From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 27, 1915:

• “The Lawrence fire department is now one of the most complete and efficient motor departments in the state. All of the apparatus used by them is now motor although one team of horses will be kept at the station for emergency. The department now consists of the Chief’s Car, a Ford, recently purchased by the Fire Department, the Chemical Car purchased by the fire department last fall, and the latest addition, which arrived and was unloaded today, is the large fire truck of combination hose and ladder. The last piece of apparatus was purchased by the city commissioners for the city department. It has long been realized that many of the runs in Lawrence are too long to be made with the horses and the city officials have been trying to get a motor truck for the department for some time…. Many long, heavy runs have to be made to Mount Oread and it is an uphill pull and very hard on the horses to pull the heavy trucks and make good time in reaching the fire…. The engine is a six cylinder, 60-horse power equipped with self-starter. It has four speeds. It has a positive water cooler driven by a centrifugal pump. It is shaft drive. The rear wheels are built especially heavy and are equipped with Goodyear cushion tires, with dual tires on the rear wheels. It is equipped with electric lights and electric siren…. The chemical car which has been in service at the department since last September has been very serviceable to the department. It is always ready to go and to go to any distance without getting tired…. The last addition to the department was the Ford car which is to be used entirely by Chief Reinisch. It was purchased from the local dealer and is now in the paint shop having a coat of ‘fire department red’ put on it.”
• “Five minute talks by the candidates for mayor will be the feature of the People’s Forum meeting Sunday afternoon at the city Y. M. C. A. building…. Each applicant for the mayoralty will be given five minutes to present his views on municipal questions. Following each talk there will be an opportunity for questions from the members of the audience. The plan outlined is believed to be fair to all, and to provide a means whereby the citizens may be enabled to look over the candidates and become acquainted with their ideas in regard to important local issues. ‘The principle of the People’s Forum embodies the spirit of the old New England town-meeting,’ a member of the program committee said this morning. ‘Self-government requires the open presentation and free discussion of public questions.'”