Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-11-23

GRATIFYING EXHIBIT OF ITS ACTIvII
AT THE INSPECTION LAST NIGHT.

AT THE INSPECTION LAST NIGHT.
The members OF ibe Board of Fire Commits
sioners, with Chief Engineer Cronin and As
sistant Chief Engineer Drew, made a tour OF
inspection of the engine houses last night. A
number of gentlemen interested I'm the fire
department accompanied them at their invi-
ton. The first place visited was the fire.
alarm telegraph Office, on Louisiana avenue,
where Operator Richards explained the work
ings of the new and improved system I'm
operation in this city by which alarms of fire
are fnstantaneously and accurately trans
mifted to the engine houses. The truck
house on Massachusetts avenue, between 4th
and 9Th streets, was next visited, and there
everything was found in fine working order.
An alarm was sounded and in 26 seconds,
the horses were harnessed and everything
ready for a start, although some of
the men had come from their beds-
Engine house No. 8, on Capitol Hill. was
next visited. This was built by the govern
ment in place of the old engine house torn
down to make room for the extension OF the
Capitol grounds, and is in all its appoint
ments perhaps the most perfect engine house
in the Union. The stalls for the horses in
this engine house, as in many of the others,
are behind the fire-engine and facing il, so
that the horses loosed from heir stalls by
means of the automatic spring latches, re-
leased when an alarm Is sounded. rush out
at once and traverse distance of only three
or four yards on each side to the engine and
the hOse-carriage. The signal was struck
upon the bell and the horses We're hitched up
and men i'm their places within fifteen seconds
The rooms up stairs for the accommodation
of the men are fitted up not only for comfort,
but with elegance, and tasty pictures adorn
the walls Fine carpets are in the dormitory
and sitting-rOOm. There are numbers of
books upon the tables. and cOmmodiOus bath
rooms and closets, warClrobes for clothing.
etc. In the cupola of the engine house is a
large alarm bell, upon which hammer
strikes with the force of hundred pounds
operated by a weight of fourteen hundred
and this ponderOus mechanism is put i'm mo-
ton by an electric current. One single signal
turned on in the box will cause the simulta
neous ''hitching up of the horses in all
the engine horses throughout the District.
No. house, on Virginia avenue southwest,
was the next point. Here the horses are
freed and led out by hand, but twenty-five
seconds only were consumed by the men in
getting out of bed and down stairs, hooking
up horses and mounting the engine and car
Tiage. Engine house No. 2. on ID street, next
received the visitors. The system for freeing
the horses, described in connection with No.
house. has lately been introduced here, and
works like charm. The boys were all up,
and tap of the gong brought them all down
stairs, and the horses clattered out to their
places. They were hooked up, and the men
were on the reel and engine ready for the
start in ten seconds. second test reduced
this time one second. Engine house No. 1, on
X street, the last of the Washington stations
visited. was some ten years ago the model
one of the District. The comparison of this
with many of the others shows how swift has
been the progress in this branch of the public
service as in many others. The stables are
far back behind the ''engine roOm," and
both men and horses have to traverse a
considerable distance before the animals
can be attached TO the engine and
Miscarriage, and yet, with all these
drawbacks, the horses were in the traces and
the men on the machines" within 80 sec
Onds. The same comforts and conveniences
have here been provided for "the boys as at
other points, and the faulty construction of
the building can be Obviated by alterations at
q cost not exceeding $500. In passing through
the sleeping apartment up stairs the visitors
OnIOrtunitV how a fireman
manages to get out of bed and dress so
quickly. There was a little black heap in
the corner by one of the cots, and an investi-
CATION showed that il was a pair of boots and
n pair of bree The boots were stuck
into the legs of the breeches, and the breeches
were rolled down over the tops of the boots,
so that by pulling the straps of the boots a
man has his boots and brooches on and the
most difficult part of dressing overcome. y
fireman will step out of his bed intOhis boots,
and Will complete the rest of his toilet while
running down stairs As one of the com
missioners said, when they get their boots
on they're dressed"
The visit to engine house No. 8, George
town, finished the tour. The horses were
brought out and hooked up, and the men
were ready at the first trial in z seconds, AMI
at the second in % seconds, although they
have not the lightning process of opening the
stall doors by the electric spark as at Nos.
and 3, which should be introduced in all the
houses. This was an old style house, but has
been enlarged, remOdeled and improved al
little expense, most of the work being done
by the FIRE boys. The rooms are nicely fitted
up and the walls covered with pictures. AT
tie end of the dormitory, with It's long rows
Of neat beds, its nice carpets and commodiOus
wardrUbes, two neat bookcases are notice
able, filled with magazines and choice litera-
tuTe. Among The other things seen at the
house was a leather helmet, provided with
glass for the eyes and a breathing apparatus,
intended to be used in places where the smoke
is so dense as 10 be fatal without this respir-
ator. This is an invention of Chief Engineer
CIOnin.
The Libraries which are being built up at
each engine house was one OF the noticeable
features of the visit The horses of the depart
ment in every engine house were much adj
mired for strength and sagacity.
Much progress has been made, but more
remains 10 be done We have about the most
efficient department, for its size, of any in the
country, but 10 is too small TO contend with
two fires at once, or large cOnfiagratiOn, If
one should occur. There ought To be another
hook and ladder company to provide for a
contingency of two fires at the same time,
and at least wo more steam engine cOmpa
MES. The arrangement for freeing the horses
used in houses Nos. and could be intro
duced with advantage in all the houses.