The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-01-29
.F|REMEN WILL
ASK EXEMPTION
FROM POLL TAX
Proposal Endorsed at Annual
Meeting Friday Evening
REFLECT ALL OFFICERS
President William p. Hogan Begins
21st Term as Head Of Village
Department.

There was good attendance OF
members at the annual meeting of the
Bennington fire department held Fri.
day evening at the rooms of the Stark
Hose company on Pleasant street. An
unusual feature of the meet ny was
the lact that all Of the officers were
reelected without a ballot. In years
past 1t has been customary to enliven
the annual gatherings of the depart.
ment with at least one contest,
Following the reading of the report
OF the secretary William p. Hogan
was given his 20th re-elect on to the
office of president and other officers
were reelected as follows: Vice.
president, William J. Louergan: treas-
urer, Warren Waite; secretary, Ed
ward Shanahan; chief engineer, vii
lam L. Sears; first assistant engi-
neer, VIII am Hogan.
The report OF the chief engineer
showed that the department had re.
sponded to the cali Of duty on ia oc-
casions during 1920 There were IL
calls from alarm boxes and three by
te ephone. In seven instances no
damage resulted The more serious
fires were those at the H. e. Brad
ford company underwear mill on
March q resulting in damage to the
amount Of $4,000 and that at the
Whitney cigar store on North street
November 20 W tn loss of $1,000
In his report the chief engineer
states that he considers the depart
ment to be in excellent shape. Appar-
emily he believes that the equipment
is a'so in good condition as he made
no recommendations for purchases OF
material, an unusual adm ssion in an
engineer s report.
The eng neer recommends caution
on the part of residents when turn
ing in alarms. Starnls should not be
turned in from boxes at a distance
from fires, Lack Of caution in tins
respect has resulted in delays. Tele.
phone calls Should be made either
upon the village clerk or the engi-
neer.
The chief IN closing his report, ex-
presses his appreciat on of the co.
operation OF the members of the de-
partment and Of the assistance accord
ed by the employees OF the New Eng.
land Telephone and TIE egraph COM
pany
The relation of the department to
the Vermont State Firemen's associ.
alton was taken up and scussed at
some length and ii was finally voted
that membership IN the association
for the present year be left to indivi.
dual acton with the understanding
that 12 months later the department
would take up membership as an or.
gan zation
The chief engineer and his assist
ants were made committee to pre-.
Part an article FIR insertion N the
annual village meeting warning ex.
emptng the members Of the depart.
ment from the payment Of poll taxes.
1t was suggested that when nspec-
tors from the Office of the state fire
warden VISITED Bennington in their Of.
fetal capacity that they confer with
the head of the department when seek
ing information in relation to fires
AID DFIRE DEPARTMENT .......
Secretary Shanahan brought up the
matter of the moving of certain hyd-
rants on Main street which, he said
had been before the village for 10
years or more President Hogan ex-
planned that these hydrants had not
been relocated on the north side of
the street for the reason that such a
change would necessitate laying pipe
under the trolley tracks. Continued
vibrat on created by the cars, he ex.
planned broke the joints in the pipe
and caused much trobule He stated
that the hydrant in front of the Wal.
bridge store would be moved from its
present location to new position
near the Baptist church before the per
manent street was laid.