The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-01-31
REFUSE To RING
IN RELEASE FOR
CHIEF SEARS
Fire Department Asks for Time
to Select Successor
ANNUAL FRIDAY EVENING
Elmer Schultz Named First Assist
ant and William Hogan Second
Assistant Engineer
chlef william Sears Of the Ben

! Oh4Ni w NSSAo va ehO oSh
n'ngton fire department made siren.
Gus efforts FIR day evening to throw up
his Job, after four years of service,
but the boys objected just as strenu-
ously and he was finally induced to re.
main in Office unit special meeting
could be called to fill the vacancy
VIII ch "Bill" is bound to create. The
chief sad he had good personal rea-
sons for wishing to retire but it was
apparent that the members of the de-
partment we're too we'll satisfied with
his leadersh p to listen to any sug-
gestion for change. In the end the
chief agreed to Iemain In Office unit L
some later day, probably until after
the annual village meeting at which 1t
is believed some action VIII be taken
looking to rad cal change in the de-
partment
There were close to fifty members
of the department present when Presi-
dent William p. Hogan called the an
nuai meeting to order. Secretary Ed
ward Shanahan read the minutes of
the regular and special meetings which
were app owed.
The report of the treasurer showed
a balance on hand of $4795 composed
of contribut ons from each company
and the gft from Edward II Everett
| for services outside of the village I'm
its.
The executive officials of the depart
ment were reelected in short order:
President, William 2. Hogan; vice.
president. Win am ]. Lone gan; sec
retary. Edward Shanahan; treasurer,
Warren Waite.
Chef Sears would have received a
unanimous reelection but when he de-
clined, action was postponed until af-
ter the assistant engineers had been
chosen. Elmer Schultz and william
Hogan made a close run for the Office
of first engineer and Mr. Schultz was
elected. For second assistant there
were two candidates, Will am Hogan
and Roy Denley. Mr. Hogan was elect
ed.
Letters, with contributions from
property owners who either suffered
losses or escaped from loss through
the efforts of the firemen in the big
fire or g.nated at the Bennington
garage and the fire at the branch plant
of the Cha les Cooper estate were
read. The contr buttons amounted to
$675. The letters have already been
published In the Banner. 1t was vot-
ed that the money be equally divided
among the different companies and the
treasurer was instructed to draw a
check payable to each organization for
its share of the fund. The secretary
was also instructed to write letters of
acknowledgment to each OF the con-
tributors.
The .eport of the chief eng neer
showed that the had been ten fires
in the village during 1919. The dam
age at the first nine fires totaled 5000
but the loss created at the big garage
fire which spread to adio ming proper
~ reached the sum of S67, 600 with N.
surance Of $45,712 25.
In closing his report. Chief Sears
took occasion to thank the teens Of
the village who donated money to the
department, to express his apprec a
tion OF the work of the members of the
department and the assistance affo d.
ed by the employees of the New Eng
land TIE ephone and Telegraph com
pany for their unit ring efforts IN for
ward!ng calls when his services were
required.