The independent-reporter., 1924-05-22
Selectman Ames oi Norridgew0ck on
the Fire

ing. But We must not forget that
the Skowhegan Fire Department was
what stopped the fire. The Skow
hegan Chemical automobile arrived
early on the spot and the Anson Fire
Department also arrived early; but
we had no pump with which to put
out the fire in the block of wooden
buildings which were already ablaze.
The chemical apparatus from Skow
hegan and the help from the Anson
department saved Iluntoon's store,
Hiltons store and the New England
telephone office; a little later the ar
rival Of the Skowhegan steamer pump
stopped the fire az the Trench store
and prevented the fire from crossing
10 the north side Of the street.
The townspeople OF Norridgewock
are glad TO thus publicly acknow-
ledge the great assistance from Show
hegan which came just in the nick OF
time. The Wateryille steamer also
arrived a little later than the Show
hogan department and this would
have been unloaded from the train.
had the wind come up or had the fire
taken an unexpected turn. This
makes the second time within fifteen
or twenty years that the Waterville
Fire Department has helped us by
making the trip by rail. For all
this we are truly grateful If
League of Nations is not good thing.
the, people OF NOrridgewock now
know that a League OF Fire Depart
ments can be means of salvation.
During the past twenty-five years
NOrridgewock has at every town meet
ing given the fire department an ar
ticle in the warrant and proper con-
sideration with an appropriation
which seemed as fair and generous as
could be afforded We first bought
chemical engine mounted on wheels
in summer and on runners In winter;
then we stocked up with hand chemi-
Gals; some twelve years ago the town
bot fire engine and pump, which we
have just lost by fire, at an expense
of some twenty-five hundred dollars.
This was an efficient. horse drawn
engine fire pump which was more
efficient II anything. than the steam
or pump which actually stopped the
fire. This pump had done good SER
vice during the past twelve years
and If 1t had not been bottled up like
the German navy at the very origin
of the fire, would have stopped the
damage in the very first building, as
water was one of the things we ala
not lack.
We had been constantly buying new
hose and other new equipment. We
had II all housed in a top heavy wood
en- building, built up next to the worst
fire area in the village on one side.
and over the Mill Pond on two sides,
leaving the front end only accessible.
Our eggs were all in one basket. We
had no insurance Of course on such
apparatus, and we have as town lost
several thousand dollars worth OF
property all of which was intended
for fighting fire. We were not able
to make use Of any of ii, as all this
was destroyed before the fire was dis
covered.
New fro fighting equipment we
must have and that quickly. Our
neighbors have saved us this time but
we cannot expect Skowhegan, Anson,
or Waterville or any other town to
come to our rescue except In an emer-
gency and after we have shown a
disposition on our own part to pro-
teCt ourselves.
How shall we profit by this un-
expected destruction of all our lire
apparatus? How can we prevent our
fire department from not only burn
ing up itself but also from setting fire
to the rest of the village? Surely
we have a right to expect that ap-
paratus which was intended to put
out fire, shall not burn up our town.
Let every citizen find the answer to
these questions
There Is every danger and no adj
vantage in locating station over the
Mil Pond; there is more danger in
locating at either end or in the middle
of the fire area zone; there should
be in this small town, no basement
and no overhead story to our fire sta
tion; the fire station should be on
open ground, with no other building
near it; the fire station should be
small, not larger than many private
automobile garages; an ordinary coal
stove will heat it, it should he in
fact, n garage for an automobile fire
engine. there should be two stations
the second being for chemical auto
mobile fire engine and for part OF
the hose and ladder equipment and
in order not to have all our eggs in
one basket Furthermore we must
divorce our fire station from pool
room and from toilet room. These
rooms may be required by the fire
department, but they should be main
tanned, if at all, at a good distance
from the fire apparatus.
If any one believes that IRE pump
or engine should be located over the
Mill Pond, his wish can be gratifed
cheaper, than by putting the fire sta
tion there; a stationary pump oper-
ated by gasoline engine or by electric
motor can he housed on the Mill Pond,
at the lower end of the village bridge,
down at the water level in a build
ing less than ten feet square and
less than eight feet high; to this
pump any quantity of hose could be
attached. a pump powerful enough to
reach any part of Norridgewock viii
lage and which would be cheap
enough to cost less than five hundred
dollars.
Moreover all donations should be
barred in buying this equipment, un-
less the giver shall surrender all
aaptroI Oua,. hn 100 of tbp nDn1ra-