Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-31
Loss over Insurance Paid


 Insurance on Contents 1.397.00 a
 Loss over Insurance Paid 5 4So.O0 The following table shows the alarms responded to by steamers and number oi times in service:
 Bell Alarms. Times in
 Service Phoenix No1, IS 5 Citizens NO2. 19 Monitor No 3. Is Hook and Ladder No l, 19 10 Protector No4, 6 Rose Hill No 5 9 Brass City No G.
 Still Alarms. Time: h io
 Service Citizens No2.
 Protector No 1, 2
 Rose Hill No 5, There were nine bell alarms between 7 a. m. and p. m., duty being peri" rmed in six instances. There were ten bell alarms between 6 p. m. and a. m., duty being performed in five instances. O. the still alarms duty was performed twice between 7 a. m. and D.. m.
 The department has 1900 feet of service able hose distributed among the compen- ies as follows: Phoenix and Citizens each 1,50O; Monito. No 3, 300; Prot ctor, Rose Hill and Brass City, each 1 200 feet There are 500 feet of feet of unserviceab1e hc.e. The serviceable hose, says the chief, l may say is all reliable with the exec, 'tion of the 600 feet rubber. This has been in service for years, and is carried so that it is al- ways connected with hydrant or steamez every time companies 1, 3 and are brought into service. The original gua' arty for this hose was three years.
 Referring to the houses, the report says: ''The house of Phoenix No 1 is in my opinion unfit for occupation by any body of men. I sincerely hope that before an other year passes a new house Will be built with the improvements and Daraphernalia placed on it that the rapid growth of the city demands. Improvements nav be a. tempted to be made With the present house. Whatever is done with it you will have the same gloomy, dreary, dark, damp building" The house of Citizens com pany and the Hook and Ladder company, he says, may well be termed as one of the model houses of Connecticut. He advises keeping the extra horse at this house dur ing the win5er. The houses of Monitor, Protector and Rose Hill companies are in good condition. The house of the Brass City company, built since the last report, is an ornament to the city, and especially the eastern section. The efficiency of the department, sa7s the chief, has been greatly increased by this company being put into service and more ample protection given in that section of the city in case of fire"
 As Fire Marshal MT Snagg reports fires from the following causes: Carelessness with matches 7, lamp explosion 3, incen- diary 3, foul chimneys ?, fire works 1, jap n oven l, defective construction with heating apparatus, carboy of acid l, leav- ing lighted pipe in coat pocket 1, from boiler Aurnace resting on floor 1, back 1 known 5.
 KEROSENE OIL.
 Says the report: ':I have tested differ ent grades of kerosene oil and have found it to stand the test of no degrees as re- quired by the ordinance regulating the sale of the same During the year 27 building permits have been issued, IA for brick, Ii for additions and 3 for removing wooden buildings The estimated cost of brick buildings and additions is S119,6 500, an in crease over 1886 of S5,95O This applies only to buildings in the fire limits."
 FIRE ALAs:M TELEGRAPH.
 MT Snagg in his report as superintend- ent of the fire alarm says the entire work ing of this department is in good order, and has been at all times since the last re- port. Three new signal boxes have been placed in circuit. In every instance during the year correct alarm has been transmitted.
 AAtW HOOK AND LADDER TRUCK.
 h cN&ing his report Chief Snagg says; ''1 respectfully. cdll the attention of your honorable body to the fact that anew hook and ladder t pck is greatly needed, as the present one isa51nGt for service with horses. The illust: cations we have had tell us very plainly thet if we have any number of alarms to respond to that it will be done with 8 borrowed vehicle or the truck in the .epair shop most of the time. We should have a city truck with modern ap- pliaoces and ladders that will enable us to cope witt fires that may break out in the uppe, sjories of ouc highest buildings. With our present truck we have not got a ladder long enough to reach the cornish west of the tower of the City Hall build from the gcound on the front of the build ing. By comparing that height with our tallest buildings, you may resdily perceive that there is very little prospect of the department doing as effective work as it would with truck carrying ladders that would enable the men to reach the upper stories or roof of any building that circum- stances may demand. There has been little egit2Gion With the public during the ye,:- rega ding the building of brick ad- d:tions to wooden buildings. At the time of the decision O? the Superior Court in 1he case of the addition being built to the Coffee House there seemed to be a senti- ment in favor of the city enacting an or dinance that would prevent the erection of brick additions to wooden buildings. The year 1887 has passed and nothing definite has been done to remedy the evil if it is O,e There should be building laws enacted and il fo:ce that would be easily undesstood by all. We should have law GhaG would les alate the thickness of out side of build:lgs according to their height. also building lines established 80 that there would be more conformity to the irontege O: buildings on our streets. There shonld be a city law that would give the city the right for use of the upper cross arms on all telegraph poles that may be set rom time to time within the city imits. The city has been favored in many instances by the manager of the Telephone Exchange in this city by allowing the fire llarm wires to be run on poles under his charge.
 'I desire to return my thanks to His Honor, the Mayor, and the honorable Court of Common Council for the deep in-