THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2692, 3 October 1871, Page 2

THE FIRE BRIGADE.

The Fire Brigade celebrated their third annual anniversary by a torchlight procession and dinner last evening. The procession, headed by the Battalion Band, started from the Engine Station before eight o’clock, marched along Princes street as far as the Imperial Hotel, up Hope stret, down Stafford street, through Manse street, along Princes street and George street, through Albany street into Great King street, up Hanover street into George street, and back to the Engine Station. The gear was clean and bright, and everything under the lighted torches looked exceedingly picturesque. The dinner afterwards took place in the large room up-stairs, at the Engine Station, Captain Wain in the chair. The Mayor, Major Atkinson, Messrs Eliott, Gillies, Jack, Law, and W. 0. Ball, as representatives of the Insurance Companies, and all the members of the Brigade, were present. The room was tastefully decorated by the members of the Brigade themselves, with flags and floral devices, and various instruments of the . Brigade. After full justice bad been done to the good things provided? by Mr Hudson of Princes street, the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were proposed. Branchman Hughes proposed “ The Mayor and Corporation,” and, in doing so said he thought the company would agree in saying of the civic body that they had the right men in the right place. It was not within his province to enlarge upon the nature or the extent of the improvements being effected in the City, or to refer to the deliberations of the Council, both being jealously watched by the public. Hut those present would doubtless be aware that difficulties had arisen between the Corporation and the Brigade, and he had much pleasure in stating that those difficulties existed no longer. The Corporation now saw that it was as essential to have an efficient Brigade as to have gas and water works of their own, and were prepared to support the Brigade in a liberal manner. He hoped the good feeling now existing would be continued. The Mi. you, in replying to the toast, said it afforded him great pleasure to be present. The observation of the proposer of the toast that the ac s of the Corporation were jealously watched by the citizens was true, and so long as the citizens continued to take interest in their affairs, there could be no doubt the Corporation would do its duty towards them, it was also very true that difficulties had existed between the Corporation and the Brigade ; aud he thought he had had much to do with them. He considered that be had been wrongly and too severely judged by the Brigade, for he then and still thought, that the view’s he held at the time were right; because the result had shown that the City had a Brigade certainly not less, if not mope efficient than that which existed in times gone by. In saying this, he had no intern tion of reflecting upon the Brigade, as it then existed. At all events, out of the little difficulties which had existed, much good had arisen. Belore sitting down he desired to say a few words to the company, not as a body of firemen, but as citizens; and it was to recommend them to agitate the

questions of the supply of, gas and water being in the hands of the Corporation until these desiderata were in their own keeping. While there could be no question ®f our inability to do without a water supply, either from a sanitary or social point of view, we could pay too much for it, and such was the case at present. If the supply were ia the hands of the Corporation, the heavy charge now made upon the citizens would be soon reduced. Not that it would be reduced at once, as for a time it was sure to he a little more than it was at present, but shortly afterwards it could be greatly reduced. Be told them that the time would come when the works would be paying the shareholders something lijce }5 or 20 per cent, upon their capital, which WQ nld be a robbery of the citizens. He asked them tg improve the occasion, 'and never to cease agxta%g this question until the supply of water was got into the hands of the Corporation, The Corporation had recently taken some action ivith a View to curtailing the monopoly of she water company ; but he regretted to say bat very little* consideration hud been paid :o the wishes of the citizuis—they had not •eceived that consideration at the hands of be Legislature which such a numerously signed petition pav/aa sent up by the citizens yas entitled to ha ve pkid to it. It was nonsense for peop'e to say that the shareholders ivere for a long time without interest on beir money, and that therefore it was a •eason why the citizens should pay the-heavy ■ates they now did. That RAs was the result of the careless mismanagement of the Irst directors of tire company; and the *

