The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-28
ABoUrTHE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Some Extracts from the Annual Report or
the Chief OF the Fire Department OF the
CITY, in which Can BE Found Some Sensi-
bic Suggestions.

| In the annual report OF the Chief Engl.
neer OF the Fire Department, Captain G..
Watt Taylor, there occurs some seasonable
suggestions and interesting facts. Among
other things Captain Taylor says:
The number Of men i'm the Fire Depart
ment is ninety-three, including officers,
and i take this occasion TO say that for the
exposure TO health and limb they are the
poorest paid men in the city's employ. |
would, therefore, respectfully recommend
that the pay OF the hoscmen be increased
certainly to double the amount they now
receive, and the stationmen have added
the 10 per cent. lately taken from their sal
aries. will not comment upon the dam
| gers TO which firemen are exposed, since
they are facts which cannot be denied or
refuted.
During the year there has been purchased
one second-size Silsby engine, which was
located in the heart of the city and sub
stituted for steamer No. 3, which was un-
fit for service. The other engines have all
been repaired, and we have mt present five
steamers in active service with two to be
repaired as reserves), located as follows /:
steam Fire-Engine Company No. l.,
Twenty-fifth and Broad streets, Church
Hill.
Steam Fire-Engine Company No. .,
Main and Twentieth street.
Steam Fire Engine Company No. g.,
Broad near Ninth street.
! Steam Fire-EngiDe Company No. 4,
Third street between Grace and Broad.
Steam Fire-Engine Company No. 5,
Marshall street and Brook avenue.
Hose Company No. 6, Tenth street be-
| tween Main and Cary,
HOOk-and-LaddeI-T Company No.
| !, Broad street between Ninth and Tenth.
The value OF the apparatus amounts to
S3S,31j.
STATIONS, ETC.
The houses occupied are very much In
want OF repairs and remOdeling. In two
OF them much valuable time is lost in get
ting ready TO start after an alarm has been
given. This should not be the case, since
upon promptness depends the success Of
the department. | would therefore urge
that the Committee on Grounds and Build
ngs, without further delay (as their atten-
tion has been repeatedly called to the neces-
sity OF the aboye), cause the work to he
done. thereby doing n great deal towards
rendering what fire department always
should be-very efficient.
Il
ment seventeen horses, with three unfit for
service. Several purchases and exchanges
have been made during the year, and the
committee hope during the present year
to be able to fully equip each company with
first-class team. Horses suitable for our
purposes are not easily obtained. There
fore | would recommend that at least one
extra horse be purchased for each fire dis
trict, so that in case OF accident or sick
ness we would be able at once to sup
ply the place with one entirely suited for
the service. Very frequently our best
horses are ruined by having them poorly
matched, when forced by unavoidable cir
cumstances TO make the change.
HOSE AND FIRE-ALARM.
At present the department is better sup
piled with good hose than at any time
since | assumed command; but there
always exists a want OF first-class hose In
every fire department, as reserve from
which to draw whenever occasion demands
In many portions OF our city the distance
from hydrant TO fire necessitates the use OF
a long line OF hose, and as each company
have very limited supply, would recon-
mend that reserve supply be purchased
OF about 1900 feet. or more fire-hydrants
placed on line OF the various water mains.
The latter plan, / confess, would be the
cheaper OF the two. since length OF hose
go feet would, at the lowest price for first
class quality, cost 81 per foot; and learn
that the cost OF hydrants, connection, &c.,
will not exceed $50 apiece.
The lines OF the fire-alarm telegraph have
been extended during the year, and two
new fire-statiOns added. This is very inn
portant adiurct to the department; and as
the districts covered by fire-statiOns are at
present very large, trust that during the
year many more will be added. so that very
little time will be lost in reaching the exact
location OF fire.
DISCIPLINE.
The discipline OF the department is gen.
orally good, but there is vet room for i'm
provement, and we hope during the year
to make it as near perfect as it can possibly
be made under our present system; and
whilst, as / have before stated, 'the hose
men are poorly paid, yet | can truthfully
say that no more daring deeds OF bravery
are performed by any other tiremcn IN the
country, and when their work is done the
names OF some OF the Richmond firemen
Will be emblazoned with those who occupy
the highest places upon the scroll OF fame.
During the year the inspections required
by the ordinance were made, and with sat
iSfaction TO the committee. The depart
ment was ordered out to participate in the
Trades Parade last October, and formed
very important and interesting part Of the
procession.
SERIOUS TROUBLE.
Il.
riolis trouble, and one with which the de-
partmeut has to contend, is this: Upon the
sounding OF an alarm OF fire during the day
or early in the night the streets in the inn
mediate vicinity OF the scene Of the fire are
at once crowded with body OF citizens so
dense that it frequently becomes impossible
to move the apparatus with that degree OF
speed which the eXIgencies OF fire often re-
quire without endangering lives and limbs.
Nine out OF every ten have no other object
than mere qualification OF idle curiosity.
Instead OF being a service they are 4
positive detriment. and add to the dangers
OF fire, besides diverting the attention Of
the firemen by the noise and confusion
they create. Among them are many well
meaning people who indulge in this prac-
tice without giving thought to the dam
age which NAV ensue. To such as these |
would respectfully suggest that they not
only discontinue the practice themselves,
but that they discOuntenance 1t in others.
As for the other class OF busybodies, l
would recommend that the Chief OF Police
issue very stringent orders, and have some
of his force present on all occasions and
keep clear enough space to enable the fire.
men TO work to every advantage.
Briefs and Personals.
That stubborn old warrior General
James Longstreet, in replying to an in