The national Republican., 1867-07-03
Rrrosr syA rss Ffns cosxt..ros,ss..

nkrOhT Df Thh rIHE OOhhI11IOhEhbs--
On Monday evening the Board Of Fire oommls.
,ioners, (Msssrs. Thompson. Berry, Garfield, and
Clarks,l made their annual report for the year
ending June so, 1857, to the two Boards Of Coun.
oil. The report states that the force remains the
same numerically ss heretofore, namely, 40 or
GERS and men, engines, and hook and ladder,
with oil the appurtenances incident to and necss-
sary for the convenience and efficiency Of the re-
spective oompanies The number Of hres and
alarms reported by John II. sessford, chief en-.
ginscr, for the year ending June 80 is 56 hre, II
talse alarms, and II ohimneys. Loss by hre,
S77, 1870, Of which t54, 200 was insured, leaving
q net loss Of s22, $50. The estimated mount OF
property accumulated by the paid fss depart.
ment since it, organization, including altering
and repair Of houses, 10 So, ,68973. Tue present
board on entering on their duties found con.
siderable debt hanging over the department
owing to the small appropriation made In is In.
fancy; and this fact was made known to the
Boards Of Council who made an appropriation
which enabled the board to liquidsts all out.
standing claims.
The Board refers 10 the set approved Decem.
ber 2, 1855, authorising an additional steam en-.
gine company, and says that owing to the inad.
equaoy Of the appropriation the Board has been
unable to carry into effect, and calls especial at.
tention to this subject, expressing the opinion
that there should be four steam engines In the
department. They state that the act OF Decem-
bsr 8. 1855, to purchase lot and build hcu .
for steamer Union, No. ], has bsen 10 part exc
outed by the purchase Of q lot, and that tie
building will be shortly commenced and pushed
forward as rapidly a possible. as II 10 essential
for the heath and comfort Of the men that they
be removed from the ons.story frame building
now occupied, which Is not at all suitable for
the purposes Of the department. Tho act Of
July 81, 1885, making appropriations for hose,
horses, repairs Of houses and purchase OF the
Counbia bell has bsen partly executed. To the
Chief Epgineer was assigned the duty Of pur.
chasing horses and repairing sngine.houses, and
he has performed that duty satisfactorily The
Board extends an invitation to the members Of
the Council to visit the sngin ine.housss and Judge
for themselves. The appropriation for hose will
be expended In q short time and they are nsgo.
tiatng for the purchase Of the bell Of the Colum.
bis engine house.
Since the last report the whole apparatu, or.
dored under the act Of April l, 1865, three hose.
carriages and hook aud ladder truck has been
received from the builders, which adds greatly
to tho efficiency Of the department. The board
calls attention to the fact that at last they have
succeeded in making terms with the Columbia
Fire Company, whose engine house they have
occupied only In part. They offer the company
81, 500 for quit claim to the premi,ss, and they
(the company have agreed TO accept Il, aud a.
there Is already an appropriation Of 81. 900 made
to purchase the bell, they recommended an ap.
preparation Of $500 additional that they may
conclude the arrangement. The report refers
to the reports Of the superintendent Of the free
alarm telegraph and the chief engineer, stating
In regard to the telegraph that It "has proved
Itself invaluable In giving definite and speedy
alarm whom a Gre ocoursn and has no doubt
been the means Of saving q greater amount oi
property annually than the entire cost Of the
telegraph. The total amount expended Is 70.
ported to July l, 1887, at $s3, 1850.
The Chief estimates the amount required fol
running expenses for the present fiscal year at
$1,000, and tho Superintendent Of the Pirt
| Alarm Telegraph the expenses Of bis ofhce q,
Sl4, 200. In concluding the report the Board
| compliments the Chief Engineer, the officers,
and the men Of the department on their efficiency
and say that they would be rscreant to thsii
duty II they did not call the attention Of th,
| Councils to the inadequscy Of the pay Of tn,
forsmen and extramsn Of the department, anC
recommend that they be placed on the sam,
footing as men Of other departments performing
| similar services In other cities. They also ex
press their thanks to the committees on the Fir,
Department Of the two Boards, and hope tha
the department will receive the liberal supper
Of the present Boards.
Chief Engineer Ssssford, In his report, state
that there Ia on hand 2, 800 feet Of leather hos,
in good condition, and 700 feet In tolerable order
He calls attention to the fact that the hous
occupied by No. l Is unfit for its purposes, an
recommends that the new house be erected. II
bears testimony to the promptnsss and efioisnc
Of the men, and returns bis thanks to the pollc
for their cooperation.
Superintendent Taloott gives, In his rspoFl
the total cost Of the hre.a alarm telegraph a
$ls, ,464 so, and gives a detailed account Of 1t
establishment, DO.
At the meeting of the Board on Monday even
ing the resignation Of P. II. Smith, eItramau o
No. 8, was received snd accepted and VIM
Murray, a supernumersry Of th . same company
was appointed to fll the vacancy.
Charges for neglect Of duty having been pre-
ferred against Philip Erld, hostler OF Frankli
No. 2, the Board reappointed all the members Q
the department with this exception.