Mexborough and Swinton Times October 4, 1895

Conisborough Parish Council
The New Fire Engine Accepted

The usual monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Wednesday night, Mr S Whitfield presiding. The members present were Messrs. Senior, Jones, Taylor, Norwood, Booth, Gillott, Ogley, Holmes, Casey, Robinson and Marsh.

The Informal Meeting

Several letters were read relating to the subject of new fire engine. One was from Messrs Merryweather, asking the Council not to accept machine to abide by Messrs Rose and coal, and another was the letter from Messrs Rose and coal previously read in which the council invited witness a second test to dine at the Star Inn, at their expense.

The Chairman: I learned that letter before, somewhere.

Mr Booth: Yes, you read it yourself at the last meeting. First you said the meeting was informal, and then you read the letter.

The Chairman: I did not see meeting was informal.

Mr Booth’s: just so

The Chairman: Well we will have it so and I will throw the charge back at you Mr Booth.

Mr Booth: That doesn’t alter it. You said the meeting was informal, and then you read that letter.

The Chairman: I said the meeting was over then, the members were going away.

Mr Booth: Well you read that letter that night

The Chairman: Oh! You are right there.

Mr Booth: A further letter was read from Messrs Merryweather, calling attention to letter that had been sent to the Fireman, and complaining that the statements contained in the same were libellous and requesting the Council to investigate them

The Chairman: Why this is an anonymous letter that has been addressed to a newspaper. I don’t see what we have to do with this. I don’t think it ought to be read.

It was decided not to read the letter.

The Water Scheme

A letter was read from Messrs Kilner Bros stating that they were disposed take the water it was intended to empty by the new scheme, and asking the terms.

The Chairman said they could not possibly make terms until the scheme was completed. He added that the District Councillor consented to the employment of Mr George White to prepare a scheme for the supply of Conisborough with water, and in reply to Mr Booth stated further that the plans of such a scheme would be presented to the Parish Council before being dealt with at Doncaster.

Street Lighting

The Chairman reported that the District Council Doncaster and consented to the erection of several additional lamps in the streets of Conisborough as requested by the Council.

The New Fire Engine

Mr Gillott moved that Messrs Rose and Co.’s engine be rejected and also wished to add several conditions to the proposed rejection but the Chairman insisted on resolution be moved as set down in the agenda

He said the engine and now been tested three times which are never given satisfaction. It did not do all it was guaranteed to do. (Hear, hear)

For instance, they guaranteed that 22 men would be able to work it, but it took 27 men and did not throw the water 120 feet as guaranteed. He question if it would throw the water more than 100 feet at the outside, and he thought if there were going to take the engine it ought to be made to do what it was guaranteed to do. (Hear, hear)

It had not done it, however up to now, and he thought it ought to be rejected unless proved capable of the work guarantee, for which purpose it ought to be tested by an independent engineer are in competition with another engine.

Mr Booth seconded. The engine had been guaranteed to throw 100 gallons of water per minute 120 feet, and from a purely business point of view he did not think they should accept it until it was proved conclusively that it would do this. The quantity of water which then DuPont at never be measured and therefore they did not know what it at the, and he considers the Council and no right to purchase an article which had not been proved perfectly satisfactory.

He could not understand the Chairman’s action in the matter. He could not make out why he was so easily pleased after what he said at the first trial of the engine at the Brewery. His words were, then that before he was satisfied the engine would have to do all it was guaranteed to do, and he now said he was perfectly satisfied.

Chairman: I never said so.

Mr Booth said he had seen it in print yet the Chairman knew no more than the dead whether the engine had done what it ought to do or not. He would kick up a big row about trifling things, and ferreted out every little detail when about 30 shillings was concerned, but when it came to £120 he let things go by default. He supposed the good dinner at the Star Inn was something to do with it. (Laughter)

He contended that the conduct of the chairman was not at all consistent.

Mr Holmes explained that Mr Booth was under a misapprehension as to what the specification meant by throwing water 120 feet. It did not mean it would throw it 120 feet from the nozzle. As far as he was concerned the engine was satisfactory.

Mr Gillott said it would only throw water about 100 feet, but if it did that it would satisfy him.

Mr Jones said that if they put a pipe against the chimney 20 feet high, and then DuPont pump water out of the nozzle, that will be throwing it in 20 feet high. It was not to be expected that it would throw a jet of water that high against the pressure of the air.

Mr Casey in the course of a long speech said that the only reason why the opponents of the engine wished it to be rejected was because they were in the minority, and were annoyed at not being allowed to have their own way. He regarded Mr Gillott as the spoilt child of the council, nobody would take him seriously. He had been given to understand that when the first trial was a failure he was so overjoyed he sent a telegram to Merryweather’s.

Mr Gillott: It is a lie.

Mr Casey: I had it from the chairman

Mr Gillott: Then he told a lie. (Laughter)

Continuing, he asserted that at the commencement Mr Booth had voted for a Merryweather’s engine without even hearing the tenders read.

Mr Norwood said he had been at the trouble of writing to Captain Turner to ask his unbiased opinion of the engine, and the reply that he considered it was a satisfactory machine if an air valve was added to the suction. He still thought that the engine ought not to be accepted unless subjected to an independent test. He had all along admitted that he knew nothing of a fire engine, and he thought it would have been better if Mr Casey had at the first admitted as much, instead of stating the new all about it, because been told on good authority that Mr Casey knew nothing about a fire engine.

Mr Casey: Who is your authority?

Mr Norwood: I will tell you privately.

Mr Casey: No, stated publicly. You made the statement publicly.

Mr Norwood: Well, then it was Mr Chambers, the manager of Cadeby Main colliery.

Continuing Mr Norwood said that if the engine was proved capable of the work it was supposed to do he would accept it, but not otherwise.

The Chairman said Mr Booth had been very full of compliments to him. (Hear, hear) He had said he was inconsistent. Well, he himself said all along that he was ignorant of what a fire engine ought to be, but he was as intelligent as those who were busy condemning the engine. He thought if an engine was put before them they could not tell it from a chip potato machine. (Laughter) and he would put himself among them in saying that. (Hear, hear and laughter) will stop

The cheap dinner had been referred to, but it was his opinion that it was Rose and Co.’s duty to provide a second dinner as they spoilt the pleasure of the first one. (Hear, hear). He was not in the habit of going cheap things, he did not even go to public houses on the Brewers travellers day. (Hear, hear.) If he wanted a glass of beer he would have it and pay for it.

Mr Gillott: But you like it paid for better.

The Chairman: Hello, I hope I’m not hitting you. (laughter)

Continuing he said they had the evidence of an expert, Capt Turner, that it was a good engine, and he was well satisfied with what he saw at the last test. Concluding, he said he was disgusted with the way Merryweather’s representative had touted amongst the members, and their knocking down their tender about £40 was a thing no respectable firm would have done. (Hear, hear)

The question was then put to the vote, and there voted for the rejection of the engine Messrs Gillott, Booth, Norwood, Ogley and Taylor (five) and against the rejection Messrs Whitfield, Marsh, Robinson, Casey, Holmes, Jones and Senior (seven).

The Council after decided to allow the new engine to be taken to Mexborough to participate in the lifeboat demonstration, and further decided that the council should officially attend the demonstration