, 1874-10-06
Gen. Shaler Makes a Tour Of Inc
City.
Brief Conversations with the
City Officials.
His Impressions Of the Lumber
District.
Withdrawal Of Two More Insurance
Companies.
Test Of the 1Vater-Supply.

GEN. sAALER.
Aftor spending O lniot Sunday, daring which
lo WAS waited upon by 3 number OF citizuns,
Con. Sllaer foi,nd himself yesterday morning, In
company with TroBidont Franklin AlacYoagh, Of
thu Ci.izous' Association, right III front Of tho
work he had como TO Chicago to perform, that OF
examining critically onr Fire Department, and
Of meeting with tho various civic o1,cin]s who
have our fire mattors In charge. After short
tour of tho ello Of tho Great Firo of 1871. Con.
slalor was taken by hla cllaperono to
THE OFFICE or MAYOR coIvly,
who welcomed him to the city, Of which he asked
tho VISITORS opinion. Tho donerN ntated that
he had not been fu Chicago sincc 1867, but that
though ho Ind heard almost inerodibln htorcH
OF Chicagos growth ind progress, yet Io
hud formed 10 ilea of what n city it
Ind grown into in 80 short a time.
II llo did not know for faot that there Ind boon
n lnrgo fro In Chicago three ycars ugo, he mover
would have found out the fact during his drive
through the city. In response to question by
the lInyor ho Btated tic character o. tho buld-
ings OF now Chicago was higher than ,of old Obi
cago.
upon tho cty's
ZANE MAiA1Hd
at present, the Mnyor stating that 1t was tho
geueral opinion that tho city had az good Fro
Department. in all its details an could anywhere
bo found. Financinl rsasons had stood in tho
way Of It's enlargement. It wns to tho fire Of
last July tI,at tho insurance company trouble
wna due, and tho Mayor laid tho blame OF this
dlNaster upon Ftre-Alars'lal I'ennor, whom he
cIal motorized as brave aud honest ,nan, but
1aeking tho ability to contend With largo lire
k5aI 5+HI IH3@
Con. Shalar-Your Department, l think has too
much ground 10 cover. Il III too snAll for tho
territory 1t Ia supposed to project. believe
each Of tholcompa'sies u toosina!l also. Youhayo
a'T mn 1a,orn in company ny hapo nina on
each company. Tho insurance companies did
not complain Of this foature Of tic otganizntion.
Con. Slaier-1t takes moro than nluo men to
run thoHo engines. You 500 two of theae act AZ
officers, two ~ drivers, one rs an engineer, loay-
cessCully work at engine.
At this point AID scAaefner entered and tho
Mayor allowed him to capture tho General, md
vent to work signing lcenaos. Tic Alderman
creased in nizo 60 fast TINT improvements could
not keep pace With its growth. Ho explained to
him an idea ef his With rega1d to q reorganlza~
tion Of tho City Government, tho lead
Vi ' pail A}dcrtnen. from whose n.l.pbor
committees could be chosen to do tho work Of.
md do away with tho present Boards. As tho
Mayor went on signing l.conaes. and did not
seen, deslrous Of onlightoning Or being cn!ight-
cnrd by the General OH any point, Mr. ,lacVeagh
suggested tho psopraty Of visit to tho Office Of
GiTY-EsH1SI:EA cuESNNoUGH.
The General and tho Mayor shook bands, an1
parted tho bcat of friends. aud before the former
lett tho room lo compliinonte1 City-Clerk
Forrest tiDUn tho hnndAomo Appearance OF t1lo
illuminated licenso forms, the like Of which Elo
stuffed lo bud mover before mot At the Office Of
City-Engncor Choabronsh thoro were present,
leklae tho visitor, the City EaElHoer, AID. Heath,
or three other gontlemon. Tho conversation
hero was opoucd by Commissioner Sheridan, WHO
stated thai fle and others intended, far as lay
in their power, to provo to Zen. Shaler that tho
sontcd, etl,er iu the reports Of tho preas elso
where. There waB no doubt that there woro
portions of tho city whore the facilities for pro-
curing water waro not ado1uate to tho require
ments OF large fire, but tho trouble WAS lao's
Of money, mud wna belng removed AZ fast aa
posslble.
