The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-05-17
The Fire Department.

and his Assistant, Mr.. Carpenter
spanking team soon brought the party Il
the Vigilant engine house, on Main street
in the First Ward. The committee ex
amied the pploudidly FURNISHED engine
and upon the statement Of the employees
Of the Department decided that the appa
ratus was in good working order.
The vigilant Is supplied with eight
hundred feet Of hose, six hundred Of gun
and twohundred Of leather, all Of Il in ex,
cellent condition The Committee werl
treated to an exhibition Of the splendid
training which the horses, three in NUM-
bCr, have received. The horses are al,
ways harnCssed md ready for active SER
vice. At tho tap Of the alarm bell, in au
instant, the horses sprang to their places
atthC tongue Of the engine wagon and the
shafts Of the hose carriage The Com
mittee found that the building was badly
in need Ofsome repairs. They also found
that the generous public adjacent to the
hose house, supplied all the dampness
necessary to rot out the floor Of the engine
house by draining the water Of their lots
into the city property, which Providence
has specially adapted to this purpose,
The party next proceeded 10 the Island,
Mr.. Blairs representative district, and
which is provided only with $50 feet Of
hose, which, however, Is Of excellent quail
ity. The committee had IN experiment
made to ascertain the distance that water
can be- thrown by the pressure from the
Water Works, and found that stream
from All inch nozzle could be thrown hOr.
iEOntally about l2O feet The committee
were Of the opinion that an additional
amount Of hose should be placed in the
Seventh Ward, and a building provided
for storing the same.
The next place in order was the build
ing on lltli street, Second Ward, occu-
pied by Hose Co. No. /. The equip
ment consists Of reel with 400 feet
Of leather hose. In this house are
also two hand engines, tie Hope and
Sevcnty.six, both Of which the city offers
for sale, they are excellent engines and
we ewonder that some Of our neighboring
towns do not avail themselves Of an OPP
portunily to get good engine at low
figure. The apparatus Is in charge of
that veteran, Joseph Greer, the oldest
fireman in tho world.
The committee then visited the Allan
tic engine house on the corner Of l7th
and EOl' streets, Fourth Ward, where
everything was found In complete order.
The Atlantic Is provided with $50 feet Of
excellent gum hose. Here also the COM
mittec had an exhibition Of the excellent
training Of the fire horses.
On 2lst street, in the Fifth Ward, Ia
located the headquarters Of Hook and
Ladder Company No. !. The equipment
consists Of 1856 feet Of ladders aud about
400 feet Of gum and leather hose, all Of
which are In good condition, but can mol
be brought very promptly to any scene
Of action for want OF the horse power to
move 1t. The building wants conSidcrn'
bic repair, which the committee will
probably report upon.
The United Engine House, on 9th
street, was next visited. The United
Company have charge Of the first steam
fire engine ever brought to this city, and
their engine, though not 80 gaudy in III
trnppings MS the later purchases, Is
always an object Of special interest be-
cause twas our first ncqnisition in the
way Of steam apparatus. Everything
about the establishment was in prime
order. The engine was taken out and
tried, and proved herself AS good
us ever, We Witnessed trial o
I'runty's Automatic Relief Valve, by
which the parties directing the stream
are enabled 10 shut OF The water at The
nozzle when their work Ia done, or while
carrying the hose through rooms where
II is desirable to avoid damage by water
II certainly Is n valuable invention.
The United has 800 feet Of rubber hose
all OF which Ia in excellent condition lr
the upper room Of the United engine
house the committee found u nice lunch
provided, Of which they partook freely
and without much mixture Of water.
Mr.. Kinghorn called the attention OI
the committee 10 the fact that q portion
Of the property Of the city belonging tC
the engine house was occupied by pri
valc party tincomected with TIC depart
ment, without any remuneration there
for. u @ t.4r 'G.'..E
The committee wound up It's invcstiga
lion In lhe Eighth Ward, or as MI. Wal
lace calls IL the OrphNhage. The Ward
Ia provided with one hose carriage and
600 feet of good rubber hose. A trial
was made to test the pressure from The
plugs. A single section Of hose was first
used and n stream from an inch nozzle
projected about 100 feet All The hose
was then attached and with thtee-fOuttll
inch nozzle water was projected lOS feet,
The pressure from the water al this point
sabont Go pounds, being but little Il any
more than on the Island. The committed
will recommend further supply Of hose
and the erection Of building for the usc
Of the Fire Department,
The committee here closed itS labofs
after wlmtmight bc called stsry thorough
examination Of the condition Of the Fire
Department. I.E .N0J7 NmtI.
An enthusiastic meeting was held on
Friday night last at Alliance, o., at which
addresses were delivered by b. Fisher
EM, and Dr.J. v, Lewis, ini reference ID
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