Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-11-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

"JHr Fire DePRTIInrh 0-Ssme RuEEesIIoas
for it, lnnFehsed EnicIensy.
NH. EpIrOR: Would II not be we'll for our
SltiEens to move In the matter Of Increasing the
tores and efficiency Of our frs department The
inAdsduAcy Of tho present force must DO Ap-
parent to every one. What HisGnA Of OScatis hate
the department on hand 10 assist any person
who should DO so situated In burning building
that there would be no other exit but through
third or fourth story Window Not ladder In
the department will reach the third story Of any
Of our irSt-slASS hotels, and with but ono hook
and ladder company 70 do duty In the entire Dis.
triot Of Columbia. Tho present Board OF Com.
mlssiOneTs have certainly done everything pos.
blble 70 do, hAmporod as they are, and hAyobeen
since the beginning OF their standardization. The
| present active members Of the department are,
with very few exceptions, composed OF good
material but what We want, Mr.. Eiitor Is
truly Metropolitan nre department, conducted
| by board with ample powers " act promptly
| on occasions OF emergency,
II will DO remembered that Just AFTER the Obi.
| cAgo FIRE, by order Of the commissioners, the
chief enE lnoer Inspected and tested all the hose
In the department and reported but nItesn hun.
dred feet Of Il reliable. Winter approaching and
| Il required more than That quantity Of hose ior
one company, the board purchased an add.
tiOnAl number OF iest on credit, presented bill,
and their reasons for contracting Il 10 the LoRls.
lAturo, yet today that bill has not been paid.
Now, air, In my opinion, the best thing that eau
i be done both for the department and the Dis.
lriet 10 ior Oongrss; 70 create : board Of Metre
i Of the police board, and 10 assume fair proper
ton Of the running expenses, &c. II had 70 as
sumo the sanitary department Of the District by
| creating the present Board Of Health, and We
| SEQ the beneficial effects Of II In the absence Of
stray goats, hogs, cows, 6c', from our streets
The department should be provided with store
aud repair house, whore should bs employed
= competent saddler and blacksmith, whose
duties Il would DO TO repair harness. shoe horses,
&c. All hay, oats and iced Of all kinds should
DO purchased In open market and Issued from
the store house upon requGitiOn Of the chief en-.
gineer, at the beginning Of each month, a., at
| present, every article has TO DO purchased at
retail price, owing, In a great measure, to the
want Of proper store room The general store.
house system IL 10 vogue In all cities with one
or two eIceptions) where the paid department Is
The citizens OF the north end Of tho city have
almost deBpGired Of ever having an engine In
that section, having petltlOned time and again
for one without success; but will get Il, have
no doubt, when one or more squares Of the many
dwelling houses going up In that locality have
All over the country boards Of trade, cham.
beTs Of commerce, and the like are moving 10
the matter OF IRE departments. Would II not
be we'll for our Board Of Trade to taksa hand in
this matter alsoH We all know them to DO tho
solid men OF the District, and their voice would
DO felt on this question. As stated above the
commissioners have exhausted almost every
means In their power TO procure liberal leKislR.
ten for the beneht Of the department, (which
once done would save thousands OF dollars an.
nually,) and no doubt their action Is approved
by the taxpayers generally. And they should
now receive the support that can be given by a
determined interest In behalf OF the department
by our citizens. Congress will, no doubt, grant
$4,000 In aid OF tho prsIsRi contingency, ex
penses, SC, Of the department; but what We
want Is another truck company 10 DO stationed
in the West End, aud an enElns for the NORTH
End, new and more reliable system Of tele
| gTAphy-the present system has been displaced
ln ali the principal cities In the UnlOn-and thu
automatic (reo0ntly erected In Georgetown
EubstItuted lheTefoT Whilst our eItiISnS aTi
erecting magnificent residences, churches
schools, markets, 40, would It not DO we'll FOL
them 70 interest themselves TO secure some ad o
quAte means for their protection alSOl
. NORTH END.