The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-09-02
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A Citizen Advocates Its MainteR-
ance.

SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. /, 1855
Editors Herald:
The position taken by the Salt
Lake city fremen, in their recent
petition to the City Council, has
ELECTED considerable comment, and
quiet but earnest discussion among
merchants, property-owners, and
those who have the welfare and
prosperity of our growing city at
heart. The fire department is
matter in which every citizen IS in
terested, and those who have the
greatest amount of property and
stock exposed to the danger OF ire
are the most deeply concerned. AS a
class they are anxious to have an
efficient fire brigade properly drilled
and equipped ; a well-disclpllned
army, furnished with the best
apparatus to meet and Yanquish
the terrible enemy, fire, which is
liable at any moment to pOunce
upon and devour their homes and
earthly substance. 1t is gratifying
and tranquilizing to the banker, the
merchant and the wealthy owner of
real estate to know that such a pro-
tectiYe force is ready to dash forth,
on the instant Of alarm, to save
their property. 1t is peculiarly
pleasing and consoling to men
whose property Is in danger from a
raging fire, to see the protective
stream fall upon their buildings
and thus beat back the devouring
| flames. At such times they feel
liberal towards the boys in red.
They realize then what splendid
thing it is to have good fire bri-
| gade.
Should a fire break out in any
one of the wealthy business
centres of our city everything for
the saving of property depends upon
the strength and efficiency of the
fire brigade. The question of most
Importance is have we, at present,
a fire brigade that could cope with
and vanquish such q fire? The
question as to whether the fremen
shall be paid so cents or 81 per
hour is tritling in comparison with
the matter of efficiency. What is
the matter of freman's wages to
the merchant when he sees his
property burning? When a mer-
chant has $4,000 worth of prop.
erty threatened by the close prox-
unity Of raging FIRE he would
readily offer years salary for the
whole brigade if.his wealth could
be saved. This is matter
which concerns the citizen
as much as it does the City Council.
If the city fathers are embarrassed
in their ways and means to pay the
fremen what they ask for in reason,
let the wealthy business men come
to their rescue. Money devoted
wisely to the establishment of good
fire departments is a safe and we'll
paying Investment. Every great
| city has learned this fact, and
adopted this comse; but they have
been driven to it, generally, by sad
and expensive experience. Is our
| fire department too strong in mum
berS? Were there too many firemen
at either Of the two last conflagra-
| tions? Would there not bave been
a more numerous attendance, and
would not the fremen have got
there quicker if they were paid fol-
being ready" If a sufficient num-
| Der of firemen had been at
the ClaWson fire ten min
utes before they We're, they
might have saved property enough
to pay their dollar an hour for fire
services for five years.
Suppose the City Council, for
reasons of economy, shall deem it
necessary to reduce the strength of
the fire department by dropping
some of its members, will such
economy be wise? Win it not be
the best economy, and the cheapest
course in the end, for the business
men 10 step forward and render
some liberal assistance to the city
fathers, and thus enable them tt
not only keep up the prompt force
and ability Of the brigade, but tC
increase and augment it, and thu
add to its efficiency; and, at the
same time, insure their own prop
erty, and add to their hanniness in