Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-03-03
EE'lREM|lEN GUESTS J. /,
AT Big BANQUET
MEssRS. SIM0NET, VERTN AND
NELSON ENTERTAIN, APPRE.
C1ATNG DEPARTMENTS work

For the first time in eight years the
members of 1.-The Little sFalls volunteer
hre department were gathered at a
banquet last Monday evening, at the
Buckman hotel. This time, however,
the banquet was not the: fremen's s at
! fair but was given by Messrs. A. Sim
cnet, John Vertin and Palmer Nelson,
manager Of the Buckman hotel, as an
j expression Of appreciation for the
splendid work done by the fire depart
ment recently in extinguishing the
ire in the Simonet furniture store.
About sixty firemen attended the ban
quet, also Mayor Bergheim, members
Of the city council. city officials and
representatives of the press, about
seventy-fve in all.
The banquet started at o'clock.
After partaking of good meal, during
which Blake 8 10-piece orchestra play
ed, the gathering listened to numerous
interesting talks, "reminiscences of the
old days of the volunteer department
and stories, after which all went TO
the Lowell theatre and saw two reels
OF motion pictures of fire fighting
methods and rescue work.
Ed. Loucks. president. of the Little
Falls Fire Relief Association, was
toastmaster. Before going over to the
program of talks he spoke briefly Of
F. w. Lyon, departed brother who was
president Of the relief association, al
ter which he asked all to stand a mo-.
ment in silent meditation as an ex-
preston Of respect to the departed
brother.
Mayor Bergheim was called apon
first. He expressed his personal appre
citation of the work of the fire depart
,nent and on behalf of the citizens of
Little Falls thanked them for their
splendid work. He then spoke briefly
on fire losses and their effect upon a
large, and Of the need of first class
equipment as we'll as an efficient fire
department. In this connection, he
pointed out that Little Falls lacks
proper protection on account of En>:ted
facilities, particularly the water sup
ply, remarking that there is but one
main from the pumping station; that
the pumping equipment is in poor
shape, and that the water mains cover
only a limited portion of the city. He
suggested that the city should take
steps to extend the water mains and
otherwise improve the service in order
to give property owners the protec-
tion they are entitled to and in order
to bring about further reductions IN
! the fire insurance rates. The fire in
. surance premiums paid by Little Falls
in 1920, he said, amounted to $47, ,2l1,
whereas the losses were but $4,000.
! To L. w. Vasaly fell the lot Of re-
viewing the history of the local fire
! department, which he did very ably.
The first fire department was organiz-
ed Is years ago under Ordinance No.
IA, which authorized formation Of a
hook and ladder. company Of not less
than Is and not more than so mem
bers. The company. known as the
North Star Hook & Ladder Company
was organized soon after with about
25 members. The officers were the.
known as fire chief engineer, assist It
chief and tillerman (steersman). .ohn
Wetzel was the first chief engineer.
This company was the only organized
department. here until in 1885, when
| the council passed Ordinance No. II
authorizing additional companies
Chemical Company No. was formed
first in 1886. Hose Companies No.
! and were organized in 1890; Chemi-
cal No. in 1899 and Hook & Ladder
Co., reorganized 1899; Hose Co. No. 3,
1901 and Hose Go. No. 4, 1903. In
1915 Chemical Co. No. and Hose Co.
No. 4 were merged into one company
Hose Co. No. 4. Chas. .LaFond, (Black
Hhor 11o\ oC H.
organized department. The fire relief
association was organized: in 1902 with
George Emder as the first president.
This association has paid out $4,000 in
benefits. It now: pays members $500
per week for IS weeks for sickness
and pays q 5000 funeral benefit. At
present, the association 3 funds exceed
$4,000. In 1915, $500 was turned
over to the city for the purchase of
a fire truck and at that time, the cour-
Gil passed an ordinance authorizing
i five paid fremen to be- quartered at
the city hail. The fire truck until last
! week has never failed to work and
the cost Of maintaining it has not ex-
ceeded 5000 year. As result Of
this truck being put in the rate on fire
insurance premiums dropped material
ly and expenses in connection with
fires have been reduced The most
paid by the city now is $40 month,
whereas before it was as much as
5000 a month. In the last 6 years, the
people here have been saved about
100000 in fire insurance premiums as
result of this addition to the fire
apparatus.
E. v. Wetzel gave a fine eulogy for
the departed members of the fire de.
partment which he concluded by re.
citing the American creed. IT,,
! DR.. s. r. -Fortier spoke briefly Of
the wholesome effect of such gather.
ings as this, after which he very ably
recited Kipling 's " Gunga DIM <s
). D. NJ. Cameron, in short talk
agreed with the mayor that better &61ef
fighting equipnsnt is needed here and
that the mayon's suggestion was very
timely. He said that much Of the eity
is almost unprotected except for 3the
chemical service and the taxpayerl
+ arc entitled TO the proper protection..s:
w. 7. Tonrtillott, deputy state ifl
J! nlrshal, emphasized the importanseii
Of having the city fire chief attenSii
the Are lighting schools each VI
Instruct ivsi eiii q ~ the - -
! nsa = sths eouAt1 3 !: 4 E