Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-03
THE FIRE ALARM.
Few More Facts and Figures,

A Few More Facts and Figures.
There are many features connected with
the management of the fire department of
Nashville, with which our citizens general
ly are not familiar.
The distance from the Deluge engine
house to the corporation line on the South
and West is something over a mile. In the
Southwestern portion of the city the Del
uge company have to protect a circuit Of
three-fouTtlis of a mile. The StOckell en-
CINE house is three-fouTthS Of a mile from
the Chattanooga shops, aud a
mile from the corporation line On
the west, and there is also a large amount
of property in the Tenth ward to be pro-
tected by this engine. The Eclipse engine,
located at the Public Squrae, protects that
portion Of the city west Of the capitol, ex-
tending out at least a mile and over agrade
so heavy as to be almost impossible IJr al
engine weighing 5000 lbs, as does the
Eclipse. The Hamilton, on North College
street, could render some assistance in case
of a fire back of capitol hill, by crossing
sulphur spring bottom, provided there was
no backwater.
As now arranged, all our engines are al
most on a direct line running North and
South, about a thousand feet from the east
ern line Of the city, and over a mile from
the corporation line on the West. This is
accounted for by the fact that three Of those
engine houses were erected
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO,
when Nashville had but ten thousand
inhabitants. since which time, the tenth
ward and South Nashville have been added,
making large aceessiOns ofterritory without
additional protection from fire.
Then again the central portion of the
city is o thronged with wagons, street ears
etc. during the day and the confusion so
great that under the present system an
alarm of fire cannot be heard and answered
promptly; hence il frequently happens that
engines run in the wrong direction upon
the outbreak of a fire, losing much time
when every instant issofincalculable value.
Scarcely a day passes that the telegraph
does not bring reports Of great fires having
destroyed property OF immense value. But
a little more than two weeks since, OurOwn
city was threatened with the destruction of
several squares of business houses.
Now, in order to protect the entire city
from the ravases of fire, il IS proposed to
erect a fire alarm which Will cost S22.J00,
bv means of which an alarm can be sent by
lightning to all the engines in the city,
directing them to the eXac spot, enabling
each to determine the route to run and the
plug 10 he taken by each. BY theuse of an
alarm telegraph, only the nearest engines
are called out, if the fire is not considered
dangerous, leaving the other engines IN re-
serve in case there should be a second
alarm. In addition to these advantages, a
great saving of wear and tear to machinery
and horses is effected, and the danger to
life and limb materially decreased.
In his late inaugural address,
THE MAYOR
endorsed the proposition 10 erect a fire
alarm telegraph. as follows:
Il would also recommend that At apprO-
priation be made for the purpose of pur-
chasing and use of what is known as the
Fire Alarm Telegraph" Its utility has
been fully proven in other cities, and in m =
opinion. more than double its cost would
be saved i'm Nashville in n year.
He also recommended the making Of an
appropriation for the purpose of buying an
additional fire engine. He said:
again, rs the tenth ward is growing
rapidly and becoming more denSely pOpu-
lated. | would recommend that some steps
he taken to secure another fire engine, the
same to be stationed in said ward for the
protection Of the lives and property of the
citizens living in that portion Of the city"
The cost Of a new engine, and the equip
ment of the same, will lie as follows:
For lot, engine-house, stable, and fit
ting up bed rooms fOT The men. $1,000
Cost OF engine. 0.VVO
Cost of hose carriage and 1000 feet
OF o,oVO
Horses and harness. .............. 200
Alarm bell for engine house. ....... 800
Salaries for one year. $50
Hose feed. $50
Wear and tear for one ysar......... 500
Making the cost of the additional engine,
which the Mayor recommends the purchase
Of. together with the running expenses for
year, S2+,540. which expenditure is 10
be made principally for the benefit Of the
tenth ward.
Should the fire alarm telegraph be erect
cd, the builders guarantee that the running
expenses shall not exceed 500 per aunum,
making the total outlay. provided the lele-
graph were TO bc entirely paid for in
wear, Sl,54O less than an additional engine
will have cost at the end of the year.
Under the proposition made the city by
-AEHNAC- tOtLI"tAA w. AAS AAoN l'N
ment will not be made until two months
after the new tax books are out, j. e. the
first of july, and for which a special tax Is
to be levied. The remainder Of the pur-
chase money is to be divided into three
semi annual payments, making the time OF
payment
ENTEND OVER W YEARS
If All appropriation for the purchase of a
new engine is made the whole amount OF
S24,54O would have to he appropriated
within a year.
The sixty-four cities III the United States
in which fire alarm telcgraphs are erected,
would not dispense with it for four times
its cost. The writer of this article was
connected with the press Of Omaha, Neb.,
in 1870. at which time 4 fire alarm was
erected in that city. The proposition was
made to the City Council, aud within a
weeks time the contract was signed and
the material ordered from the East, and
now the citizens of that place would not
dispense with it upon any consideration.
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