The Republican journal., 1883-01-25
The Belfast Fire Department.

penSe of such an addition to our fire depart
ment In this connection they will probably
also be called upon to consider other measures
for protecting the city from fires. The sugges-
ton of Capt. Baker to put a Holly engine ON
Goose River, bringing the water across the
river in pipes, finds favor with some, and the
project of using an engine Oh this side to draw
water from The harbor, as proposed few years
ago. may be revived. Then too. the question of
water supply will come up; but of that nothing
more need be said now. it is evident that the cit
liens generally are taking more interest in this
question than ever before, and despite existing
differences OF opinion, that is an encouraging
sign Ihat there should be opposition to the
purchase Of a steamer, by some, on account of
thy expense, i TO be cNpected and anything
that could fairly bc called cXtraygaance on the
part of the city officials would naturally be OBJ
.iectad to by everybody. But we do not think
that any expense incurred in protecting Bel
fast, n tar as possible. from such fires as that
Of 1873, is open 70 such objection. Indeed we
believe that it would be true economy TO cct i
steam fire engine, with an ample supply of hose,
and then at aS early Il day is practicable see
what can be done to provide a sufficient supply
Of water. The Gardiner Home Journal says
The people Of Belfast are moving for steam
fire engine. They ought to have one--or two
and i i better TO get them before the place has
another big fire. If we had had our second
steamer before the biz fire she would probably
have saved ten times her cost.
Az rNDERW RITEK's OPINION.
We print herewith letter from 4 gentleman
in the Insurance business, ana who. al a native
Of Belfast, fccl~ Il deep interest in the welfare
Of The city. Tie point, he presents are inter-
c>tinG ana Timely:
EDITOR JoURNAL; ! have noted with much
interest Your efforts from time to time to in
crease the efficiency of the Belfast Fire Depart
menf. VIII you allow me space T. contribute
my nltc IN he same direction:
Belfast has had two severe confagrations
and continued succession of single fires
amounting III the aggregate to no incOnsiiera-
be amount. What have Your people done to
protect Themselves Simply increased the ca
pacltN Of the two hdnd engines which Won have
had for nobody knows how many wears. You
have to-day the weakest firc department Of any
city Of Your size in the State. Weakt st mean
III material. for with what your tiremeu have
10 Work wit they accomplish wonders. See
what Your nei4Abor> have done within ten
year>-not io mention the larger cities like
Portland with tn annual expenditure of S2O-
Oe0 for lire depar ment and Bangor and Lewis
ton caJh with Il tirSt-rla>s steam department
before. and now with WaterWorks having NV
drant pressure sufficient to handle any ordna-
ry llre. Take cities Of nearly Your size Calais
iia> two steamers and one at st. stephens across
river noi hait A. wide as yours Rockland
ha> water works ANA when the burning OF
tarWrIE~ Block, some wears ago. nearly ill.,
VOWED her IN Il con1a@ration. She ordered at
once 4 second steamer in addition 10 the one
already in service Gardiner with one steamer
Ihu most CNcrtltnt system of protection from
force pumps drifcnby water power, in the very
centre a! tho town. after their fire of last sum
mer Immediately bought another steamer. Au-
gu>ta I'm water works undthree steamers. with
one at "Fogu>" only few miles distant, and
one also at the l.. :. arsenal IEallowell has
within half an hours run.
KNOW Belfast has a large debt and heavy
taxes, hu' cam YOU uUo.& 10 economic any
longer il This direction. While other places are
croWdrt! with Insurance capital your local
agents have 10 20 to outside companies for some
ot tile Insurance your citizens demand and their
HpPiltalion> foragencies are declined. And for
IN" reason mat YOU not only have fully YOUR
share Of losses mot a company which has been
represented in Belfast ten years but has actual
~ lost money by being thcre) but because your
people have MOI learned that insurance compa-
nies-a, well IL ProVidenco-best protect those
VINO protect themselves. The result is that
yOur insurance to-day is controlled bv less than
inc 70 come IA should INV wifhjraw 1 move
ment TO increase Insurance rates all over New
I-n2I"lu y nov o'IhS mace and mas reached
BclfaSt-a> ii soon Will-thr efficiency Of yon.
ire department will be 4 vital element. 1t is
10, ,,, ~" Iutstioh - Water SuppIy-thoush
whether vou Will uut into nee tbo IittIn Won
hay" ~ h,'"@ or "clM power. Y Iou have only
Won, ~, ,,, ] N.Y.; ~ Is i1'.iii !"
you Are hot 50 Fortunate The eypru>e 10 the fax
payers Wlil bt more than the cost and mante-
Nritntu tb i,. :" ~ T. ili,'li' ,i MI :
by Holly system or any other II you cani but
hfSt -t' steamer. T.
lIE OPINIONS uF CITY OFFICIALS AND PROM
>'>l 'i'i/'-NN'
~ ~ ''i' '''H ""s "SN'''
oi'''oii 'ol'' 'iillS 'hF p"F'Il'Se o steam
''''' >''''' ie No''u IiNc |" nave 'ie mat
WV '"Aiit ''iN Ne>iiS"'eN' iie ""il'c" lhe
.'0'''H !" NP'cl"l co'ilHIltrt ~ 'aht
''' ''''' ''l' 0'>' means loi pI"tet''oh
against lFrs' ~ gong about the matter now,
+ "'"'" "S !" N'">"h ~ 'he HtM Sly govern
i''' ~ III -h"''l' ~ >'i" """'lei S'httle h"u
''li oo'l>lFiI"' "''" 'il't was tilt bringing wa
,.,,,i, I,o.,,,1o t1,,,a,,il ,,...a ~ ,f...I
Ponl nat+o,. ;,,.o.tio,otod rho ,lou,,,o,, ,,,.r
mncb II w .an,o o,,n;o J. H. ,r,,.or ,,,1 ~
N