The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-18
An Appeal for ,he Firemen.


To the Editor of the Press:
In view of the slim attendance at the ball for
the DoHenr OF the Teller ASs0cfat10n or the
Portland Fire Department. on the 18th ult,
and the apparent want Of interest on the part
of our citizens, who, as property holders, were
expected to manifest some interest therein, fl
nancially, it not otherwise; am constrained to
call attention to the course adopted by the citi-
Gems of Boston, whose manners and customs
our people are apt to initiate In q measure.
Whenever fire occurs in block, for in
stance, and is, through the exertions of the fire
department, confined to the tenement in which
it originates, the occupants who are uninjured,
without any solicitation, Immediately forward
to the Chief Engineer, their checks for liberal
amounts, with the request that the proceeds be
applied to the Firemen's Charitable Associa-
ton.
The fire department of Boston consists of
twenty-one engines ten hose and seven hook
and ladder companies, whose members Except
the permanent men, who are paid more of
course) receive the sum of three hundred dol
lars each per annum.
The fire department of Portland consists of
four engines and one hook and ladder company
and its members, for the most part, are paid
the exorbitant salary of fifty dollars each per
annum. It may be said that the Boston fire
department do more service than ours, but such
is not the fact, for not more than dozen times
a year is the whole force called upon while in
Portland every alarm is general one and calls
out the entire department at once. Boston is
divided into fire districts. with certain num-
Der of companies assigned to each, and they are
not expected to do duty outside their own dis
trict unless called by second or third alarm,
which rarely happens.
Boston too appreciates its fire department,
while in Portland appearances certainly seem
to indicate exactly the opposite state of feeling.
Our force is composed of as good men in every
no reason why their ende ,vors should not be
better appreciated and understood
A few days since when the value of policies
of insurance. was a matter of no little uncer-
tainty, every property holder turned to the fire
department for protection and urged upon the
men composing it the necessity of extra en-
deavors should fire break out
That this appeal was heard and responded to
is clearly shown from the fact that alarms were
ne0er more promptly answered than were those
given at that time, Notwithstanding the appar-
atus was drawa by hand. Every member of
the fire department seemed to deem it his es-
pecial duty while the "horse epidemic" was
| raging to be more than ever upon the alert and
to put forth extra e1ertions for the public. good
Instances are recorded during that time of COM
| panies who drew their apparatus nearly mile
| and were ready to go to work in eight minutes
from the first stroke upon the alarm bells, and
| they even were not the first to arrive.
| In the face of this, when the fund for the re-
| lief of disabled members becomes reduced, and
the Trustees of that fund deem it necessary to
| devise some means to prevent the undermining
| of its principal and for that purpose offer to
| the citizens Of Portland an entertainment, they
/ are met with vacant seats and are doomed to
see the cold shoulder given them. No checks
| on either bank in Portland are forwarded them
to aid the society, but in many instances where
parties have been solicited to benefit the asso-
citation to the extent of nine shillings, aid has
| been refused
If the City Council were to raise the pay of
| the firemen they would undoubtedly be besieg-
ed by Taxpayers, whose effusions would fill to
OVERLOOKING the daily papers with the grosning
of tax burdened populace. Let US appreciate
and encourage our fremen, and it can be done
in no better way than by contributing to their
Relief Fund ST."
BACK BAY IMPRovEMENT.-Congre at the
last ssion, appropriated $45, 900 for deepening
and widening the channel in Back Bay. The
contract stipulates that the work shall be com
pleted by the first of April. As nothing has
been done on it SO far except to bring the ''mud
diggers' up to Tukey's bridge, and the season
is SO far advanced, it is probable that matters
will lay over until spring. The intention is te
deepen to eight feet below low water mark, a.
far up as "Winslow's wharf, This will givt
draft of II feet at high water. The channe
will be widened to 60 feet.
1t is impossible to overestimate the value O
this improvement The largest vessels can I'M
load coal at Winslow's wharf or Deering
bridge.