Watertown Republican

Steam Fire Engine -If it would not be deemed a criminal offense, and we would not be held responsible for a design on our already impoverished city treasury, and a disposition to further burden the city with taxation, and all that sort of thing, we would like, just for a moment, to entertain the idea of our city becoming possessed of a Steam Fire Engine, believing that such an article is a very useful and necessary appendage in a place of our size and importance, in case of fire

We believe that no other town in the State with our population is without a Steam Fire Engine, and some places much smaller can boast of them, so that in point of an efficient Fire Department Watertown is behind her sister cities, for it has come to be understood that there can be nothing like efficiency or much effective work accomplished by a Fire Company without a Steamer. We can truly boast of our Pioneer company. No. 1, for a finer body of men can not be found in the State, but it is scarcely expected that they can ever accomplish much with their present machine, although they always put forth the most herculean efforts, working faithfully, and facing every danger. As a matter of economy the project is also worth considering Thousands of dollars can be saved to our citizens every year by the much cheaper insurance rates that may be obtained where there is a Steam Fire Engine worked by such an efficient corps of Fireman as we have at present, to say nothing of the greater amount of property that can be saved, which would most likely otherwise be destroyed. Watertown has always been singularly lucky in escaping serious fires, but we should remember that it is a long road that has no turn, and the devouring demon may yet overtake us when we are least prepared for it. Let us consider on this matter for it is something in which we are all interested.