Gen. Shaler-I hear that dolnya occur IN mr.
riyiug Mt tireB Bomati!ncs.
| Commissioner Shoriden-Our horaes are 80
truiucd lint within fifteen seconds Of Tho frat
| start. From to 10 pounds OF stoam il always
carried III cnch steamer, and by the tiq1e It ar-
r,yes npon tho ground it is carrying all tho
| steam it requites
Gen. Shaler-Auothor fault Of yo1,r syaton Is
| tho sluwness with which Tho alarn sounds.
Commissioner Shoridau--Our Are-alarm sys-
| tom il tho most perfect ono III the world.
Gen. sllalor-I th'uk tho alarms como in too
| slowly. know thoy conc in much slower than
| III New York, and much valuable time lB thereby
| lost. One good thing done ssnco wats here in
| tSG7 wan tio extension Of the itro-liuits. This
| was ntcp III wHn dirccttan.
Commissioner Sharitlun-Tho measure was
I Nv ifan f1,A
| gradual extension Of The limits, M the water-
,Iystolu extondol. St;tl, tho measure in i great
! protection. mud must ha carried out strictly.
Aid. Hoatll-Tho !dea hero IL goncrnl that tho
Nav York PEOPLE think tlat Chicago is doug
nothing to guard asaiust tho repetition Of tAo
| erout tires ThM il wrong. Tho building law,
winch will undoubtedly paAs the Council. In now
| boing prepared, nnd tho eirorsa to increasa the
| wator-slpply are nneeaslnE.
Gen. Hllaler-Wu nro nwaro Of NIL this in New
York. Unless mn mlstake1l, tho laying Of
watcr-lnains IL doing, In solne casos, by private
| pastiea ut their own oxponse. If tho insurance
| men OF Nnw York ara ignorant OF all this, il
nlst be OIL account Of tho cafolesHlieHH OF their
agents hera il. not keeping tiom properly posted
| Commissioner SIieridat1-Tlnre waA a Mr..
Perry visiting here, the other day, on behalf OF
The Insurance company, tho Royal Canadian, OF
Toronto, ot which 1e 's 'aanasor. I!l!a gontle'
,nan catno l,rro snpposing that onr Fire Depart.
n,ent wus utterly disorganztd, but llo changed
| bia i.len before ho went away, md htated Tint
ours was oao Of lha most complete organizations
| llu bud oyor Hoeh.
| Gen, Shalo,-Vhero ia much that could ba
[ tlono in tho waY ot improvements that could ba
lu,u,odiuto1y accomplished IT only the means
vero o1! hui.tl. Iii a week nav companies with
new engines could be- organized, md old oMes
enlarged Dy~tho-by, how near to one anothe1
aro tlic different tiru.aarm boxes? ..
Commiasioner Sllerlan-1n tt!o we!l-inlabted
nortion Of tho city they arc placed at Il distance
Of 500 feot apart. There arc parts OF tile city
where thorn il i1iBtAnc9 Of ! u miles botweol
| boxuA. .
Con. Shanr-Thon. in that case, you always
will have larse tires.
Commissioner Shofidan-Lack OF means is the
oauuo OF tho deficiency.
GROWTH or THE FINE DEtARTMENT,
Con, Hliaer-To what extent has tho Fire
| pauaIt,uout boon increased in sizo si.,co 1867
Commissioner 6lieridan-ln 1857 wo Ind four.
tae,, engines. Now VIC have twauly-sx. Oul
population III 1867 was a26. 900 at preaont 1t Ii
probably Detweon 40D, 400 aud tot, ,U00.
0ol1. Slsalor-Is not the territory added to tlls
city Riuce 1907 fully equal to tho oty's e1tont Il
tlHt yeArf
Commissioner s!erllan-Yea. Tho nrea o
tie,,. Bhalor-Ilmt Of Now fnrl III only 2;
| sal,aro ntiles, n,il yet theru NO hayo forty Of,