1898 Heppner Fire Department

From the  History of Umatilla and Morrow County Written by W. S. Shiach, 1902  page 301, 302

    ....On October 13, 1898, the volunteer fire department of the town, which had been allowed to drift into a state of dissolution during the hard times, was reorganized.  It is surprising that it ever should have been suffered to drop, as the water system, which had cost so much, was thereby rendered useless as a protection against fire.  The officers placed in charge of the two hose companies when organized were:  Chief, Frank Natter; assistant chief, James Thompson; captain of Hose Company No. 1, Frank Roberts; No. 2, E. M. Shutt; secretary, J. T. Stewart; treasurer, James Hart.  The members of No. I were Ben Matthews, J. W. Thompson, Jack Horner, George Vincent, E. E. Hewitt, S. P. Devins, T. G. Thomas, Mike Roberts, E. C. Wells, W. A. Richardson, Lee Cantwell, Jesse Shelly and L. P. Jones;  of No. 2, Frank Natter, Frank Borg, Dave McAtee, E. M. Shutt, G. W. Phelps, E. L. Freeland, Jesse Stewart, James Hart, V. Gentry, Thomas Brennan, William Smith, Frank Rasmus, Mike Galloway and William Ball.  Each company elected three delegates and the six thus chosen constituted a permanent board of managers.  The officers and member of these companies and their successors have ever since rendered efficient service as fire fighters.

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