Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-01-28
CITY council.

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dines 'R;mm. Rogers. Kiersled G1niland
M;n;ok I,ebman Thomas : / 3Deoker and
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The Committee on Fire department, 70
whom was referred the SUBJECT OF steam FIRE
Engines, submit the following report
We have gwen to the matters embraced
In this reference the careful consideration
demanded by tneir importance-naving COL
lected, from various sources, such information
as seemed necessary to an intelligent disposl-
ton Of the subject sa. tas|
1t IS not our purpose 70 embody IN this re-
port the mass Of facts collected, nor 70 pre-
sent in detail the reasons which justify the
conclusion reached We assume that the
present Fire Department, based on the use
Of hand-power machines is far below its
former efficiency owing to the absences OF
active hremen In the army. 1t Is safe to
assume also, that the Companies eau not be
filled up with members having the disposition
and muscle which combine to make reliable
firemen. The necessities OF the situation
compel us, therefore, to adopt steAmpowerI
and, in adopting it under the pressure OF me-
cessity, we shall only do what other cities have
done sooner and more wisely from the oonyic-
ton of its superiority. Cleveland has four
steam fre-engines, Columbus has three, In
dianspois has three or four, Detroit has three
and almost every city, East or West, ranking
with Dayton in population and property, has
either introduced, or is preparing to introduce
the improvement. Experience seems TO leave
no room for question or argument az to the
comparative capacity of engines operated by
steam power, as now applied, and OF machines
worked by hand a-cn f Dllu1 .1.asuE
Your Committee are not prepared to recon-
mend any particular machine, except to say
that the Rotary engine, manufactured at
Seneca Falls, New York, and the "Amoskeag'
engine, built at Manchester, New Hampshire,
are both favorites IN the cities where they
have been used, each claiming very desirable
improvements. . The. price Of the former is
from $500 to $4,000, and of the latter from
5000 to $3,250, according 10 class.
Il is believed that three Of these machines |
will do greatly more work than all the hand |
machines in cur present Department. and it
is estimated that each of the three can be run
for less than $500 year, including pay for a
Company of fourteen men to each engine,
team expenses, cost of coal, gas, and all ne
cesssries incident 10 the service upon TINS
estimate, which has proved ample elsewhere,
in cities as large as Dayton, it will be seen
that the cost of our Fire Department will not
be materially increased by the proposed
change, while its efficiency will be improved,
il not doubled.
For the present your Committee would not
recommend an entire dsuse of hand,engines.
We are content, therefore, to offer for adop-
the following resolution E,,, ,....T5I
"Resolred That the Committee on Fire
Department be authorized to contract for two
Steam Fire Engines of the class and manuiae-
ture best suited to the wants of this city, as
said Committee may determine; to be paid
respectfully submitted,
IL WIGoN,
lta 600 y Skv W LLhhAS' pan-
January 9TH 1863 'hF''
Received and laid over one week.
, The Market Master presented his report for