Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-19
OUR FIRE SERVICE.


A steam fire service for this city was
organized 1867. 1t was entirely voluntary,
and very soon it became apparent that 1t
could not succeed. Col. j. F. Warlng
was the first Chief, followed successNely
by Gordon, Roberts, Swoll, Russell, Blair
and Butler. One Of these gentlemen was
an accomplished military officer another
a skilled engineer and machinist, as Wen
as practical fireman, but one and all
failed to make it a success, simply be-
cause the elements Of success were lack
ing. In this period the electric alarm
was introduced, horses were purchased,
drivers and engineers were employed, but
these were only single steps and could
not be made efficient until the Whole sys-
TEN was perfected. W hat does II avail 10
locate fires promptly and to put engines
and their runners in position If there are
not trained and skilled men at hand 10
apply this powerl Such is the state OF
things at this date. and ii is notorious that
our fire service is inadequate, for the rea-
son that there is palpable neglect OF at
least one link in a chain Of requisites.
1t was a shameful thing for this proud
metropolis of great State TO confess tnat
she was not equa. to protecting herseli
against mass Of burning shantles.
Yes. gentlemen. it was a Illuminating
spectacle when you sent out over the
wires that pitiful appeal to the interior
towns for aid 1t was a severe lesson,
and now shall we profit by it? When a
great calamity befell Chicago they sent at
once for Gen. ShaleT, OF the New 1ork
service to reconstruct theirs. When
similar disaster occurred in Boston they
also rose to the occasion, discarded
their halfway system, and made II per-
feet. And so instances may be cited down
to the smallest villages. Are we alone
incapable of advancement! True, there
has been a conception, there was gesta-
ton. there was labor, and it has brought
forth-er RihH, Rlha .ft What has been
done hitherto is practically nulllned by
what is vet to do. and so it must be until
all is complete.
What can your full paid chief do with
out paid and trained men at hand when
wanted? If the full time of this officer is
needed, does it require lower degree OF
intelligence, capacity or skill than tor the
police service? Why, then, do you place
the brand of inferiority upon one ofncer
by making a difference OF oRe-thtrd IN the
nav of the two officers? No competent
/ man will be willing to accept 1t with this
humiliating condition. The little pit
/ lance paid the "call men" will not CON-
mand their time. Ihey Will De engaged
IN their ordinary vocatiOns, and scattered
all over the city, as they are now, nor
can they be required or expected to aban-
don their several occupations when not
! called" in order to perfect themselves
! in all the details of a service requiring a
precision and practice equal to that OF
artillery.
Here are the alternatives in sentence.
/ You must control the full time of sufh-
/ cient number of men to put the apparatus
| in service, or you cannot make 1t effective;
/ but soon as this force Is perfected in
/ detail and discipline, much OF their time
/ will be unoccupied (frOm the chief
/ down, and you must employ them in some
/ other way, or they will very soon
/ degenerate and lose their esprit The
/ Sorrel plan covers these points, and if that
/ does not suit, give us a better one. But,
/ gentlemen of the administration. Con-
| fessedly we have not sufficient protection.
1 1t was a mass of shanties yesterday, but
only an accident saved the whole of Bay
/ street. Will you limit to that again? The
whole responsibility is upon you. Will
YOU rise above all lesser considerations
! and regard the matter solely in the light
/ of the peoples security? or Will you con-
! tinue in the ndrrOlg way hitherto trodden
/ by your predecessors! IL.