Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-25
Our Fire Department.


The Board of Fire Commissioners met last
evening at MOI Engine-house; present, Messrs.
Baker, lin the chair Barker, Booker, Collins,
McDevitt, and Smith.
Springman, hostler of No. 4 engine COMPANY.
had been suspended for disobedience of orders
Action on this case was postponed until the next
meeting.
On motion of Mr.. McDevitt, the chief engineer
was authorized to purchase clocks for the differ
ent engine-houses that are without them and
that the price paid should not exceed $40 for
each clock.
Mr.. Booker offered a resolution, which was
adopted, instructing the committee on hose to
purchase five new gutta percha play pieces, with
Mr.. McDevitt stated that the Superintendent
OF Police had concluded to establish a new sys-
t. m for the police force at a fire, which was that
the first officer arriving at the scene OF a fire
have exclusive charge of that duty until re-
lieved by his superior officers of the precinct in
which the fire occurs, and that until so relieved
all officers from the same police precinct, or
other precincts, who shall arrive shall report TO
said oficer in charge.
Mr.. McDevitt offered resolutions to carry out
this arrangement; also, directing the CHIEF en-
gineer to purchase red flag IS by "a inches,
Tor use by day. or red glass lantern, (for use
by night with a suitable staff, having a spike
by which it can be set firmly in the ground, to
be in the keeping of the foreman or other per-
son i'm charge of the Hook and Ladder truck
and by him given (the staff and flag in the day
the police officer in charge, as provided In the
foregoing resolution, who shall set it near him,
so that all officers who subsequently arrive NAV
be able to find the officer in charge without diff
iculty, and report to him as hereinbefore pro-
vided. The resolutions were adopted.
Mr.. Smith offered a resolution, which was
adopted, authorizing the committee on appa-
ratus to have the hook and ladder truck recently
turned over to the department by the general
government, reconstructed with the latest
improved perch pole and steering geer, said COM
mittee, if in their judgment necessary, to proceed
to the city of Baltimore and examine the i'm
provements in hook and ladder trucks in use i'm
that department, the expenses of the same to be
betrayed out of any moneys in the hands of the
chief engineer to the credit of this board, and
not otherwise appropriated.
The action OF the board in regard to the ap-
prevail of the bill OF X. j. O'Neal was rescinded.
1t was agreed to recommend to the Governor
to appoint ii. ID. BARLEY, secretary of the board
a notary public, in order that he may have power
to administer oaths to witnesses examined by the
board.
Witnesses were examined in reference to the
malicious OF accidental injury to a horse owned
Mr.. A. Dorsey, which had its leg broken in the
new stable OF No. 4 engine house, and, after a
pr0tracted sc ssion, the further examination was
postponed for one week.
BOLD ATTEMPT OF PRISONER TO ESCAPE.
A man under the Alias OF Hall, who was con-
vieted OF horse stealing at the last term of the
court Of Warren county, and sentenced to five
years imprisonment in the pententiary, arrived
sheriff. on the .. A. q M. X. r. train. and was
taken to the Jail for safe keeping until the de-
parture OF the steamboat for Aqua Creek. He
had handcufft on and had his arms spanceled
and wore a cape. On his way from the railroad
depot to the jail he borrowed a knife from the
| deputy sheriff, with which, he said, to pare an
apple, but with which, 1t is supposed, he cut the
| spancel rope, for when he arrived at the Jail
door his arms were free, and casting on bis man.
acles, without any trouble. he showed his keeper
| aside, and jumping down the steps ran of quite
rapidly. He was, however, rs rapidly pursued
and after . chase mp Prince street to Washir q
| ton, down Washington to Queen, and down
| Queento st. Asaph, he sought concealment un.
der the turntable Of the A, & w. r. R., 1t the
intersection OF Queen and st. Asaph streets
where he was caught When taken back to the
| jail II was discovered that hbhandcufis haa been
| sawed through and the gap filled up with soap
He sfrom Pennsylvania; b deserter from the
| United States army, and was Some timo since
confined In the Jail 1t Fairfax Court House for
four months, and tried there also for horse steal
/ ing. He ID . strong and desperate looking fell
! low, and gave warning to his guard before he
eft here for Richmond, that he would not enter
The penitentiary.-AlesandrSa Gaxefte, 25A.
/ 0
THE WILLARD HOTEL CAsI-To-day. the
case Of H. A. willard sgt Joseph O. willard
was argued In the Equity Court, and the Court
I (Judge Wylie) ordered q decree 10 be drawn,
! appointing receiver.