, 1872-11-18
FIRE DEPARTMENTS,

To tie Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
S1R: The great Boston fire has directed our
eyes again to our facilities for szlbduing the fire.
fend, and ne naturally ask ourselves If our
Fire Department has been improved
any since the Great Fire I think every
body can honestly answer "No." II
We should have conhagration such as We
had last year, We would be az unable now to
subdue it as We were then. Our honorable
Mayor undoubtedly means well when he recon-
mends the increase OF our police force the ne
cessity Of few new Babcocks, ETC.; but will
these increased means Of our Fire and Police
Departments be able to do what they are intend
cd for in case OF an emergency? ! am sorry to
have to ansTer ''No" again.
But whar are We to do !? Look at the Fire
Dep artments Of the great Eropean cities, and
you will be answered What we want is per-
fectly-drilled and experienced Fir6 Department,
able to cope With any fire; and, besides this, q
company OF " "Pompiers," who will be able to
climb to the roof OF an eight-story house, on the
outside, in q few minutes, and take their hose and
axes along, and battle the fire from where it is
possible to reach it. The climbing Of eight-Btory
houses, On the outside, may look little difficult
to our tiremen; but, if they will only ask those
2ther great cities, and seen their, dremen,
hey will hear that it is pos
sble not alone, but it looks as
lift was quite easy for them to do it.
lut, as long as our firemen have nothing to do
in tneir leisure-time than polish their engine.
smokt, drink, e1ectioneer, ETC., think they will
/ hardly sver learn any more than they know now.
To make q good fireman requires more than to
be the pet Of an Alderman OF other official. It
requires more t!en to be able to hold the end Of
hose against the sre, swear like q trooper, and
stand on an engl1ra going to the fire, full
ef your own importance, when you are fully
aware that, il the fire MAKES any headway at al,
you would not hurt it much, at least, not until
few blocks are burned down.
Water alone cannot subdue q big fire, Of which
most everybody Is aware now. What then?
Look at the work OF g European drilled Fire
Department, and you will be answered, again,
As soon as e fire breaks out there, the street IN
which it occurs ia cleared OF everybody
but those who belong there-the firemen and po-
lee; and then you ought to see them WORK, to
get an idea Of what iremen ought to be. IT the
fire is large, the houses adjoining it, as near as
the fire allows human beings to come, are razed
not blasted, but miraculous process employed,
which. though think q little powder is used,
RACES the house or block go efectuaily that
nothing but leap OF brick and other debris is
left, and still lesves those buildings winch 1t 10
unnecessary to destroy intact. And, while the
f1emen proper al over, wherever there
is 3 place for q human being to stand,
en- the street as we'll as on the yet standing
wnlls,-sometimes enveloped in smoke, and
even fire, bravely battling the fire With their
water-hoses. II the Fire Departments IN tnose '1s
cities were not as good as they are. hoT wo1tn 4t
majority 10 ~ Of the streets are about 1e to 20 feet
vide. But these men are not born with their
ability to conquer fire; they acquire It ny con-
slant hard training, which YOU can see N tnel5
'sdepots" at all times OF the day, pro'loeo
fhare ia M fire. tn battle. -
a change is needed; how shall it be brought
about fhe only way see is to engage CON- n1'-
hremen irene | what is meant By tiremen, and drill them
so that they are up to any emerge1eyf ,,.v
CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 1872. +. NJ aoAn1S'