Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-03-03
The FIrs In.arsnee Pa1roI.

In 1889 the insurance eomnanies
of New York city organized the old
Salvage Corps, from which small
body has developed the present eff
cient Insurance Patrol, numbering
nearly one hundred men, perfectly
organized and equipped. The city is
divided into three districts, known
as the upper, central and lower
Each district has its station house,
the property of the Board Of Under
writers, under whose direction the
buildings have been arranged. En-
tering the building of the lower pa
troll, No. Al Murray Street, You find
the first floor devoted to wagons,
stable, and telegraph Office. The
second floor IS occupied asa reading
room and dormitory. The third
floor is used principally as a drying
room for tarpaulins. A more care
full investigation shows you that the
wagons are fitted with axes, fire-ex-
tinguishers, folded tarpaulins, and
various equipments, al compactIy
arranged and ready for immediate
use. In stalls directly behind the
wagons, and facing towards them,
are standing two splendid horses
fully harnessed and not fastened.
The training of these horses IS per
feet; at thefrst sound Of the alarm
gong they dash from their stalls to
their place, and in three seconds are
fastened to it by means of snaps
The street doors are thrown open,
the men on duty spring into the
wagon, and if the call IS for their
district, in twenty seconds from the
first tap of the gong they are out on
the street and away al full speed. In
some instances the wagon of the pa
troll IS at the fire before the engines
arrive. The first effort is to extin-
guish Che flames; failing in this, the
tarpaulins, known as stock coVeFs-
oiled tWeeded drills I4x20 feet in
size--are at once used to cover goods
which may be injured BY smoke and
water, in some instances more than
a hundred of these covers have been
spread, besides larger cloths, known
as roof covers In many instances
the ont door force, while patrolling
their beats at night, discover q fire,
and extinguish it without ealing
out the fire department.
The scene in the bunk-room after
the men have turned Ia for the
night, is suggestive. Each man has
a separate cot, at the head of which
IS chair, in which is placed an IN
occupied pair Of troWsers, the re-
speefiEe legs of which are carefully
tucked into apair of great Ere boots.
A FIRE hat depends from one post Of
the chair, and a great coat from the
other. The chorus of snores is brok-
en- by the alarm. gong; q dozen men
instantly pop out of bed, and put on
their hats, slip into their trowsers
and boots, seize their great-coats
and dash down stairs to find. the
horses in their places, and q lively
prospect Of no more sleep for That
night.
The patrol Of New YORK saves an
nually many thousands Of dollars
not only for the insurance eompa-
MES, but for the parties whose prop
erty is not covered by insurance
no distinctions beng possible. Near
" all the principal cities have or
ganized similar corps, which though
known bya different name, are not
less,RsefHL 'IE 81 sfas 81 fas9
The duties of the patrol do not
end with those of the Ere depart
ment. The patrol must watch IN
guarded goods and sno1ldeTing FIRE;
water that would RUN goods which
have been protected BY tarpaplins,
must be swept out, and every thing
done which shall make the salvage
small and the calls on the insurance
companies light.
Harper's Weekly.