The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-03
Dlrs { Harsy Yare,,

11rs Dirsl 1arsss
1913 oaGiag ~ - Fiss Dnaa1nsn1z1a,
Monday the 18th Of March, committee Of
Ex Chiaf Enginesn q dis aSps1snsnt
were appointed to prepare, and publish :
Communication, setting forth sachf cts to the
citizens and property holders Of this city, in
relation to the working Of our Fro Depart
msnt, also such suggestions - they thought
proper to be made 70 the citizens, for the
benefit Of the department hereafter.
The Firemen have Ut the present time two
engines in working order, three hose reels
and some 700 feet Of good sound hose.
There has been built BY the city, FIRE els
terms, one on Second and Main streets, one on
Third and johnson, one on Fourth and Main,
one on Sixth and Main, and one on Eighth
and Main streets. The cistern on the corner
Of Main and Second is good, and holds 600
barrels Of water, the one on John son and
Third street is the same size, but in very bad
order, holding about one half the amount of
water it was intended TO hold The cisterns
on the corners of First, and Eighth and Main
streets, are in as bad condition rs the one on
johnson and Third streets; and the one on
Main and Fourth streets is no account al all.
This is full and complete statement of
the apparatus and cisterns, with which the
Firemen have to work, except there is a
pond on Main and Eleventh streets, which
has been used at one or two fires, in that part
of the city, and we cannot say that the city
fathers had this place made for the especial
purpose Of supplying that part of the city
with water.
The city Council have authorized the con-
| struction of six new cisterns, at different
places in the city, which had been recon-
mended by us for the last three years, and
since the FIRE on Main q short time ago, they
concluded to strain u point aud build those
cisterns. OF the two hand engines we have
now, but one of them is to be relied on at all
times, the other was an old machine when
brought here; and should we again have
another FIRE on Main street. as we had on the
night Of the Sd of March, the condition our
cisterns are in, and the apparatus, we cannot
say that we could control it.
| There was q resolution offered in the Coun.
ell, authorizing the Mayor to correspond with
some of the manufacturers OF engines, and
see what it would cost to procure new en-
CINE, s'hand or steam" This, like our recon-.
mendation to build more cisterns, will be
passed over for the action of the new Coun-
Gil, and these when they have taken charge oi
the affairs Of the city, will say. il will cost too
much now, wait until the city debt is paid.
The firemen are not the parties that have
all the interest in having such engines and
cisterns, as will keep us from all being burned
out, the property holders are the ones that
are interested, and should see that the wants
of the fremen, that have for the last nine
Iyears protected their property, should be full
ly supplied, and we can say that since the or.
ganization Of this department. there is no
city in the West, Of the same population and
the same amount of property to protect, that
has suffered less from fires than this city.
The cities of Dubuque and Davenport,
Iowa, and Springfield, Illinois, have intro
dueed In their departments the steam hand
tengine, with a very little more expense than
they were at before the introduction of the
steamers. and are selling off their hand en-
gines. The great objection TO the hand engine
is, the difficulty in getting men to sssi>t in
keeping them going, the citizens are always
willing to assist, until the fire is under con-
troll. and then they are ready 10 go home,
| then is the time the bremen need help, ,hey
having worked all the time, and must stay
until the fire is entirely out.
The steam hand engine, such as have been
purchased by the cities of Davenport and
Springfield, are the third class, weighing
400 pounds, price $500 fully equipped,
which does the work OF 200 men, throwing
300 gallons of water per minute, and can be
handled by 80 men. They are very highly
recommended By those departments, as being
just such an engine as every city should have
that cannot support paid Fie Department.
We would therefore most respectfully sub
NIT this to the worthy consideration of our
merchants and property holders. and suggest
that they should see that our Fire Depart
ment be made as efficient as any in the State.
+. c. Booth, Chief Engineer in 1862; j. A.
Samuels, Chief Engineer in 1868: Geo. Hag-
ney, Chief Engineer, 1865; Vim. B. Miller.
Chief Engineer 1864; II. Tableman, Chief
Engiueer for 1866.