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BY M. Fire fighters of Missouri made his tory In Europe many years ago and while the name of this state was known long before Chief Hale of Kansas City took his famous team of firemen to the old country, there is no denying the fact that the feats of these men in that far off date made the “show Me” state better known and perhaps better remembered abroad than through any other public achievement. Just how long ago, Hale, took his fighters to Europe, I cannot recall at this writing but I do know that I had my first glimpse of the boys in Manchester, a large busy hive of In dustry in England and newspaper men who knew that I was an American were keen to know all about Missouri and her people—and I couldn't tell them as I had not, up to that time, been farther west than New York, and when one comes to think about it, New York is hardly in the west. Joplin Well Protected: Since knowing this state and her people I have made special endeavors to find out why it is that the firtmen of this state lead the nation In deeds of daring. This may seem a bold as sertion to make but it can be proven by facta and I have taken the time to look up statistics on the subject and to me at least, it is very plain that Joplin citizens and their property are better protected, size, population, toography than any other city in the sideration than any other city in the union. It was been said that the job of a fireman is a thankless one; it may be, but one thing Io do know and that is it is a mighty herd and difficult one. ly men with red blood coursing through their veins can ever hope to be members of any fire department. The duties, the hardships, the long hours, ever on the watch, are such that a weakling or one not endowed with everything that goes to make a real man, need ever hope to qualify for this important, but uninviting and hazardous vocation. How do the members of the Joplin department measure up with those re quirements? Having closely watched the local “boys” at work and play, having spoken with them at all hours and under varying conditions, I feel safe in stating that they are as near perfect as a body of men can be. There is no bibliography on them that I can find; no books published to tell when the first organization, as we know the department was formed but forty years ago, I can re call having seen in Montreal, Canada, the old time custom of passing the “water cans” from hand to hand to fight a conflagration, and it is not so far back that I saw in a small town in Oregon state, a relic of old en days, where buckets were passed along from a huge gub to the scene of a fire, and then ih water gave out All this is changed now and in its place throughout the length and breadth of the land, we have a body of fighters who are supplied with all the effective apparatus that science and thought can suggest. In Joplin we may congratulate our selves and thank our fire fighters that they have been the means where by many lives have been saved, and much property protected. Joplin Department 24 Years Old. On the seventh of February next, the Joplin fire department wil cele brate the twenty-fourth year of Its organization, almost a quarter of a century of fighting the names. When the first brigade was formed the whole outfit consisted of five new, with one truck, one hose wagon and four horses, truly some chance from what obtains at this time. The roster shows that now there are thirty-five firemen, six hose wagons, two chemical wagons, one truck, and horses, not one! The last of the ani mals was disposed of four years ago From January 1 to November . In clusive there were no fewer than four hundred and thirty-eight calls turned in to the department, while the cost of the buildings destroyed was $15, 258.63, these figures not including the sum of $7,609.50, being the value of contents destroyed. The brave Joplin boys deserve tan gible thanks at our hands. One way of expressing appreciation is by add ing to their benefit fund. The annual ball is to be held next Thursday night and aarge number of tickets have already been sold. But there are yet many more to sell ere the firemen can hope to beat their figures of last year when the stim of $701.50 was put into the fund as the result of the ball, the first of its kind. The event will here after be a yearly social function. A Time for Appreciation. The time is opportune for the pub lic appreciation. Uniforms which twelve months ago cost each employe $17 cannot now be duplicated for #95 and so it is right down the line, but still the pay continues as of yore. Firemen, protect us in one of the per ils of our city life; they are the men on whom we depend to fight the flames when a big conflagration occurs and to fight it as only they know how. They are highly skilled men, who have had a thorough training in the requirements of their work They dare to hope the public will consider them, and the council, too.
Newspaper Details
Joplin News Herald
Joplin, Missouri, US
Sun, Nov 25, 1917
Page 19
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