Nogales Fire Department, out
side of the regular monthly contri-
buttons from the Town. Besides this
monthly contribution from the Town.
the Fire Department on various oc-
casions received reward for services
checks from various public spirited
property owners who had suffered a
fire loss, and the money thus receiv-
ed was always placed in the depart
ment funds for the purpose Of pur-
chasing new hose or equipment. They
also receive small amounts of money
from fines self imposed for non-atten-
dence of the firemen at their regular
The time will soon come when No
gales will perhaps require paid Fire
Department, and when that time
Continues on page six.)