FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES
Seattle, Wash., has approved the purchase of a new fire alarm transmitter.
Bids were opened for the erection of two new fire stations in the West End of Galveston, Tex.
John W. Mountjoy has been appointed State Fire Marshal of Montana to succeed W. G. Brooks.
A new record has been established in Cleveland, Ohio. A total of 1,200 men filed applications with the Civil Service Commission for jobs as city firemen. This is an all-time record for the city.
Mike Bauer, eighty-five years old, Chief of Nebraska City, Neb., for twenty-one years, died at his home. He was prominent in the Nebraska Firemen’s Association for many years. Two daughters and a son survive.
Edward L. Hill, Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department of Addison, N. Y., for forty years, died at his home following a few months’ illness. He was seventy-two years old. He retired as Chief three years ago.
Chief Fred A. Leonard of Taunton, Mass., celebrated his thirty-second anniversary as Chief of the Taunton Fire Department. He joined as a call man in 1882 and became Chief in 1901. He was elected Chief for a four-year term and has been re-appointed continuously since that time.
District Chief Michael J. Shea has been appointed Chief of the Fitchburg, Mass., Fire Department. He was appointed a private on March 18, 1902, permanent private_on December 11, 1907, Lieutenant on November 19, 1917, and a District Chief on March 4, 1930. He succeeds the late Chief Henry J. Hyatt.
Two Salem, Ore., firemen who were dismissed, have taken their case to court. They ask the court to review the proceedings of the Civil Service Commission, which allegedly refused to hear their testimony regarding their rights to steady work under the civil service seniority ruling. This marks the first appeal from the Civil Service Commission’s acts.
The office of Fire Marshal of Seattle, Wash., has been ordered abolished by the Mayor. This change will eliminate Fire Marshal Laing and twenty-seven inspectors. Chief Corning stated that the city is considering abandoning several fire stations and five complete fire companies. In addition, the firemen are to receive twenty per cent cuts to save the city $330,000.
Three alarms were sounded for a fire which destroyed a motion picture theatre in Toledo, Ohio, on February 10. It was one of thirty fires that occurred in the city in twenty-four hours. Fifteen companies in charge of Chief Fred Meyers responded for duty. The fire was caused by an overheated furnace which was left burning all night for the first time this winter.
George A. Wallace, eighty-five-year-old Chief Emeritus of the Cleveland, Ohio, Fire Department, had his pension restored to $3,900. A month ago the pension was cut to $1,800. Edwin D. Barry, former Safety Director, was incensed at the sharp cut given Chief Wallace and he reminded the Board that the Chief was retired with his full salary pension as long as he lived.
Even firemen in Nashville, Tenn., have icy weather occasionally. The department was called to fight a Sunday morning fire which broke out in a roof over a dry goods store. Salvage covers were spread over all the stock and the damage was reduced to about half of what it would otherwise have been. Icicles hung in clusters from the four stores damaged by the flames, and the front of the building was covered by a sheet of ice.
Contributions will be made to recognized charities by members of the Uniformed Firemen’s Association, New York City. The men voted that first grade firemen should contribute one dollar on each pay day, second grade men, seventy-five cents, and fifty cents for third and fourth grade men and probationary firemen. Many employees of New York City discontinued their one per cent charity contribution when their pay was cut. but the firemen voted to continue with their relief work.
The newly organized Burlington County Firemen’s Protective and Cooperative Association recently at its annual meeting elected the following officers: President, Francis Watchorn, Burlington; Vice-President, Arthur Mason. Masonville; Second Vice-President. William D. Cowperthwait, Medford; Secretary, George Brown, Florence; Assistant Secretary, Benjamin M. Haines, Moorestown; Treasurer, S. Earl Asay, Mount Holly, and Trustees, Henry Hoey, Beverly; William Ferry, Burlington: George Goodenough, Crosswicks; William H. Spencer, Florence; Mark Lippincott, Marlton; Theodore M. Pennock, Mount Holly; John M. Ingling, Pemberton; Paul Theilman, Riverside. The next meeting of the association will be held at Marlton, April 14.
