New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-20
Interview with the Chief of the Boston
Fire Department.

| lFfoIn Ln6 new 4Ork Herald.
| In Grder to gather some definite informa-
| ton relative to the state of the fire depart
ment. made my way this morning through
! a platoon of negro soldiers who guarded the
| approaches to the City Hall, and gained an
| entrance to the apartment of the chief en-
| gineer, Captain Damrell, by whom / was
accorded the following interview:
Reporter-In what condition was the fire
department on Saturday night2
Chief Engineer-The condition of the de-
| partment was as good as ever it was with
the exception that the horses were not in
good order, having got the distemper
Every horse in the department was afflicted
on the night Of the fire.
Reporter-You did not use the horses
then?
Chief Engineer-No; we were not using
the horses. We organized a double force of
men as soon as the disease appeared. The
plan worked first rate, and we were not de-
layed in our work. The horses had been
taken off one week before the fire, and no
Inconvenience was caused by this action, as
the citizens volunteered all the assistance
necessary to keep the machines running.
Reporter-Did you have many fires last
week
Chief Engineer-Yes. quite number; but
the men we're not exhausted. When the
alarm was sounded two minutes did not
elaps8 before three streams of water were
playing on the burning buildings on Sum-
1Her street. The engines were pulled to the
scene of the coniagration by hand.
RepOrter-Did you put on horses at any
time during the night?
Chief Engineer-Yes, when she third
alarm was sounded the engines which were
farthest away were pulled by horses,
which were procured in stables. The
horses were only used on account of the
extreme distance. Some of the engines
had not far to come, and the men were able
to draw them. Those at a distance would
require too much labor to bring them On.
The fire department worked all through the
night and all day on Sunday without being
relieved.
Reporter-How do you account for the
spread of the fire?
Chief Engineer-On account of mansard
roofs, which stream could not reach.
What is the use OF building fire proof houses
six stories high, and then putting tinder
box on the top? The flames created tear
fnl draft, but the wind before the fire got to
be lurid was only an ordinary wind. There
have never been any great fires in the DIS
trict in which the fire originated up to last
Saturday night.
Reporter-It is stated that hundreds Of
men standing around the burning buildings
were willing to serve as volunteers, but
were not called upon to do so
Oul6l LuSlu6SF-4L Is i2ISb. Inc services
of all who were willing to render helping
hand were gladly accepted, and hundreds
volunteered and did good work Besides
this, We had plenty ofassistance from all the
neighbOring villages Immediately after the
alarm was sounded, and during the night
many engines came from the various New
England towns.
Reporter-How many engines and how
many men have you in the department
Chief Engineer-We have twenty-five
steam engines, seventeen hose carriages,
carrying 1000 feet OF hose each, seven hook
and ladder trundles, and three extinguisher
engines, carrying twelve extinguishers and
500 feet of linen hose each. The regularly
organized force of the department is 584
men, who were all in service on Saturday
night. | have always been of opinion that
Boston was as liable to being burned up as
Chicago ON account of its Mansard roots.
As the chief engineer was extremely
busy, besides being nearly Frustrated with
fatigue, he could not further converse with
me. Before ] left gentleman came in
with a message from Jordan, Marsh & Co.,
and check for $4,000 for the relief of the
members of the fire department. This
makes in all $4,000 which has been sent |
by the leading firms in Boston for this par
ticulag work