Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-09-27
Ths Journals slander-of the Fire De,

Ths Journals slander-of the Fire De-
partment The journal has, more than
once, been guilty Of very mean falsifcstion
concerning the Fire Department Of this city
Its latest libel in thia direction had relation to
the fire which partially destroyed the stable
Of Messrs. Starr & Clayton. The Chief of
the Fire Department, in tho following we'll.
tempered article, which appears in this morn
ings Journal, refutes the calumnies of that
paper
EDITOR JoUREAL--DeAr Sr:--In your pa
per Of the morning Of September 20, 1864,
there appeared an article headed "The Fire
aud Fire Department which done the Fire
Department, as we'll as myself, great injus
tce. You start out by saying the loas to Mr.
Starr, on the building, will reach S400, and
on grain and hay, 5000 This is a mistake -
Mr.. Starts stable was worth not TO exceed
5000. and he had $50 insurance which would
make bis loss ON stable $3.50, and he had not
to exceed FIVE bushels Of oats on hand, aud no
hay, except some scattered over the loft floor
The stable was all in flame before the alarm
was given as we can prove, and Mr. Cayton's
stable being on the opposite side Of the alley,
and only a twelve foot alley between, and
both stables being frame, Of course it soon
took fire, aud was on FIRE when the Central
Engine arrived on the ground, which was in a
very few minutes, only having four squares to
run, and was at work in fve minutes after
arriving on the ground Mr. Clayton's loss
on stable was only about 500; in your arti-
Gle yon make it $500. He had no feed on
hand These figures are according to his own
statement.
And next, you say two Of the engines we're
out Of order This Is not so. / ordered the
Eastern and Western Engines not to throw,
as they we're not needed, the one Engine being
sufficient for the size and situation of the
FIRE. Next, you say one of the cisterns was
empty Tis ia also mistake, as there is no
cstern 10 that part Of the city There are
FIRE wells, and all have water. | cannot con.
troll the depth or the quantity Of water in the
wells OF the city The citizens must not ex-
pect the steamers to get up steam any quick
er when the fire is close to the Engine house
than when it is off some distance, and they
must recollect that QUE minute, when a man
house is on FIRE, appears AS long as Eve min
utes when you are at your case.
The hose was not laid out as they should
have been, and gave the driver a scolding
at the time for laying them out ss he did
If persons having complaints to make will
come to me after the fire is over, they can
have an explanation Of all matters, and they
get true statement and save much trouble
aud bad feeling. never saw Fire Depart
ment ibut what made some mistakes in their
hurry 10 get water on the FIRE, and this mis-
take cannot be rectifed BY going to the Edit
or of any paper. Whatever do, in connect
ion with the Fire Department | try and do
for the interest and welfare of the citizens
and II do them any wrong, it is not inten
tional on my part and by coming to me will
try and make all right.
| should have made this statement sooner
had | not been engaged with matters connec.
ted with the draft in the ward in which | live
Yonrs, with respect, WIN PATTON
Chief of f. D.