WALNUT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES—1880-1887
AS REGUARDING THE FORMATION OF THE WALNUT FIRE DEPARTMENT
By WGS Correspondance Secretary—Karen Hansen
May 6, 1880, p. 74 – Moved and seconded that a committee be appointed to inquire into the most feasible plan for extinguishment of fire. Carried. G. C. Hunt, A. S. Avery and J. B. Johannsen were appointed on said committee.
Nov. 16, 1880, p. 81 – Special meeting. Business for the consideration of the contract with the Davenport Pump and Pipe Company. The report being favorable upon motion, it was unanimously carried. Moved and seconded that an order be drawn on the treasurer for the amount due to the Davenport Pump and Pipe Company according to the contract. Carried. viz (namely) $500 less freight. Moved and seconded that an order be drawn for $5.80 freight on the Fire Engine and the amount be deducted from the amount of the contract.
Jan. 22, 1881, p. 82 – W. S. Packard and W. H. Linfor were appointed to investigate in reference to organizing a fire company and report at next meeting.
Feb 5, 1881, p. 83 – Moved and seconded to buy two Ottawa trucks for the tank. Carried.
May 5, 1881, p. 89 – A committee of 2 were appointed to turn the fire engine over to the fire company. A. S. Avery and J. B. Johannsen were appointed on said committee. A committee of 3 were appointed in reference to a building for the fire engine. Besides the mayor, A. S. Avery and W. F. Burke were appointed on said committee.
June 16, 1881, p. 90 – A committee of two were appointed to construct a building for the fire engine, size
16 x 24, 14 feet high, with power to act, besides the mayor, A. S. Avery was appointed on said committee.
July 7, 1881, p. 95 – The following bill was allowed: Ed Hall for the engine house $202.90. Moved and seconded to require the committee on the engine house to secure the painting of the building. Carried. Moved and seconded that the captain of the little giant Engine Company be requested to purchase 2 hose couplings. Carried.
March 4, 1884, p. 147 – Moved and seconded that the mayor appoint a committee to investigate the cost of fixing the Engine House for the Mayor to hold court in. Carried.
May 6, 1884, p. 151 – Moved and seconded that the committee on the cistern and laying pipes have estimating made as to the cost of laying pipe and building two cisterns of 400 barrels each, one at the intersection of Highland and Central Street and one at the intersection of Pearl and Central Street & to report at a special meeting. Carried.
June 3, 1884, p. 153 – J. B. Johannsen and J. Longnecker were appointed on the committee to circulate a petition to raise money to build the cisterns.
July 1, 1884, p. 154 – Moved and seconded that 2 cisterns be built and the pipes laid from the tank down Central Street as follow: one in the center of Central and Highland Streets and one in the center of Central and Pearl Streets to connect with said cisterns.
June 3, 1885, p. 167 – It was moved and seconded to purchase 200 feet of hose. Carried unanimous. It was moved that F. H. Green be appointed to purchase the hose in connection with a committee of one of the fire company. Carried. It was moved and seconded to move the engine house on west end of lot 9, block 16. Carried. It was moved that the finance committee attend the making of a lease between T. Lodge and the town of Walnut for the ground for the engine house. Carried. (That location is directly across the alley to the east of the present station in 2005.)
July 7, 1885, p. 168 – Moved and seconded that F. H. Green order 200 feet of the multiple cotton fire hose and send 2 couplings to the hose company to be fitted to the hose. Carried.
April 9, 1886, p. 174 – Bills paid: Town of Walnut to Carstensen Bros. & Company:
6 machine bolts for fire engine $1.20
Rubber gaskets for fire engine .50
Town of Walnut to Walnut’s Fire Company:
Jan 8—
2 locks for engine house
$1.00
April 1—
1 tool box for engine house
$1.00
April 7—
1 days work repairing engine house
$1.50
April 7—
6 pieces of leather for engine
$1.40
Total $4.90
April 9, 1886, p. 180-1 – Fire Committee, J. B. Johannsen, A. E. Kincaid and John Palmer. Moved by Johannsen and seconded by Carstensen that the following named firemen members of Walnut Fire Company be exempt from poll tax in the present year, 1886. Ayes: Johannsen, Burke, Carstensen, Longnecker, Kincaid, Schofield and Bigelow.
