Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-02-20
PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Subject again Discussed by Council.
FACTS AND FIGURES FROM
OPPOSITE sTANDPOINTS.
WHAT THE OPPONENTS AND FRlFNDS
OF THE MEASURE THINK.

|
In the City Council last evening the Paid
Fire Department subject, was again discussed.
The question before Council, was q motion to
adopt the minority report of theCOmmittee on
Fire Companies, which favored continu-
ance of the present Volunteer Department.
MIR. Baker opened the discussion by reas-
sorting that the estimates of the expense of
Paid Fire Department, as presented by him at T
the last meeting, were reasonable nOtwitnS-
tanding the assertion of the opposition that |
they were too low.
He based them on the estimated annual ex-
penses of the Companies as prepared by their |
members. The Washington Company sent in |
| to Council an estimate of running expenses,
amounting to S2.O0J 62; deduct from this |
amount certain items, such as interest on
mortgage and amount due Loan Associations, |
amounting to $629. and there Is left for actual
running expenses, 1886 g. The estimate of |
the Delaware Company in the same manner, |
is reduced from 1854, to $l794. The average |
is $lSS5 81, which includes the salary of
driver and the cost of maintaining horses.
The Paid Fire Department, as proposed by |
the ma jority of the Committee on Fire Com |
panies, would consist of four steamers three
hose carriages and one truck. to procure
which would cost $50, sol "a.
The force required to man this apparatus
would be 26 men. One Chief Engineer, at
$500 per annum, two assistants, at 800 each
per annum, four fireman at 800 each per an
num- drivers, tiremen and hosemen, and cost
Vi maiutaihiuR HORSES anu apparatus, IOOt up
the estimate of the annual expense OF De-
apartment of t.iis size at $50. .55l "a. In Phila
(delphia, during 1871, the cost of running en-
gine No. l, with Il men, Including tho cost of
purchase (s4636 90) was only Sl3,73 90 AS
a business man, Mr. Baker was prepared to
run Fire Department, of the size proposed
at his estimated figures, and make money by
it.
Mr., Mclntre opposed Paid Fire Depart
ment, and presented statement of the cost
IS,f. nj. s,, Dsah..
sstng of steamers, and trucks, to establish
and equip which cost S5l 800 The force con-
siss of so men, whose united salaries amount
to s22 ,187 80 per annum The amount expen-
ded for other running expenses last year,
sweled the total cost to S35, 1sO IA, which
very nearly exhausted The appropriation $780,
} 00O
Mr.. Wm NJ. Candy arose armed with re-
port Of the Hartford, Conn, Paid Fire Depart
ment which consists of five steamers, one truck,
two hose carriages, and IRE alarm telegraph.
The total amount expended on this department.
last year, was about $4,000, of which amount
over Sd 600 was for new houses and apparatus,
leaviug about $4,000 for actual running ex-
penses. Mr.. Canby favored > Paid Fire Depart
ment, but could not vote for Que now, on account
Of the financial condition Of the city.
Mr.. Hayes, thought that the estimate Of 26
n men 10 run four s'eAmers, three hose carriages
and one truck is entirely two small. No prop
erty owner 10 the city would care to run the risk
o of depending upon such small force In case of
a FIRE. Mr. Hayes quo:ed statistics from Phia-
y dephia reports, showing the average cost fol
Il the maintenance OF each Company there, TO be
Sl2 sG2ll, during 1872 The appropriation
d for the Department there in 1873 was SAT ,0O(
l. which has been overrun nearly 10000, ano
1t Couucils are now iuquiriog into the matter
% And SO it is; wherever Paid Fire Department
: is established, the cost IS double what was antic
II ipated.
10 Mr.. Hayes then reviewed Nj. Bakers figures
- for establishing paid department here. Esti
3 mated cost for establishing $4,000. Out o
s. this must come for steamers at say 81, 500 each
s. $4,000, three hose carriages, at about $3.50
ID leaving only about SC 900 for truck, hose torses
lg buildings and equipments. 1t can't be done 70
10 this amount. 1t is proposed, said mir. Hayes
;, TO keep all the apparatus in one house, and us
: but three horses. When a fire occurs, send
ID steamer aud hose carriage to the scene, and he
=" return for another, and so-on until all are there
of Mr.. Hayes closed by urging Council to main
IS tain and foster the present good and efficient de
10 psrtmenI.
} Mr.. Adams could see no objection TO the pres
, ent volunteer department. Ii is an old institu
tion and has numbered among its members som
Of our best citzens. During the hree quarter
Of century OF its existence no city 10 the worl
has suffered less from fire than Wilmington an,
:. he moral status Of our department is as good q
y auy in the country, paid or volunteer. Mr.
ID Adams presented the following statistics: Dur
$ ing 1873. Philadelphis's Paid Fire Department
ell cost $41 ,432 so or Sl4, ,795 for each company
b. cost per capita, basing population at 674,000 :
te cents; Balumores cost Sl4S 900, or about
z 295 to each company cost per capita, 10 a pop
"a ulation of 267 900, 56 cents; Nashville's oos
= S3S, 900, or s. 600 10 each company, cost pc
A. cdpitd, in population oil 25.S72. Sl47 cents
Nashville is the same sizs Of Wilmington, an,
~ il is not presumed that a Paid Fire Depsrtmen
st can be iun cheaper here than there. Mr.. Ad
e. ans estimated that the cost OF maintaining
< Paid department here would be $23 900 per an
nun more than what is now paid TO fire com
u, panes As regards Insurance, the Mutual Com
psuies of Wilmington charge less than any 9th
r.. er section Of the country.
in Mr.. Baker here put 10 his oar to the effect th q
al while Philadelphia has one company for % ,00
K people, Baltimore one for every 21,000, the,
II propose to have here one for for every 600 O.
l. 1000 people which surely will not be an ineff
:, cient force.
al After further discussion, pro and con Nj
,d Pickles arose, and stated that while he faSors
p- a Paid Fire Department, he objected TO estab
lishingl one now, ss the appropriations for Ii
IN year are now made, and the financial affairs {
ho the city not in condition TO beer the expens
at present lie therefore, offered as a subst
'' tuta for the minority report, preamble an
re resolution instructing the Law COMMITTEES
nd prepare an Ordinance creating q Paid Fire De
partment sail Ordnance to go into effect Marc
t. LIST, 1875
'e- The substitute was discussed for some tim
nd bu. as the hour was growing late, further cor
sideration Of the whole subject was again pos
~ ~ poned for one week.
at -