The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-12-10
Rotary Club
Opens Drive
For Firernen
DR.. j. F. Dubois Urged Bust
nessmen To Underwrite
Convention
CLUB PLEDGED 5000
Service Above Self" Topic of
Splendid Talk Tuesday
Noon

Service above SELF" was the top
ic Of talk given by DR.. J. F. Du-
Bots at the Rotary Club Tuesday
noon. This talk was plea and a
challenge to the business men OF
the city to get behind the firemen
and underwrite 'he 1889 State Fire
mems convention and thereby re-
lieve the firemen Of the worry OF
raising funds for that purpose.
Or. Dubois said in part that Ro-
tary is essentially a service organ
ization with Service above self" as
its motto. The Fire Department has
the Rotary Spirit and truly exem-
plifies service ABOVE self. The fire
men risk their lives at these fires,
ruin their clothes, suffer cold and
hardships, and receive nothing for
their work, and a lot Of damn fools
stand around and say II they did
this or that it would have been SO
and so and they do not know what
is going on.
He stated that the visiting fire
departments showed a splendid
spirit in coming to our aid through
severe cold, risking injury, frozen
faces and possibilities Of pneumon-
la. Most Of the people Of the town
saw these men covered with ice
from head to foot going about their
work without rest. Volunteer fire
departments do not get paid and
these men must stand their own
loss in ruined clothing.
In 1859 the state Firemen's con-
vention will be held in Sank Gen.
tire and the firemen are racking
their heads for ways to raise funds.
He urged the business men Of the
city to underwrite the convention,
whether It be for $500, $1,000, or
5000, whatever the need may be.
He stated 1t should not be neces-
sary for the men Of the depart
ment to 60 out and raise money by
putting on dances, operating pin
ball and slot machines, etc.
In reference to our recent fire he
continued that if we had had no
fire department we would have had
no town left, and from a monetary
standpoint the cost would have
been many times greater than the
loss and it would have taken fifty
or more years to rebuild the city.
Forty men can nnderwrite the con-
vention. He continued that hotels,
restaurants and liquor stores get an
appreciable amount Of business
from these conventions and that II
the average business man was
willing to give $50, those receiving
direct benefits should be- willing to
give more in proportion.
He stated that now is the time to
start agitation and that 1t Is dis
grace to let the firemen go out for
three years to raise money. He de-
cried the failure of the annual
Thanksgiving ball this year and
stated that It was shame when
people were only asked for $1.00
per year to help support the de-
partment.
Now is the time to take the load
off the firemen, said the Doctor.
The money should come from the
business men and the firemen
should be told 70 forget the con-
vention that the city will put 1t
over. He also suggested that the
city contribute to the fund and ad-
vised that the natter be taken be-
fore the Community Club at its
next meeting.
In the discussion which followed
all members stated they were in
favor Of the plan as set forth by
DR.. Dubois. Several of those pres
ent agreed to underwrite $50 each
providing those who receive the
greatest benefits will underwrite
proportionately to those benefits.
l.. L. Kells stated that the 1889
convention will be worth great
deal to the city. The firemen get
nothing out Of it, hence the bust
ness and the city should back them
CONTINUED on Page 6. Col. b