Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-06-11

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country some service, and the people were
not slow to acknowledge it.
From the Boston Journal
The London Fire Briyade-..Its Organic
| zatiOn, Wages, and Implements.
Number of Firemen Employ ed---
How Paid Department Works.
A few days since Captain Geo. W. Bird,
Chief Engineer of the Boston Fire Depart
ment, and Mr.. Geo. II. Allen, Secretary of
| the Board of Engineers, received from James
Braidwood, grade, an Institution of Chief
Engineers, lengthy letter, accompanied by
several documents, relative to the Fire Brig
ade OF that city-its management efficiency,
mode OF operation, &c--frosi which we gath
er the following facts, which may prove in
tcresting to the Gre,pen of this country,
and ct tile same time g!:e the public cor.
rect idea Of the management of fires in the
great city of London, and aid the authorities
OF our own and other cities in forming iudg-
ment whether or not they are behind the age
in affording the means for the prompt exiting
uishment of fires.
The population of London is stated at be-
tween 9 100000 and 100000 souls. The
London Fire Brigade is composed Of one Su-
perintendent four Foremen, each being ap-
pointed by district, consisting of a fourth
OF London, which lie never leaves except on
some pressing emergency ,and who, in the alb
ssnce Of the Superintendent, has the sole
command Of all engines or firemen within, or
who may come within his district twelve
Engineers each, at IS shillings ($7) per
week and free houses, nine sub-engines, each
at 90 shlings (6 5O) per week 4; at 80 senior
firemen, each pence (49 12) per week 3S
junior tiremen, each at 81 shlllings (S5 25)
per week and fourteen drivers, making to-
tai of 1lS men aud 81 horses, Gall these live
at the several stations, and besides their board
being furnished, they are clothed by the
services are required four extra men live
at the stations, and are clothed by the com
mittec, but are only paid when required for
duty, and at other times pursue their usual
avocation; 27 large engines drawn by hors-
es nine small engines drawn by horses =
two floating engines worked by stcam-onc
forty and the other eighty horsepower -
twenty-eight hand pumps, one being carried
iu each engine. Thus it will be seen that
the whole number Of active men, ,berS Of the
Fire brigade is but one hundred and forty five
men.
When the Engine is sent to fire, only
four men and one driver are sent with it
the breaks being worked by the bystanders,
who are paid one shilling for the first, and
sixpence for each successive hour besides
being supplied with refreshments. Upwards
of six hundred bystanders have thus been
employed at one time.
The principal fire engines are entirely in
the hands Of the insurance companies, and
the principal projection London has against
fire, is entirely voluntary on the part Of the
insurance companies, there being no law to
control or sustain the brigade, and with the
exception of some fifteen or twenty, the par
ish engines are comparatively useless at a
serious fire.
The greatest possible assistance is given
to the fire department by the police, (nearly
1000 in number) keeping back the crowd,
&c. Each officer who discovers fire with
out his attention being called to it by any
one, receives two shilling from the brigade,
, so that there are upwards of 1000 men
watching for fire throughout the entire
night
Floating steam engines have been in use on
I the river Thames, for some considerable time
past, and the principal difficulty in applying
5 steam iire-engnes to the streets is what of
water which is supplied to the inhabitants of
= panies. The tremen consider themselves pref
ty well off when only four or five eng zines
1 are required, but when ten or twelve are at
4 work, the supply is short.
! The only ladders used are what is termed
1 Sealing ladder" which can be raised, at the
most to length of only about forty feet, and
when fire occurs at about that height from
Il the ground, it is generally attacked from the
:. roofs of adjoining buildings, or by playing
d water from the ground
Many of the implements used by the Lon
e don Fire Brigade are entirely different from
S those in use in this country, while some Of
! them are very similar. One of the prirci
b pal implements for the protection and say
O ing of human life, is what is termed the Fire
It Escape
Il The simplest and most complete implement
h consists of main ladder thirty-two feet ir
S length, fitted on the under side with canvass
:, through, in which persons may slide with ease
e and safety from window to the ground, tc
:. this ladder, and within eleven feet of the
e top, is joined second ladder, twenty foul
e feet in length which is raised by rope ant
l. lever on each is carried under the main lad
j. der, and is found useful for first floor win
s. dows. The whole is mounted on . ligh
!, carriage and can be moved anywhere by tw,
d men.
Another Fire Escape in use consists o
of seven breaths of scaingladders, each 81!
Of inches in length, having wrou.ht iron sock
e cts, fitting universally, by which any mum
< Der of lengths may be Immediately jointed t
lie form a ladder the required hight-the top lad
v der being fitted with two rollers to assist il
al raising it against wall. A strong leathe
ID belt, canvass large enough to contain growI
n person, and long stout line, are also provid
L. ed. This escape is also furnished with
le strong canvass jumping Sheet" made wit
lie hand holes all round into which, when secure
ID ly held by from eight to twelve men, individ
1t ais may jump from any window with perfec
a. safety.
le The men arriving with the first large en-
Up gine at fire, each receive not cxceedin
1T thirty shillings, & 5O,) those with the secont
as each, not exceeding twenty shillings, ($5
ic and those with the third, not exceeding te
at shillings ($25O) each. These rewards ave
Fl, age about two shillings and sixpence to eac
e, fireman in the brigade, which they recei,
d. from the local authorities, independent of tt
at wages before stated. In cases of alarm
nd from burning chimneys these rewards are pa.
lr- able by the occupants of the premises
a which such chimney stands.
de The whole number of fires in London du
OK ing the year 1858 was 1,4l4 in addition
ty which there were 81 false alarms, 112 alarm
lrt from burning chimneys, making a total
1920 alarms, and being an average of near
- four alarms each day. Of those 80 buildin