Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-04-01
City Fire Department.

City Fire Department.
We present the following abstract of the
annual report OF Col. Isaac II. Marrow,
Chief Engineer of the Columbus Fire De-
partment, to the City Council, for the year
ending April l, 1865.
The steam, paid fire department, as now
organized, affords the best possible protec-
tiOn against fire, that can be furnished un-
til some new agency is discovered. While
its operations are sure in nearly every case,
1t does not afford guarantee against con.
flagration, and never can do so, while fire
laws are neglected or partial in their opera
tion, and loose in their provisions; and
while the prevention of fires is made Sec
ondary to other interests. Yet while large
fires are possible, they are not probable, and
every preparation has been made in the de-
partment to meet and combat them.
The attention of the Council is called to
the necessity of passing an ordinance pro-
hibiting the erection of frame buildings in
the thickly populated parts of the city; and
also, to the dangerous practice of indis-
criminately firing. off rockets, roman can.
dies, and other combustible and explosive
preparations, and of erecting bonfires in
our streets. Almost upon every occasion
of these demonstrations, the Chief Engin-'
eer has been compelled to have the engines
fired up, expecting at any moment to be
called into active service.
The Chief Engineer has, during the past
year, examined 1853 houses, and has re-
moved, or caused to be removed, 4S4 defec-
tive tues and unsafe stove pipes.
The Department has been called out 25
times during the past year, as follows: Fires,
Ia; Chimneys, &C., s; False alarms, 2 in
volving loss of $2037 81; covered by in
surance, 81 ,437 81; loss over insurance, 5000.
1t is doubtful if there is city in the coun-
try that has been as free from fires as CO.
lumbus. 1t is safe to say that in part, it is
due to the vigilance of the department. in
removing the apparent cause of most of our
fires. If this was the only achievement of
our city administration in fostering steam
paid fire department, it is in itself, enough
to win the universal appreciation and graft
tude of our people. 80. g
The expenses of the department have not
been aslarge as was anticipated. Prudence
and economy have been the aim of the COM
mittee and the head of the department.
The expense of the fire department has
been, during the year, $l,523 '25, detailed
statement ofwhich is annexed to the report.
The ordinanceto to prevent damages by fire
from petroleum, coal oil, &C., has been put
in force, and its provisions executed.
The department has three first class
steam fire engines, Quilt by III. G.. Silsby,
at Seneca Falls, N. Y,) placed in the hands
of competent and reliable engineers. They
stay in their respective engine houses by
day, and sleep in the same by night; and
are always ready TO respond to the flrstcry
of fire. ,..,....... ..i...,;4........ =.
The department has on hand and in use
2,392 feet OF gum hose, of which 1000 feet
or in hon nrlo lie
tention OF the Council to this branch of the
service, as without reliable hose the fire
department is comparatively useless. He
refers to the Neil House fire, and has no
hesitancy In saying that the principal cause
OF the destruction of that building was the
want of reliable and sufficient quantity
OF good hose. The department should have
at least $500 or 1000 feet of 213 inch 6-ply
hose. Our supply of water Is meagre; and
when a cistern is exhausted, it becomes
necessary to use the hose of the other en-
gines, by which one or two engines are
thrown out of service. Again, when the
department is at work at Que fire. an alarm
may be sounded Of a fire in some other
quarter, yet the hose may be all laid out,
and the department., having no relay, be
compelled to reel up, thereby giving time
for the fire to gain headway.
gine House, tirst-class Hook and Ladder
presented, on the representation of the
Chief Engineer as to its necessity, by the
Home and Foreign Insurance Companies
Col. Marrow has built, during the past
year, three large cisterns, and none better
have ever been built by the city. The City
Council is urged to consider the necessity
of building more cisterns the ensuing year;
especially as there are parts of our city,
entirely destitute of water for fire purposes,
particularly in the new territory lately
added to the corporation.
The construction of fire alarm telegraph
is earnestly recommended. For the want
of one much property has been, and more
may yet be bedestroyed. The fire alarm tele-
graph provides an organization, by which
the whole fire department is brought into
communication with q single center, and
thence receives directions, either by bells
or other signals. This important matter
should not be neglected.
In concluding his report, Col. Marrow re-
turns his thanks to the members of the City
Council; to the employees at each engine
house;o to the City Marshal, and to Messrs.
Hibbs and Ryan, of the city police, for their
courtesy, as well as for the assistance he has
received from all and each, in the discharge
of his duties as Chief Engineer. ma stna,lt
Many interesting details and tabular
statements embraced in the report we are
compelled to omit for want of room. Great
credit IS due to Col. Marrow for the care,
skill and ability, with which he has pre-
sided over our fire department, and to him
is due, in great part its present improved
and efficient organization.