Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-11-01
TO THE TAXPAYERS AND PROP
ERTY OWNERS OF PLENTYWOOD

d you know why Plentywood is
called the luckiest town in theh state?
First, they have never had a disas-
trous fire. Second, Plentywood has
the best volunteer fire department in
the state for the size of the town.
And sill the tax payers and property
owners don't seem to wake up to the
fact. They don't back up or get be-
hind their fire department as they
should and | believe it is because
they don't take time to think this
important matter over.
/ have been in Plenywood sixteen
years, have been on the fire depart
ment at different times and am Wa
ter Works Superintendent at present.
| believe | know both sides of this
case as we'll as anybody besides the
firemen.
Here is IN example of what the
firemen are up against at present
and have been for several years: If
any outlying residence, say some
property in the southeastern part of
town, was on fire, it would be i'm
possible for the firemen to put it out
because: First, they wouldn't have
water pressure enough to put out a
small bonfire; second, the chemical
engine they now have is far too small
and unreliable as the last three fires
have proven without a doubt. The
chemical truck is a joke.
Now about water pressure. 62
pounds of pressure at the fire n.y.
drant when the water tank is over
flowing is all the pressure that the
firemen have and for every 100
yards of fire hose used the pressure
is reduced 10 pounds so it is plainly
water would only run ont the nozzle
of fire hose without pressure to
speak of.
Now we will take the Wolfe prop
erty that burned. There was 1850
feet of fire hose or $50 yards used on
that fire. The tank was OVERLOOKING
that same morning and was full at the
time of the fire with two pumps run
ming and still there wasn't nearly
enough pressure for fire fighting.
All the pressure there could possibly
be at the fire nozzle was somewhere
between 25 and 80 pounds-only 1-3
the pressure the firemen should have.
There should never be less than 80
pounds pressure as there is property
here farther than the Wolfe res
idence. Another thing, the chemical
truck came very near not getting
there at all, yet it was no fault of
the firemen as the truck is old and
refused to run. Furthermore this
tuck is far too small to fight a fire of
this kind.
While | have been water works Su-
perintendent, ! have had the pleasure
to talk to several fire insurance ex-
perts and find that if Plentywood had
a better chemical engine or chemical
generator with fire pump pressure
attached to the engine on the truck
the insurance rate wouldn't be as
thing about human lives that might
be saved.
Now as | understand, the City
Council hasn't the right to advance
money to the firemen without put
ting the question to a vote of the tax
payers. This would take about one
year to put this across. After read
ing this article / believe the taxpay.
ers and business men will feel like
helping the firemen out of this diff
Guilty.
1t will take something like $4,000 o.
for a pressure truck and chemica
truck or generator. ! might add a new
ladder and a life saving net. Tn,
firemen deserve at least this mucl
new equipment. Why not help them
Don WIN I'm