The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-12-09
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Fire Department Of this city Ii;


hope to be excused for occupying con-
siderable space not alone il giving it
the praise it richly deserves, but also i'll
making q few suggestions which have
been discussed to a great extent By some
of our leading citizens.
It Is fact which should go on record
that at the fire in Wittmann's factory
the steam engine, which from its location
on The north side was almost ii not fully
mile from the scene OF the confiagra-
ton, was on the ground and throwing a
stream in just ttoelye minutes after the
first tap OF the alarm bell, and WAS then
n moment behind the hand engines
which came various distances, drawn on
the full run I,y the gallant boys who have
them in charge, and that IL three min
utes later the fire was under control.
This is an evidence of promptness which
cannot be excelled. The nature Of the
fire was such that it required the attend
ance of two engines for fully six hours
to completely quench it, for the thou
sands of bundles Of dry slaves, kindling
wood, edgings, etc. which were piled
up on every side, had to be overturned
and thoroughly drenched to prevent its
breaking out again and spreading to
neighboring buildings. aid al that time
the fremen stood on the ice and worked
as cheerfully as though it were merely q
pastine. Before daybreak the next
morning they were called out again for
five hours incessant labor, and went at
it as cheerfully as though fresh and Wig
orous, doing work which no fire depart
ment ever excelled, for it must be re-
membered that the Union Hotel is q
large building, old and dry as finder,
and stood within twenty inches of the
large frame building east and within
feet of o smaller one west. Either of
the adjoining structures do not show a
between them, and it is regarded as a
miracle, almost, that they were not de-
stroyed. Five streams were poured up
on it for FIVE hours, the immense guam
tity of water being necessary from the
fact that the roof and upper floors fell,
burying q vast amount Of burning ma
teriaI under it which could not be reach
ed and bad to be literally flooded to be
extinguished. All that time the firemen,
most Of them having been up the great
er part CT the night, and ali being wet,
begrimed and hungry, worked like I'll
gers, the Torrent boys occasionally
breaking out il a song, while their tired
arms moved up and down with the
breaks-cheerful, accomplishing aud
willing to do as long IS their arms would
obey their wills.
1t is at such times that the firemen
are appreciated, and citizens, seeing
them work, are apt to forget that they
get $40 year for their services and are
willing to throw in q few thanks-which
when sincere, are OF greater account to
the ''boys' than the money. Through
all this they were cheered and aided by
the man who, above all others, is EMIT
led TO the credit of having our Fire De-
partment in its present effective condi-
tion-Chief Engineer Fred Seeger, who
during the previous night and all the
next forenoon never left his post for al
instant until collared by Mr.. Chas. Lu-
ling and marched off to get some break
fast and dry clothing. Fred was every
wherein top of the building, under it,
aud all around ib-directing and assist
ing the men to put in their efforts where
they would DO the most good, and his
orders were generally received with a
"ifurrah, boys !" which showed they
trusted and respected him.
So far as the working part OF the De
partment is concerned there is nothing
left to wish for. What is needed now
must be purchased, and in this connec-
ton we must remark that another steam
engine is not, in our opinion, necessary
just now, although aware of the fact
that many whose opinions on the subject
arc entitled TO much weight think differ
emily. Rather than purchase another
steamer, would it not be better to pro
vide :: decent engine house for the steam
er we now have, organize a supply
hose company and provide it with a
thousand feet of hose, and get what We
already have in perfect ordey-so there
will be nothing LETT to make our Fire
Department effective? The building IN
which the steamer is now kept is entire
i unfit for It, and we make the asser-
tion, which examination will sphstanti=
ate, that more than the cost Of suitable
building viii be saved il the purchase
of hose, in the next five years, if proper
facilities are furnished III taking care of
it. And the hose is IS everybody kno US,
the main point to BE considered after the
engines. We submit these propositions
to our readers Ger consideration. The
iiremen. from the Bucket Boys to the
Chief Engineer, have by their splendid
work shown themselves willing to do
their duty, and they should be provided
with every necessary adjunct to make
| their work effective.
PRoF. Tee made the following pre-
diction few weeks ago: ''The coming