citizens bad no right to be asked to pay for that carelessness or mismanagement. It had been said by the directors of the company that the works had been constructed for the public good and not with any view to profit, and that they were ready to transfer them to the Corporation, as soon as a favorable opportunity occurred. The City Council had taken steps to put that assertion to the proof. They had asked the directors whether they would avorably consider a proposal from the Corporation to buy the works. The citizens would find, in the response to that question, whether what had been so loudly proclaimed was an honest intention or nothing less than mere talk. The Corporation wore willing to deal with the company, not on the principle of what the works were worth, but on the priuciple of what they had cost the shareholders; and the price they were prepared to give would secure to the shareholders, say, 10 per cent, during the length Corporation debentures would run—he., thirty years. The Corporation could not do more than that. ‘He sincerely trusted the directors would consider their proposal favorably; failing that, an appeal would be made to the shareholders, and he hoped it would not be without avail. With regard to himself, during the time he held office, he had always tried to give all the assistance he could to any ratepayer who asked his advice or attention; and so long as he occupied the position, he would always strive to give satisfaction to the bone and sinew of the country—the workingman.—(Applause.) Mr Elliott, in replying to “ The Insurance Companies,” said that instead of the Brigade being indebted to insurance companies, as had been said by the proposer of the toast, the companies were largely indebted to the Brigade. Without the Brigade they would have lost thousands of pounds—in fact they could scarcely carry on the business of lire insurance in the city. Besides the Brigade, aided by the powerful water supply at their command, had been the means of reducing the amount of premiums ; without them the rate of insurance would have been nearly double what it is. As to the Brigade ever being in pecuniary difficulties, ho was only too happy to say, that so far as bis company was concerned they were perfectly welcome at any time to a few pounds, which would be neither here nor there. He concluded by paying a tribute to the alacrity in turning out displayed by the Brigade on all occasions of emergency. The Mayor proposed the toast of the evening, “The Fire Brigade,” with which he coupled the name of Captain Wain. He had had thepleasureof knowing Captain Wain for many years in many capacities, and he had found him a worthy man in every respect. The manner in which he had stuck by the Brigade was something very much to his credit. As to the Brigade itself, his earnest wish was that it might never be worse than it was now, and in saying that he thought it nev..r c ould be better.

Captain ..Wain, in replying to the toast, which had been given with musical honors, stated that he had undertaken the formation of the new Brigade at the time the old one was disbanded, because he thought it would have been a pity that the gear should have fallen into hands unable to use it; and with the assistance of some of the old members he had succeeded in forming the Brigade, whose third anniversary they were then celebrating. Since the new Brigade had started there had not been much call for their services. Durthe past year there had been nine calls, only two being for large fires—one the fire at Jago’s store, the other at Rcichelt’s. With regard to the latter—the building now stood in the,condition it was left on the morning of the fire/ and he never passed the prejpises without feeling a small amount of pride. He had heard it remarked not only by citizens, but by residents in other Provinces who had seen it—that they never sawabetter “save.” There had been four alarms (none of any consequence) during the year; and he was happy to be able to state that while the number of members up to within the last two months had only been 2G, the average attendance at fires was 24. He thought this showed that the men had Veally heart in their work. The regular monthly practices had been attended by an average attendance of 21 members throughout the year. Since last year they had had 13 new members, seven resignations bad been received, but only one expulsion. He thanked the visitors for their presence, and mentioned that the Deputy-Superinten-dent had intended to have been present, but was prevented by indisposition. The Brigade’s relief fund had a cash balance of L 7 5; but the library fund was in a languishing condition, there, being only 30s in hand. With regard to what had fallen from Mr Elliott as to rates of premiums, he could not let the opportunity pass without giving expression to the feeling he knew to be entertained by a good many insurers in the City, viz., that with the powerful water supply nov at the command of the Brigade, the rate of insurance charged was much too high. As tj)e owner of a Jittle property ip the town he felt that it was so, and be knew it to be a pretty general opinion. Of course, it was a matter solely for the companies, but bis own opinion was that if the companies could see their way to lower the rate, a great many persons who were forced to take their own risks would avail themselves of the different companies,—(Applause.) Several other toasts were given, and the remainder of the evening was spent in a very convivial manner.