Names of members of Walnut Fire Company:
C. F. Jacobsen,
U. Howard,
John Paarmann,
B. F. Strawn,
Martin Blohm,
J. W. Classen,
A. Hellmann,
John Mallicoat,
Adam Berg,
Julius Hector,
Fred Brandt,
Hans Hauge,
A. J. Anderson,
A. Mickle,
George Frahm,
Carl Rethwisch and
Samuel R. Comer.
May 4, 1886, p. 183 – Town of Walnut to O. F. Lodge, Dr. (Debtor), April 6, 1886, Rent of ground for engine house from April 6, 1885 to April 6, 1886 – $13.50.
Oct. 13, 1886, p. 193 – The Town of Walnut to O. F. Lodge Rent of ground for engine house from April 1st to Oct. 1st – $9.00
March 1, 1887, p. 203 – Moved by Johannsen and seconded by Schofield that the following bills be allowed as read, except $2 to S. R. Comer, Dr. (Debtor) for hauling engine house. Carried.
June 7, 1887, p. 215-6 – Moved by Kincaid, seconded by Johannsen “that the mayor appoint a special committee of two to investigate into the matter of fire apparatus and who are to report at a meeting to be called by the mayor for that purpose.” Ayes – 5. Nays – 0. Carried. And the mayor appointed as such committee, A. E. Kincaid and Ingar Carstensen.
July 5, 1887, p. 217 – The special committee on fire apparatus, consisting of Kincaid and Carstensen, presented a verbal report, embodying their correspondence and investigations regarding fire engines, both steam and hand, and also their observations and investigations concerning waterworks systems.
Aug. 2, 1887, p. 218-9 – The committee appointed by your honorable body to examine into some practicable water system for the use of citizens and protection from the ravages of fire, have the honor to report. . . . We are lead to recommend the “Stand Pipe” system as being the most practical and effective, and the cheapest system to operate and keep in running order for a town of this size.
· . . p. 220-2 – We would build a “Stand Pipe” on the lot already occupied by the tank, 7 feet in diameter and 75 feet high. This “Stand Pipe” would give us a pressure of 35 to 40 pounds per square inch at the highest point in town. We would reconnect a duplex steam pump and boiler of 30 horsepower, to pump water into the stand pipe and to give additional pressure in case of fire.
· . . . We would distribute along the line of the mains, 15 fire hydrants, to be placed at the junction of each street corner – each hydrant to have two 2 ½ inch hose connections for use in case of fire.
· . . . We would place the cost of such a system at about eight thousand ($8000.00) dollars. . . . We recommend that you adopt this report and the system as reported by this committee, as it is our judgment it is the best we could support. Respectfully submitted, A. E. Kincaid, I. Carstensen, Committee. Moved and seconded that the report of the committee be accepted. Ayes – A. E. Kincaid, I. A. Carstensen, J. B. Johannsen, J. H. Schofield (4). Nays –John Fraser (1). Carried.
· . . . p. 223 – Moved and seconded that the mayor notify the Foreman of the Hose Co. to clean the hose. Carried.
Aug. 16, 1887, p. 225-6 – Moved by Kincaid, seconded by Johannsen that a committee of two be appointed by the mayor to circulate a petition among the property owners of blocks 21 and 22 town of Walnut, praying that said blocks be added to the fire limits of the town. Ayes – 6, nays – 0, carried. And the mayor appointed as such committee, W. S. Packard and A. E. Kincaid.
Sept. 6, 1887, p. 228 – The petition of property owners in blocks 21 and 22 to place those blocks in the fire limits of the town was presented and referred back to the committee for more signatures.
The following bills were presented:
W. E. Fraser, Meals for Avoca Fire Co. $8.00
Alex Dyson, Watching fire $5.00
J. H. Powers, Watching fire $5.00
. . . Moved by Packard, seconded by Schofield that a committee of two be appointed to circulate a paper to secure a purse for the Avoca Fire Co. and also to draft suitable resolutions of thanks to them. Carried. And the mayor appointed as such committee, Fraser and Johannsen.
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