The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-07-30
FIRE FIGHTERS.
A Feasible Plan for Cheap Fire Depart
ment in Pulaski.
Milan Exchange.

CiNe HIeS IN SnalI GOWnS unpfOVlu
with any systematic appliances
putting them out leads us to pu
lish the following suggestions f
fire organizations in such towr
which will be prompt, effective al
very cheap. The idea is not oris
nal with us. 1t has been practices
ly and efficiently demonstrated Fl
TWO years at Wakefield, Mass, al
it originated with Rufus KendriC
of that town. They haves stea
fire department thoroughly organi
ed and paid by the city, but it di
not sufficiently protect the propert
of large part of the citizens, 8
they organized a special private d,
partment under Mr.. Kendrick. Her
is the record of two department:
working side by side for two year;
In 1888 they had nineteen fires
Hendricks organization put out six
teen of them and the fire depart
ment three. In 1884 they had TWEEN
tysiX fires, and Hendricks organ
zatlon put out twenty three and thu
regular fire department three o
them.
The cost of Hendricks pump bri
gade was only one half of one pei
cent. of the cost of the regular fire
or ten per cent. spent
on it, 5000 per cent. were spent or
the regular fire department, and yet
the fire department in direct compe
Lition with it for two years, put out
six fires out of forty five, while ii
put out thirty out of forty five
This reasonably demonstrates its
practical utility; and it will pay you
to organize a like department in
your town and save your own and
your neighbours property. Every
dollars worth of property burned
mp is net loss TO mankind of SO
much wealth produced by labor. 1t
is the duty of every town to take
every reasonable precaution to pre-
vent such loss. Several years ex-
perience In saving property from
5he ravages of fire gives the writer
| very thorough knowledge Of sys-
.ematIc work, and the best means
Of reaching and extinguishing fires,
md he offers the following sugges-
ions for the purpose of enabling
owns and villages, without effec-
ave fire departments to organize
he same at very small cost. Such
departments will likely help to save
which will necessarily be
destroyed without such help.
ORGANIZATION.
Let a company of, say, ten young
men to each one hundred inhabi-
ants of the town, or such other
number as may be had, form them
elves into fire brigade and select
hree of their number for officers,
ay a captain and two lieutenants,
whose duty it shall be to have alb
olute control of the fire brigade,
to rank. In addition to
hese officers select a good man as
brennan of water supply. These
Ulcers should all be cool head
ID, self-possessed men, and should
lave absolute control of all efforts
o extinguish fires. The power to
10 so should be vested in them by
proper fire ordinance.
DRILL.
Organization without experience
S worth but little. Hence the ne
essity of drill. The officers of the
should see to it that upon
roper signal for drill, the company
S called together for at least TWEEN
y minutes practice with the compa-
US fire apparatus, at least once a
month, and as much oftener as time
md circumstances will allow. The
'ftener the better.
APPARATUS.
One Johnson's double acting
land pump for every two men in
he organization, one small tub for
ach pump and buckets for each
nan. Two light single ladders, one
en- and one fifteen feet long, and
me extension ladder. Get best
ladders. They are the
heapest and best in the long run,
nd two bucke cts of salt for each
i've pumps. In addition TO these a
ew firemen's hooks and axes may
re added with profit.
DISTRIBUTION OF APPARATUS.
These implements should be care
ully distributed through the town,
o as to be easily concentrated at
ny given point in short time.
The ladders and salt buckets should
,e kept in a given location as near
y the central part of town as posi-
lie. They can thus be made avail
BILE in a few minutes from any part
# it. On the pronptness with
which all implements are concen
rated depends the usefulness of the
The first ten minutes
7ill do more to subdue a fire than
n hours work afterwards.
FIRE SIGNALS.
The town authorities should es-
ablish by ordinance a regular sys
EN- of alarm for drill and for fires.
REWARDS.
4 reward of $500 should be paid
'ut of the city treasury for the man
Who shall first reach the fire with
lis apparatus ready for work, and
eWard of $l.00 each for the second
nd third men who shall reach the
,lace of fire with their apparatus
eady for work. These rewards
hould be given to encourage prompt
nd efficient work. A reward of $40,
payable annually, should be offered
or the man earning the greatest
Of rewards for promptness
md efficiency at fires.
ESTIMATE OF COST.
We will make an estimate of cost
or village of 100 inhabitants:
johnson pumps at $3.50 comp
lete ................ $3.50
10 buckets at 15ctS. each ..... 800
medium TUBS at 30 cts each ..., 2,50
paper salt buckets .....,,.... 30
. ladders, % #. at 75ctS foot 49,. 1875
Add one-half the apparatus here
yiven for each 100 inhabitants of
I - 49, IL - ill I,a tho e nnrn-i