The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-09-19
OUR CHIEF.
Duerler Returns from the Firemen's Con-
ventiOn In Cincinnati,
And Speaks of the improvements He Saw
in the Cities He Visited.

A LIGHT reporter had II talk yesterday with
u. A. Duerler, chief of the fire department, who
had just returned from u convention of fire
chiefs in Cincinnati. He expressed himself us
highly pleased with his visit The convention
lasted from Tuesday to Friday last On Thurs
day evening banquet held. Besides at
tending the convention Mr. Duerler made an
Inspection OF the fire departments of Chicago
cities.
"Only few things saw" said he "cOud be
made of benefit to our department at present
use in large cities. Among those which l pro-
pose to Introduce here are relief valves for Ell
gines and shnt-OH nozzles for hose. When they
can be stopped instantly and thus
prevent damage to furniture and other
household effects. The intent of the
depeDd Hn the gng will
council to make them. | do not intend to
press any which do not think will meet with
their approval. We need great deal and can
nave II by making comparatively small ex-
What is the principal necessity"
"A partly paid department: Fircmcn should
be in the engine houses to take out the engines
at the first tap of the alarm bell"
execution of your plan?''
-Four men for each of the two engine COM
panies and two for the truck. The increase
would be of but men as we now have four
paid men,.
W nat is their compensatory
Forty dollars month. That, however they
receive Tor work done on the streets They
are seldom about the engine houses and are
therefore of but little, if any, more benefit to
the city than the volunteers"
most p
That of Covington. The city of Covington
has population about the same, numerically.
| us the population of San Antonio. It's prop
| erty, however, is so much more valuable and
| It's business SO much greater that it is able to
support far better department. This, i'm fact,
| is one of the best in the United States. 1t is
| small but completely equipped with all modern
improvements Belonging to it. are 81 paid
| men, The rank and file of these receive $40 Il
| month, the eng nccrs $40 and the chief 500. In
| some cities the lower class tiremcn receive S.!
| month. The COvnytun chief attends to the
| lire alarm telegraph besides other duties"
| why don't you Introduce the joker system
here?"
'"rhe fire alarm telegraph? 1t would cost too
| much-abOut $5,UO think-and with the same
| ments which will be Of more benefit"
| department hcre?
| 1.-The entire expense is what the city month
| ly gives the companies: S15 to each engine
| company, 80 to the hook and ladder and SIS to
| the cOl0red hose company. The chief receives nc
pay. ., yes, there is another item so for tclc-
phones,-and another $50 Il month for Il man
who cleans hose. This man, if we had the
| others | spoke of, could he dispensed with
me men ON the street. y"n may say those who
|
| dcd in the corps. The expense for repairs is
| very small, almost nominal"
us the fire department fund in Covingtor
very larger"
| "Twenty-four thousand dollars. That is an
| average of the annual expenses during three
| or four years. There is also an eXpeIlIitllr,
for water, | believe but | don't know how
| large"
| "Elscwhcre," continued Mr.. Ducrer, "mcIl
| are constantly in the engine houses They are
| divided into two watches, and while one set
| OF men is on duty the other is at leisure
| those on duty are not allowed to leave
the engine houses without tho pcrlnS-
| SION OF their superior officers, Il foreman. an
| assistant chief or the chief. They sleep in tn,
| houses and always have their clothes arranged
| SO that they can jump into them before the
| first alarm gong has ceased striking. In Chica-
go they facilitate work by sliding down II
CREASED pole. The horses used i'm all the large
| cities have been trained to jump from then
| stalls into place as soon as the bell is tapped
| I'm st. l.OuiS and Chicago harness iSawayS kept
on the horses on duty, but in Cincinnati and
| COvington swinging harness is in vogue
| There are but two snaps on the harness and
| but two on the bride reinS. The hitching ul
| is done SO quickly that the eye can scarcely
| follow it. Here we are entirely behind the
| times. We must go faster to fires and to dc
| this we must have paid men. We need a more
| effective department and ii were better to in
augur1ttc improvements now than to wait until
we experience great losses by fire"