Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-04-15
FIRE TRUCK TO
GIVE MORE FIRE
PROTECTION

Grand Rapids will no longer main
tain an exclusive volunteer fire COM
pany after the arrival of the new
$4,000 truck, the purchase of which
was authorized at the regular meeting
of the city council on Wednesday
night.
The truck which the city is to ac-
quire is the regular American-La
France truck in use in many other
cities and is a tried machine and has
given satisfaction where ever used.
Mayor Briere will proceed to order
the truck at once, but several months
may elapse ere it is delivered.
When the truck is here, it is plan
ned to establish a paid department on
the east side and keep the present
chemical truck there as we'll.
It is the general opinion of the citi-
zens that the time has come for this
city to have regular paid department
LII blIC lung uII Cllc IL uGh Will nc
much cheaper for the city, as the pres
ent cost of teams and drivers is grow
ing more and more excessive, and the
horses can not reach an outlying blaze
nearly so quickly as can a powerful
truck. The time element in fires is
what counts, as any small fire will be
big one if it is not handled prompt
ly. Many citizens present at the meet
ing expressed themselves as favorable
toward buying the new truck
The council officially canvassed the
vote in Tuesdays election and found
no variance from the returns as an
nounced on the night of election.
The canvass showed that John Os-
truske and Grant Babcock had tied for
alderman in the Eighth ward, and
when a coin was tipped, fate proved
to be against the former for the sec
ond time as he guessed wrong, and Mr.
Babcock will represent the citizens
of that district of the city for the next
two years, and will also fill out the un-
expired term of Alderman Lemense
who has removed from the city. Two
years ago, Ostruske tied for the office
with Mr.. Lemense, but lost on the turr
of the coin. "He's sure out of luck
as they say in the army.
Deeds to land bordering the bank Of
the river on Second avenue south, were
accepted by the city. The instruments
specified that the land was to be usec
as a park, and was never to be usec
for buildings No consideration was
attached.
Fred Bossert, and NJ. @. Potter who
also have claims to land fronting or
the river adjacent to the Johnson prop
erty, also offered to deed their hold
ings to the city on the same terms.
The offer was accepted by the city
This will give the city control of the
river front on the west side south
from the bridge to point opposite
Belle Isle
The council on representations from
the Chamber of Commerce will peti-
tion the Railroad Commission for q
hearing with reference to the estab-
lishment of viaduct at the C. & n
w. crossing on the Packing house road
The matter of reconsideration on the
extension of the bridge can net be
taken until the arrival of the state
engineer here for conference. Mayor
Briere informed the council. Salaries
were raised for election officials from
81 to S6, on election days, after a
motion to raise from Sd to So was lost
Four dollars will be paid en registra
ton days. These raises were granted
because it is becoming Increasingly
difficult to secure officials on these
days.