Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-04
THE LONDON FIRE DEPARTMENT.


In his little daughters kiss.
THE LONDON FIRE DEPARTMENT
HIS Organization and Equipment
and PersOnnei-HOVv IL is Main.
Iained.
LONDON August %, 1s79.-Through the eour-
tesy OF Capt f. NJ. Shaw, the CHER officer Of the
Metropolitan fire brigade, l was afforded an op-
portunlty OF not only Inspecting the various de-
partments connected with headquarters, but OF
witnessing the workings OF the force when
alarms OF fire occur. As the department differs
It would be interesting to the readers of the
Ledger to know something about its operations.
In city like London, 1t Is of great Importance
to have al efficient fire brigade, and 1t is claimed
hat the arrangements for at least preventing
arge fires are better In London than in any
ther city. This is due in great measure to,
the fact that Captain Shaw, as chief officer, has
unlimited power. and that the force under his
command is thoroughly trained In the duties TO
posed OF Sailors either from the navy or mer-
chant service, the work is done with great
promptIess and without noise or confusion.
The strength of the fire brigade at present is
follows: Fifty fire engine stations, 1909 fire
Scape stations, floating stations for service
along the river Thames, floating steam fire
mall ones, lGS six and seven inch hand fire en-
ines, Il hose carts, 1875 fire escapes and long
scaling ladders, and 436 fremen Of all ranks
All OF these firemen are thoroughly trained be-
fore being allowed to participate in active du-
ties. Their training is received at the chiefs
headquarters, which are located in buildings
that occupy, with stables and yards, two acres
OF land. Every day the newly appointed fire.
men are exercised, and, until they are perfect
in their drill, are not allowed to have any part
in the exiting uishment Of fires This drill con-
sfstS In the use OF the hose carts, working the
engine, and practice with the scaling ladders
And here it might be stated that reels, or hose
carriages, as in use in Philadelphia, have been
entirely abandoned, and hose carts, holding 300
feet OF hose, and pulled and managed by one
man, have been substituted. These, the chief
states, have been found much more useful, as
trifing fires are often eXttnguished by them be-
| fore the large steamers are ready to go into
service. The steamers and hand engines also
carry hose for their own use. Repairs to the
engines, hose, and equipments are all done at
headquaIters. Each engine is repaired under
charge, and who is held responsible for Keeping
It always in perfect order. II he should fail to
report his engine out OF order. and attempt to
work 1t when In that condition, he would be
dismissed from the service. In fact the dlscl-
pine throughout is very perfect and offences
are rarely overlooked.
Ing the headquarters, and In each of these dis
u1cts is located one main station, under the
charge Of a superintendent, who reports to the
chief. Surrounding these main stations are
located the subordinate stations, so as to cover
the district thoroughly, and all within tele-
graphic communication with the district center.
So, II fire occurs In any one Of these districts,
ii is managed by the superintendent OF that To-
cality, without calling for help from the others,
or nom HEADQUARTERS unless the contlagration
may DE an extensive one.
During the past year there were 10 serious
ara ,4s9 slight tires, as that 1t may readily be
seen how useful are the small engines and
hose CARTS because Of their ability to reach
fire soon and to get into immediate service. OF
the serious fires during the year, SIS endangered
life, and OF the Isl persons in danger 1876 were
saved and rs lost their lives, IL Of whom were
rescued alive.
The use of soft coal in every part of London,
of course, fouls chimneys, and during the year
the calls MN
3,I6S, and in all these cases there was no at
tendance OF engines, but only f1remen with
for extinguishing fires in the entire district in
1875 was 1922 916 gallons, and about two fifths
OF the whole were taken from the river and
docks.
The force OF flremen Is at present divided so
as to have 81 on duty by day and 1853 by night,
the remaining men being available for general
work at fires. The men are so located, that
when needed the entire number can be brought
into service night or day.
The steam engines have always water in their
Of the practice 81 raising steam entireiy While While
the engine is on its way to the tre To keep
| the water hot, small iron plate perforated
| placed in the boiler and just over the wood,
which is to serve for 1gniting the coal, and Of
| course steam Is soon generated Without dam
contraction caused by generating the steam so
The hose and the coupling receive great at
within few years the leather hose was gener-
ally used, but this is now being superseded by
nose OF strong canvas, lined with rubber, aud
| so far all contracted for has been made In Bel
| GUM, at cost OF $40 per 100 feet. Last year
| Captain Shaw gave out contract for 10000
| feet, and recently another one for 10000 fee.
| The couplings are made here, and new one
| just invented by Captain Shaw seems to be very
| popular, as it can be used with great ease, and
lever falls or gets out of order, except from
The causes of fire are examined into with
| great care, and in the report for the past year
the principal causes of fire were from candles
defective f1ues escapes OF gas, hot ashes, lamps
upset, lights thrown down, sparks from fire.
foul tiues, and children playing with lucifers.
The entire organization of the NJ. F. b. as at
present constituted, is almost wholly due 10
Captain Shaw, who has reduced the entire
working to system as perfect as the standing
orders on board man-of-war: His theory IS
brought to bear upon fire the sooner the fire
viii be brought under control To accomplish
this, light engines, easily worked by a few men.
and which can be drawn by men or horses, and
having capacity Of only 200 gallons or less per
minute, are better than heavy pondrous ma
chlnes, hard to move, and consequently slower
1A-1nch stream. and having capacity of 600
! gallons minute. A bucket Of water applied at
the right moment would have prevented the
great Chicago fire, few moments later perhaps
hand pump, such as are in use here, would
have been sufficient, and an hour later all the
engines In the United States probably would not
have prevented the spread OF that great contla-
grafton.
The FUNDS for the maintenance of the fire
brigade are provided from three sources, viz:
The insurance companies doing business In the
metropolis contribute at the rate of $175 per
$5000,O0O Of their gross amount Of assurances:
the national treasury contributes fixed an
| nual sum OF $4,000 for general protection of
public buildings, and the citizens pay tax Of
one cent on the pound on property, the total
| assessment Of which amounts to $1O5, 900 600
The total income, therefore, for the use of the
fire brigade, Is So, 900 from the insurance COM
panies, $4,000 from the treasury, and 1927 500
from taxation, making total OF 1911 ,5OO.-[Corr.
Public Ledger.
"WINDow GARDENING" which has been so
favor In the eyes Of the municipal authorities of
Paris. decree which was issued q great many
Years ago by the nrafaCt OF nQlica and which