Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-18

be entirely useless until hose cart could
be returned from across the river or until
No. 5 could get down from the hill. Such
a condition of things is liable to occur at
any time and the delay might cost the city
more from a single fire than the entire
cost of all the fire department apparatus
of the city.
A cart capable of carrying 1900 feet of
hose, (and one of such capacity is required)
would cost about $4,000. 1t would re-
quire 5000 feet of hose, including the
change for such cart, at d cost of about
$3,OOOO0,-horses and harness $4,000. In
case such cart is purchased, it would re-
spond to all calls and no engine would at
any time be deprived of its own hose cart.
3. AS to the purchase of an additional
fire engine for extra service.
This is matter which should receive
very careful consideration by the Board,
though its immediate purchase may not be
deemed necessary, yet in my Judgment
the best interests of the city require the pur-
chase OF another first class No. l extra size
fire engine for constant use in the business
portion of the city, and that this should be
secured as early as practicable.
The year of service of the engines now
in use is as follows:-
Engine No. 5 (old No. y 2nd class, pur-
chased Oct. 1866.
Engine No. 2 1st class, purchased Oct.
1869.
Engine No. 3, LIST class, purchased Oct.
1872.
Engine No. 4, 1st class, purchased 1872.
Engine No. (extra) 1st class, purchased
Oct. 1881.
The engines first put into service are
much worn and are requiring more or less
repair, throwing them for the time being
out of service.
By securing another engine adapted for
use on our high and expensive buildings,
the companies will be always equipped in
any emergency, and these old engines
could one by one, be thoroughly over
hauled and made nearly as good as new
and by the time this should be accom-
plished the city will have so increased in
size as to require the organization of
another fire engine company.
The estimated cost of one extra first
class engine will be about $4,000. No cart
or hose for same would be necessary IN
til new company should be formed.
4. AS to purchase of two hand fire ex-
tinguishers to be placed on hook and
ladder truck No. l. =
The cost of such extinguisher will not
exceed $4,000, and [ recommend their
purchase at once.
l have thus covered all the matters re-
ferred to me for examination and report,
and beg leave to submit the following ad-
ditional suggestions for your considera-
ton:
The rapid growth of the Sixth ward and
the large number of buildings erected and
in process of erection, demands the imme-
date attention of the Board. It's citizens
are justly clamoring for better fire pro-
lection, and in my judgment, this should
| be secured to them without further delay.
There were four hundred and forty-fye
| buildings erected in that ward last year, at
cost of $571, 10000. And it is estimated
that three hundred more buildings will be
erected the present year, and all are prac-
| tically without fire protection. Engines
from this side should not be taken across
the bridge faster than a walk. To do so
| would soon damage the bridge more than
the cost of several engines. Under these
| circumstances it is impracticable to
efficiently serve that ward from this side
| of the river, and the time has fully come
for the purchase of an engine and hose
cart and the organization of a new compa-
| ny to be located on that side of the river.
In connection with this recommendation I
would state that I have examined the old
Town House and find it very desirable
location for such engine, and that the same
can be readily converted into a suitable
engine house at an expense of about S., 500.
l also find an abundance of water accessi-
BILE for fire purposes.
The estimated cost of one second class
engine is 100000. Hose cart for same
$72500. Hose $4,000. Horses and har-
ness for engine and cart, $950.O0.
also recommend the purchase of one
hundred gallon, two tank, chemical engine
for use on Dayton's Bluff, as soon as
house can be secured for keeping the same,
to be used until such time as that part of
the city shall be supplied with water. A
water engine can then take the place of
the chemical engine-the latter can be
made serviceable for other parts of the city
that will be similarly situated. To this
end the attention of the Council should be
called to the necessity of at once securing
the site for and erection of an engine
house for that part of the city.
have made careful inquiry as to the
use of chemical engines for like purposes
in other cities and find that they are very
oO4N4SCdoAO GAA S1fO SOOu SdGlSldCLlOu DIS
substitute for water engine. Estimated
cost of chemical engine as above specified,
$4,000.
When it is remembered that in 1881 it
was deemed imperatively necessary to
purchase an extra size first class steamer
for the use of the city as then constituted,
the following considerations will show the
necessity of immediate action in the mat
tiers above suggested.
Since that time during the year 1882
there have been two thousand eight hun
dred and twenty-five buildings erected at
a cost of $1O,O4O,7OO and of this, over
$3,580,O0OO0 is represented by substantial
| business blocks with a frontage of about
two miles.
1t is estimated by those competent to
judge that the growth of the city in this
class of buildings and also in dwelling
houses will be nearly as great for the
current year as for 1882. The number of
buildings so erected in 1882 was about
double the number erected in 1881, and
the assessed valuation of property for
1882 was more than one-third greater than
for the previous year. These are actual
facts derived from reliable sources, and of
themselves are an unanswerable argument
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