Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-01-23
Chief Engineers Report.

Once Of Chief Engineer Of Fire Department.
Placerviue, January lAth, lHSN.
To the Hon. Mayor and Common Council Of the
City Of Placcrville.
GRNTLEAEX sit II made my duty by ordinance
No. IS. to report to you the condition Of the Fire
Department quarterly.
On entering upon the duties Of my ONCE, found
the MEMBER VI the several Companies which com
pose the Department in prosperous and thriving
cOnditi1n, EAnking among their meMbcfs many VI
our most enterprising aud energetic citizens, re-
quifing only . corresponding interest ON the part
Of thc Ctty Government 20 make the DgpaTtuAeue
compare favorably with those Of Sister citlcs.
l do not deem 1t necessary to enter into detail
cd report, my predecessor, In his report 81 the
eth Of December, gave you the full statistics Of the
Department, there having no material change Ia
ken place up to this time. 1 will therefore only
reitcrate the recOmnc nd atiOns made BY him, and
urge upon you the necessity Of immediate action.
The present wanta Of the Department, In order
that ii may be reliable In the event Of its being
called into actual service, are, Let, New Hose -
End, A Cistern at or near the bridge on CUloMa
Street: I'd, A Cistern at the crossing Of Main and
Mill Streets 4th, The repairing aud putting in
order the two IlydrautS above the Plaza.
The hose belonging to Confidence Company, No.
]. 10 found upon trial not sufficiently strong to
"stand the PRESS" and In the event VI IRE would
be liable 10 burst and render the efforts Of the
Company unavailing.
The length Of the hose belonging to the Co~pa-
ny, is also inadequate to the capacity Of the Engine
lit being capable Of doing good execution and
throwing three jets at the same time. Therefore,
would recommend that they be furnished with
Five Hundred Feet Of New Hose a. early AZ pos
siblc.
would also recommend that en- appropriation
be made to this Company sufficient to enable them
TO finish their engine house, which 10 now In an
the Department, frOm the nature eg weFvico aud
tho cost Of its apparatus aud eQuipmcntss 10 the
most diAlcUlt TO sustain by assestments upon lie
msmbsEs. This Company Asvs sheaay sxpssdsd
assessments upon its members and private c0ntEi-
6utions, with the exception Of Ono Hundred And
Twenty-Five Dollars appropriated By the Common
Council
Neptune Hose Company, the Pioneer Company
Of the city, ara now ncgOtiating Cor the puEcAase
Of new Engine, which will be desirable acQui-
sitiOn to the Department. ! would recommend
that you make sueh appropriation 30 win ena6ss
then to procure their EngiRs and Equipments
without obliging thSm to FcsOrt 70 embarrassing
assessments upon ito members, which 90 much re-
taEd the growth and cOnssqusnt Usef0lness Of The
Company. -
Hope Hook and Ladder Company should be plA-
ccd III such condition d. win maks It in fact what
It should be-'sthC advance 81 the Department IN
actual service" As your attentioa has been called
to the Importance Of placing THE company in 3
seFvicsahle cOnditioa, b my PredecssssE, would
recommend that you give tt yO0r earliest attention.
presume IL II not necessary to urge upon you
the nScssstty OF sustaining the Fire Department
petty The city Ss sHS 4: sss
inOst entirely, up0A The eHacieney Of the Depart
mcnt, sna che enleieHcy Of the Dspaztment de-
penss upOa the aaPpsresas bsieg thoroughly equip
ped and well ordered In all OF Zee appSintmepts.
keeAine bet SAlss Syste@ 81 eeOaSaiy win, In my
epIntHss p!yveas yen AOln making such epprOpria-
tiOas g Win snPply The Department With necessa-
~ eQalp@enss and relieve It fFO@ lie present em.
haTAAssaseute.
That eAs CsaPanies may be vel supplied with
2snbsss, the service must be made attractive, and
~ Sses-e.AEsAsn the neIbeFe with asSsssnenes,
% very ASes pVopOstion Of the mOst active Cem.
be!s have - Pecuaiary interest in the city.
Therefore, the Companies should be provided
vita saltaeAs EOeae k@ hoaaing meetinEs, sHS,
aeove ~ ether considerations they should 10 pro
stded with good and substantial apparatus. "a
eFdeF b secure this 70 the DepaEtmsnt, Il vim b
necehsaxy to- ask that an aPPEopSiaaion BE- aaAa
sufficient to meet the immediate necessities q he
several COmpanies
Vow win please dad herewith accompanies q
certified list Of the memhexs Of the several eoaPa,
mics. numbering In the aggregate niDety-One meaa-
bSD, ~
AMsgSAiaA IL HOst svsPsosNally suhssissed.
----.-i .-. WA. JONES,
Chief EuRtnaeR,