Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-27
Our Fire Department.

CORDlTlON AND NEEDS.
The Board of Fire Commissioners in their COM
nunication TO Gov. Cooke, which he transmitted
10 the Legislative Assembly on Saturday, refer to
the recent terrible coniiagratOn in Chicago As
warning to other cities to provide every possible
safeguard against the occurrence OF similar dis
asters within their borders, and then say: 90 Our
engines, as general thing, are in good condi-
ton, and our men, with few exceptions Jealous
and active; but our small department Il spread
ever large area This makes it all the more
necessary that the means OF communication be-
tween the several engine-hOuses and the fire.
alarm stations should be as perfect as DoSSible.
The good results which ought to have followed
ihe passage OF the act consolidating the Fire
Department of the two District cities cannot be
realized until Georgetown is included in our
system Of hre-alsrm biography. This Is neces-
"a ior tne SAFETY OF both cities The engine
cClient one; but II Is isolated from the Washing
ton department, andits usefulness, even on the
west side OF Rock Creek, impaired because
alarms can only reach the engine-hOuse by the
old and clumsy devices which preceded the in
yention of the hre-a'aIm telegraph. To extend
the wires to Georgetown and connect them with
hre-alarm boxes (Which we propose TO place in
suitable positions In that city, and with the en-
g1ne-house, and 20 place an alarm gong in the
ehg house, an appropriation of 5000 is re-
CURED. To erect three additional alarm-boxes
IN rapidly growing sections Of Washington and
connect them with the wires in Operafion-an-
Other necessary work-wil require an appropri-
We have inspected the engine house in George
town and md II altogether unfit for the purpose
Tor which u Is used Under the old corporation
the men were not required 10 sleep at the house;
under our rules they will be- The dOrmitorv
however, Is entirely too small for their accom-
mediation, aud Is not properly ventilated. The
lower floor has not the necessary room for the
apparatus and hOrses-there are only three stalls
and should be tve-and there l. no suitable place
Tor storage Of fuel and horse feed. There was
no furniture In the house when we took charge
except a few iron bedsteads Gin bad condition
and covered with worn out mattresses) and a
lev other articles. To enlarge the engine house
~ horses and apparatus in our engine
-. Ellington, and to pay for merely
,Ses .s.r1 s,-,jt,,-a ~, the dormtory, an APP
PREPARATION OF coo is requesJ-,.. - rnos.
The best OF engines, manned by t.a~
Trustworthy men, are valueless If they have de-
fectiye hose To pay for 900 feet of best leather
hose, at s1.6O per foot, and 500 feet best gum
hose, at al IS per foot, we respectfully request
an appropriation Of s5y5s5i also, 500 FOR .-E
hose carriage, and s610 for new harness.
Our contingent fund has been largely drawn
on TO cefray unavoidable expenses, including
those Of the FIRE alarm telegraph, heretofore pro-
yided for by special appropriation By the cor
lOratiOn of the city Of Washington; also, to pay
debts contracted by the old Board of Commits
sioners under the city government In conse-
quenee OF these extraordinary expenditures, for
which no special provision was made, there Is a
deficiency in our contingent fund OF SILL.
The bills for debts contracted by the old Board
Of Commissioners, audited and paid out of our
contingent fund.- amount TO sl,49l7l; audited
but not vet paid, s779 80. Total, s2.Z7168 III an
APPROPRIATION OF tnls amount IT, Il.03) Is made,
with few hundred dollars additional TO cover
the expenses Of the FIRE alarm telegraph-say
5000 In alive hope, by strict economy, 20
make itsuffice until the regular appropriations
are made by the next Legislative Assembly.
The above are all urgent matters, without
prompt attention 10 which the usefulness of the
Department will be greatly impaired; and we
therefore earnestly commend them to your IA
voraele consideration, trusting that you will
recommend the Legislative Assembly 10 make
the appropriations asked for ut the present ex-
traordinary session Through the active exer-
tons OF Commissioner McDeyitt and other
members OF this board, the War Department
recently transferred 20 our Fire Department the
hook and ladder truck, the property o. the gem
eral government. heretofore housed at the
Washington Arsenal. We respectfully recon-
mend the appropriation Of an amount suffcient
% put said apparatus In seryieeAble order, and
% build suitable house for Its reception. In
case Of two fires at the same time, both trucks
would OF course be needed, and even In case OF
one fire q single truck might be disabled, and
our only reliance TO save life or property vou q
be in the ether"
WANTS TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FRoN THE
CORPoRATIoN FOR DAMAGE By FALLING INFO