Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-01
THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT,
A TOUR OF INSPECTION.

Receiving an invitation we accompanied
the committee on Fire Department of the,
City Council on a tour of inspection of the
various engines and engine hosuses OF
the city. The party consisted of N.
Gibbons, Chairman of the Committee; {;
j. Reinhard, President of the Council:
Robert Bickford, Seneca Falls, Ny; EH
Marrow, Chief Engineer Fire Department;
e. B. Armstrong, William Fell, D. Meal
lister, w. Failing, G. X. Nash, of the Jour
nat and ourself. -os af bsssi si
Costly seated in an omnibus, we visited
first the
SOUTH ENGINE HOUSE.
Here we found everything as neat as a
new pin.. Not d speck of dirt was to b.
found anywhere, and the boys, anxious to
do credit to their chief, had neglected moth
ing that could please. They got their
horses hitched up and ready to start in thir-
ty seconds after receiving the word of COM
mand. For promptness they are equal to
any in the department.
After having inspected the premises be-
low, the party adjourned to the hall up
stairs, where fine collation. was spread, to
which ample justice was done. I,
The South Engine House is one of the
best arranged in the country. The bed
rooms are ample and airy, and so arranged
as to give fine hall for reading, etc. TAX
ing the bus again we soon reached the
THIRD STREET ENGINE HOUSE.
Here the same neatness and order reigned
as observable as before, though the boys
labor under the disadvantage of being all
In huddle, because of the smallness OF
the house. Yet not thing was out OF
place, all was as nice as wax work. They
were also ready to leave in thirty seconds.
After an hour spent in examining the prem
ises and in discussing the good things pre-
pared, we took our way to the
4on GAY STREET ENGINE HOUSE. lsI
Here we found everything arranged most
tastetully. Flags decorated every part OF
the building, and that ingenuity in decora-
ton which firemen alone exhibit was dis
played. In one-hah a minute they to
were ready to leave the house with the ma
chimes. The Gay street engine house, as
are the others, is perfect model of clea n
illness.
The inspection developed the fact that
| Columbus has better Fire Department
run at less expense, than any other city In
the United States. There is not mar
in the Department but is a gentleman il
the strictest sense of the term, brave ant
willing to sacrifice life, if need be, for the
benefit of others. From ''rosy morn tC
dewy eve'' they are on duty, and in the
silent watches of the night, when you,gentlt
reader, sleep secure In your bed, they
watch over you, ready at the first alarm tC
stay the march of the Fire-King. E
We learn that it is the intention of the
committee on Fire Department to recon-
m md the purchase of fourth engine fo1
tn, eastern portion of the city. We arr
glad of this, for it is certain that fire en-
CINE is greatly needed in that locality.
Columbus has every reason to be proud
of her firemen, and cannot do too much fol
them. As we have said they are gentle
men, and are possessed of hearts big enough
to comprise all our people. Success t.
them all in all their undertakings. We
take stock in firemen to large extent, tn,
Deacon to the contrary Notwithstanding.