The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-09-17
FIRE TRUCK AND
F|REMEN FIGHT BIG
BLAZE At IONA
DRIVER COOK ESTABLISHES A
RECORD WHEN HE TAKES
LOCAL COMPANY TO IONA

lonia city had big fire Thursday
at midnight when the business places
of George w. French & Son, Jewlers;
7. r. Buck, clothing; Guy Gene, meat
market and Mrs. K. w. Merritt, room,
ing house were burned out and the
brick blocks which housed these Ionia
places were completed gutted, entail
ing loss of approximately $4,000.
The fire was discovered at about
L o'clock Friday morning having or
iginated it is the thought in a build
ing used as smoke house in the rear
Of the Cone market. At the time
it was noticed it had gained such
headway that the lives of number
of people sleeping in the rooming
house were imperiled and it was only
by the quick work of the land lady,
Mrs. E. w. Merritt, that they were
awakened and saved. Most Of the
roomers lost practically all of their
personal effects which they had with
them.
Realizing that with the practically
obsolete and inadequate equipment of
the Ionia fire department, the blaze
was of such size that it might destroy
the entire block and perhaps more,
some one called or help ffrom the
Portland fire department and the Bel
ding department, both Portland and
Belding having motor fire apparatus
and they responded at once. 1t took
the Portland boys 55 minutes to get
over to Ionia. 1t took the Belding
truck, driven by Elmer Cook, and car
rying the entire local fire company
just 20 minutes to get there from the
time they left here-and only rs min
utes from the time they were called
by the fire whistle here, which blew
loud and long, but gave no ward sig
nal. For this reason many people did
not know where the fire was until next
morning.
The local department was not call
ed until nearly two o'clock, but got
in some very creditable and effective
work when they arrived at Icnia. The
spotlight on the truck was practically
invaluable in locating hydrants and
other places, as Ionia city was in total
darkness save for the light from the
flames, the electric current having
been turned off.
The Ionia Sentinel-Standard voices
the appreciation of Fire Marshal Mar
quette and the Ionia people for the
work of the local department and
goes on with the foiowing writeup
concerning our local mems work:
Belongs fire department is COM
posed of IL men under the leadership
of Wess Porter, chief, and from the
noise the fire whistle made at Bel
Z - l.
truck the Silk City residents will say
the whole membership turned out to
assist their sister city.
Elmer Cook, driver Of the Belding
fire truck, has certainly qualified for
"a pilots license. He never had been
over the road before and knew moth
ing of the turns in and around Ionia
but when he made the run in 20 min
utes, he can get a license off Sec.
Vaughn without any trouble.
When Belding arrived the fire had
fought it's way to the frcnt rooms of
the Webber block, but was apparent
ly under control as far as getting at
other property. Belding however threw
cut another line and did good work
through the front windows over
Frenchs'.
The Belding fellows came into town
with blare of sirens, spctlighting
the hydrant openings, and laid their
hose like real New York veterans.
Portland would have done the same
had necessity required. Belding made
the run here in 20 minutes we are
told and the way they chased Foss
Eldred's Buick down K;mball alley,
made the Ionia attorney think he was
driving the Ionia fire wagon. Eldred
had been sent to the outskirts of town
to pilot the Belding truck in but kept
him busy keeping out of the way and
missing the posts along the streets.
The appearance cf the Belding and
Portland motor fire trucks was some
thing of an invocation to Ionians. AS
they stood in the street by the side Of
Ionia's "horselessage", the contrast
was something painful, and may re-
suit in move to put Ionia up to date
on its fire department. The slowness
of the fire alarms and the shortage
of hose were Unnecessary incidents.
The visiting firemen \ were looked
after while here, being lunched at'the
Bowerman restaurant before their re-
turn some time after a. m. Each
company, about 20 men in all, was
given box of cigars also.
The Ionia council at special session
held Friday evening passed the fol-
lowing resolution:
BY Aid. Dye, supported by Aid.
Baerd:
Resolved that the City Clerk write
to Portland and Belding Fire Depart
ments thanking them for their SER
vices and assistance and requesting
them to send bill for their services to
the Council.
Resolution adopted. Yeas-Ald.
Duffy, Pierce, Dye, Baerd, Redemsky,
Loree--6. Nays--0.