The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Oct. 5, 1923.
Luverne Firemen are Hosts to 300 Visitors
Semi-Annual Convention of Southwestern Minnesota Association Held Here Wednesday
State Fire Marshall Gives Main Address
Business of Convention Occupies the Day—Banquet and Entertaining in the Evening
Luverne entertained approximately three hundred visiting firemen Wednesday at the fourth semi-annual district convention of the Southwestern Minnesota Firemen’s association, and it was regarded as one of the most successful conventions, both from the educational and the social standpoint, in the history of the association.
Practically all of the departments who are members of the association sent delegations to the meeting, and in addition to this, there were representatives from many towns not included in this district, among them being Rock Rapids and Spirit Lake, Ia., Dell Rapids, Canton, Valley Springs, and Garretson, S.D.
As early as nine o’clock in the morning the visitors began to arrive, and by 9:30 a large crowd had assembled to hear the concert rendered on Main street by the Luverne concert band. The meeting was opened with an invocation by Rev. J. T. Brown and after this Mayor R. B. Hinkly delivered the address or welcome to all visitors. The response was made by Wm. L. King, chief of the Jackson department.
Following the roll call of officers and departments, an address was delivered by Burton L. Kingsley, state fire marshal, who spoke of the duties of citizens toward fire prevention, and advocated the standardization of fire apparatus. His address was followed by a talk by Hon. H. J. Farmer, of Pipestone, state representative, whose speech was of a humorous nature.
At 11:00 a.m. a demonstration was put on by the large pumping truck of the Luverne department, in the street near the Armory, and after this the official photograph of the convention was taken.
The session was resumed again at 1:30 p.m., at which time the business of the meeting was transacted. Since this was the semi-annual convention, the old officers of the association will retain their offices until the next meeting which will be held in May. The place of holding the next convention is to be decided by the executive committee.
Several topics of interest to all firemen were next taken up and discussed, the first of these being the question, “What Is the Best and Least Expensive Apparatus for Small Towns Having No Waterworks?” A delegate from Jasper and C. J. Martin, of the Luverne department, read papers on the subject. Mr. Martin’s paper showed that the small town without waterworks needs a pumping fire truck, more than does the larger town that has waterworks. This is true for the reason that the fire trucks of the small town without waterworks has so much more depending upon it, as it must to some extent take the place of a waterworks system, and must have a sufficiently large motor and pumping capacity to draft water from cisterns and other sources of supply and deliver it in sufficient pressure and volume to be effective.
The mayor of the city of Slayton and Dick Collins, of Windom, read papers on the question, “Are Cities and Towns Keeping in Pace for Fire Protection in Proportion to Other Improvements?” Substance of their talks was that in nearly every case the city or town is willing to provide new and better equipment for the fire department, provided the department asks for it.
The upkeep of club rooms for the use of firemen, interesting initiations put on annually by the different departments, and a series of questions and discussions put on from time to time, were advocated by J. J. Kies, of Worthington, and Fred Pfaender, of New Ulm, as the best plans to create enthusiasm in volunteer fire departments.
This article will continue in next week’s Bits by Betty.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.