Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-01-13

The following report from the Fire WAriens
to whom h.d been referred an application o;
thu Sun Fire Company for hose, was adopted:
To the mcmJers Of tie City C5uucn Of Aierqn
dr'ad, Virginia.:
G.ntlcmri: Inc communication of the Sun
Fire Company to your TO. orablc body, aud by
you efe-red 10 the Fire Wardtns h.s ba.n
received AID duly considered In all matter,
appcrlalning to the Fire Department it has
boon Oh; aim ~ provide rs efficient an orgaGi
za:l ,s ,, ssihie with The means a. our disposal
following that course which seemed TO premise
the best results.
l. is well known fact tha. nearly all the fires
viii h y, Gu: ar exiting ished by watcr from the
lire lug. 1T Is cqu y we'll known that the
present water tnmlns d. not under the most ia
vornb!e cream ,t.nces iuraish water enough for
the Steamers to use inUr than enc lne OF hose
each when oOtn arc IN service 10 obtain the
bet result, the steamer. should have water
>;.thcirt IF Two iines 81 hose
I. L. evident that any dlmnutlon of the supply
ior Utne: en- sines would lruyar the efficiency Of
TIE steamers t" that extent at least. The equip
ing 81 the !aHd engine companies u der these
CIRCUMSTANCES, won d b., in our lud mcnt u
useless e1prI diture VI the c,ty's funds jus.
here allow u ~ c"rrec- Al erroneous i'm pressi
Wal, h prevails to v'ry cons dernble -xtc.t III
the .ty. /. Is ASSET that tho Wardetis. from
prejudice a"l'e OF tno haad rgine companies,
h>rr bean iLstig.tcd III withhold Jug aid to them
The Nv gives the power TO the Wardens 10
equip the hand gne Companies. BeIg prop
ely Au.dclS, self interest, if 10 higher motive
ac;Gated tn III Won LatIrally prompt them 10
provide every facility Tor the eating gushing Of
fires With interests It stake in coInruon wita
olher OF our fellow citizens, is j; likely or rca-
sonab.c to suppose that the Wardens, from any
te t;lng # prvj udi,e for the qualification ut
some whim would ieoparGisc them? The prop.
ositlon is 100 absurd 10 b: further dweit uuon
u, h.,rf n
equipped ivr the reasons as herein b,;ore stst4i,
To wit: that the PRESENT water supply is MT
equal To he capacity oI the apparatus ROW in
servr,e. 1T e. ows naturally that additional
engines would ted IL weaken rather than
st: cngthen those already in service Even with
I'D abundance OF water, it would. in our jndg-
ment, be unadyis,ble TO re-equip the hand
engine GIMP ines The reason is, that we
believe the present working force fully cq0al to
any emergency likely 10 arise. Any appsopria-
ton, therefore, which has for its object the
eqnping of NOR companies would add to the
burden CT the Tax payers of the city without any
| compensating good.
When the city had but one steamer there
might Lave been some good reasons urged that
it was not enough for the requirements of the
city.
But since the purchase Of the Columbia, in
1871 giving 20 the corporation two most Ell cell
lent steamers, and ably assisted, Is they are, by
the Relief Hook and Ladder Company, the city
mands likely to be made upon 1t.
1t may not De out of place, perhaps, to note
what sister cities are doing with hand engine
wherever steamers have been introduced. In
an extended correspondence on the subject Of
fires and the workir OF fire departments, and
from the annual reports of the chief engineers
OF many cities, the fact stands out prominently
that hand engines have been entirely done away
with wherever steamers have cen introduced.
Space will not sllow us to quote from but one
| or two letters bearing upon this point
The Chief Engineer OF Pet-rebur says: I'VE
have two steamers and four hand engines in our
city. The hand eng ines arc not, nor have not
been, IN service for over Two years. The Chief
Engineer of Richmond says: I'VE have no
hand eng ines in service Only one in the city
which is for sale
Without trespassing further upon your yalua-
Bile time, we respectfully recommend that the
application of the Sun Fire Company lot hose
be Lot granted By order Of the Board:
JAS. kEC OR SHOOT, Chairman.
Mr.. Rrolers introduced resolution which
was adopted, su,horizingthe Finance Committee
to borrow SlO,UIO for four months for the pur-
pose of paying the January coupons and other
ind -btedness, and that notes Ue gwen tor the
same signed By the Mayor and countersigned
By the Auditor.
a petition signed By Bernard Mccain and
SUI dry other citizens. for tGe op:ning and
draining OF the gutter between Alfred All Pat
rick streets, Was referred " the Superintendent
OF Police.
a bill OF Dr.. E. y. S.abler, amounting to SIS,
for t&rce months service as Physician u the
Poor in the 3d ward, Was referred to the Com
Ipittee on Claims.
Mr. Hughc> offered y resolution, which was
adopted r. .uestE2 thu Corrura,ion Attorney,
when elected, u inform toe City Council what
legislation is necessary to aboiish the hand tire
engiHr c,,lnpaEirs now in the city.
a bill of } ..svldson, amounting to 81 for
election services, was ordtre1 to be paid.
The following papers were received from the
Board OF Aldermen and th,ir ac.ion upon the
same corcurred in. viz: PETITION of B. F. Dud-
ley TO have the curb stone set in front of his
dwelling; resignation of q. G WhittIesey MS
Oversocr ol the Poor for the 4:h ward bill Of
r NJ. Lawson, S24 - report If the Committee
on tn Poor adverse to opening soup house;
bill If Jane: Entwislc, jr., Sol rs: repor. o; the
Committee on Public Property recommending
lmyr ,venent- t, the whrrf &c upied by the
\ H. eric,n Coal Co bill of Har eros, $50 II;
report OF omul.ttee # Pub! Property especL-
inl the unproGucLive cal estate hel! BY the city;
and tn" application Of the Relief Ho X and Lad
der Company for q street gas lamp opposite
thar truck house
The Board then adj"urned
Tcste. HAROLD SNOWDEN. Grk