Volunteer Firefighters Pass the Torch
Walla Walla's volunteer fire department officially disbands as members receive exemption status.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The final disintegration of Walla Walla's volunteer fire department is expected to take place within a short time. Exempt certificates for old firemen, which have been expected for some time, have arrived and will be issued to members entitled to them as fast as application is made. Firemen entitled to certificates must have served in one of the three volunteer companies: Our Boys, Tiger, or Rescues, for seven years. These are exempt from road and poll tax and jury duty. Members should make application through their secretary, who in turn will file the application and receive the certificate from Deputy County Clerk Harry Debus, who is secretary of the department. It is estimated that there are nearly 100 of Walla Walla's old firemen entitled to exempt certificates. The volunteer department as an organization is already practically dissolved, the council some three months ago voting the members thanks for past services.
“The final disintegration of Walla Walla's volunteer fire department is expected to take place within a short time.”
The transition from volunteer-led mutual aid societies to professionalized municipal services was a hallmark of the Progressive Era. These firemen weren't just putting out blazes; they were a central pillar of civic life, and their 'exemptions' functioned as a form of social pension for their hazardous service.
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