Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1898 — More Money Than Profit. [ARTICLE]

More Money Than Profit.

We do not believe that our city council can seriously entertain the proposition at this time to install a fire alarm system which will cost $270 per year. Our city debt and our running expenses are already quite too large to justfy this large expense at this time, and the city is too small to need any such system. A place of this size, especially with its large and universally extended telephone system, gets quick action in the way of fire alarms anyhow, and the proposed expensive system would not begin to be enough bettor to pay for the extra expense. In fact it is doubtful if it would be any better at all. There is always supposed to be somo one awake at the telephone central, and for the generality of people when they discover a fire, or think they do, which is a more common thing, to run to the telephone and notify the central is a more natural and, in most cases, would be a quicker operation than to hunt up and give the alarm at a fire alarm box. The Jasper County Telephone Company has a very liberal patronage from the people of this town. More liberul, in proportion to its population, than any other town in the state gives to any telephone company, we will venture to say; and the said company will, we have no doubt, be glud at all timeß to reciprocate for this liberal patronage by speedily transmitting to the proper persons, all information of fire alarms, and that without the payment of a $270 annual subsidy. If you need a pair pantuloons for spring or summer come at once. • Chicago Bargain Store. $25.00 in tickets gets a line piece of silverware at McFarland & Henkle’s A .