Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-18

wsrh OF BODY Organized 60 Reduce
Loss "a Fires.

Loss NJ EhFe>.
Describing the new house OF the Bal
timore Fire Insurance Salvage Corps,
the Baltimore Netcs says;
Tho lower floor contains stalls Tor four
horses wagon spaces, storage cases and
shelves for various implements, wearing
apparel. and other necessary appurte-
nances TO salvage work. SPECIAL ar
engagements 10 insure cleanliness and I'M
proved sanitary conditions have been
made and the health Of men and
horses carefully considered. The bedding
from the stalls is carefully collected
each morning and is raised on on ele-
vator to the ceiling aud aired all day.
Ventilation is perfect and there IL no
lack OF light. Upon the second floor
are the sleeping quarters for the men, q
spacious and tastefnlly furnished parior,
and in the rear bathrooms, retiring
rooms. and q feed-room for preparing
the horses food. Neat single bedsteads
are ranged about the sides Of the sleep
ing-room, each hanked by chair and
wardrobe. The parlor has not yet been
completely furnished, but the men are
busily engaged ia fitting up their nome
The third floor is used as q storage
room and drying apartment Here the
clothing of the men and the covers
used ut fires for the protection OF
merchandise are hung up to dry. 1ms
was something the absence of which was
greatly felt in tue old building. FROM
the upper floors n circular iron stairway
and two aiding-poles give speedy access
10 the ground floor An electric gong
in tue sleeping-room and The alarm gong
below awaken the men upon the sound
ing of a fire-a!arm. The house is finish
cd in Georgia heart pine, with ash trim
mings. The cost Of remodelllDg and
reftting will be about $4,000.
Captain Shaw Is exceedingly proud OF
the modern electric appliances IN use III
tho new building. When an alarm Is
sent Ia il is rung out on the gong, IL re-
gistered upon a slip Of paper by an lnge-
Nous invention. largely credited 10 Cap
tain Shaw, and the houscclock is stopped
ut the exact moment of the alarm. The
same current releases the horses from
their stalls, turns up the gas all over the
building and throws it upon doors and
man-hole covers The men have only to
throw on their clothing, spring into their
places on the wagon. and drive of. Du-
ring the day the wagon gets out IN ten
seconds after an alarm Is sounded, ana
at night IN thirty seconds
Tho true character and work OF the
Salvage Corps are but partly understood
by many persons. 1t IA n separate and
distinct organization from the fire de
partmcnt, established aud maintaiEed
entirely by the various fre-insurance
companies. and has long since demon
strated Itself as valuable assistant IN the
work Of saving property. The corps Is
not intended 10 subdue fires or perform
tie duties devolving upon tiremen, but
rather to attend to those duties
for which the hremen find little
time. They are 10 save proper
Is. merchandise, and everything in
sured, to spread covers over goods, and
protect them as well as possible from
damage by water, to keep premises from
becoming flooded. and, in short, to do
all that intelligent precaution and care,
aided by modern salvage appliances, can
ID 10 lessen and reduce TO minimum
re- losses rcs1lting from conhagratlons.
ia hremans duty Is only TO snbdue
neR. and IN the stern necessity of the
moment, when promptness and quick
work are imperative, he cannot always
aoD 10 consider losses or take measures
10 accomplish bis plrpose with the least
possible harm 10 pr0pcrty-owners and
insurance companies. For this reason
the Fire Insurance Salvage Corps was
especially organized, and during It's long
and faithful service has been the means
Of saving millions Of dollars worth Of
property.
The corps at present consists Of Cap
t1in james ". Shaw. Lieutenant II. j.
hettlcwcil, and nine men. OF these five
Gre "h0use " men and are on duty all
tho time. -Four are "call men and re-
port only upon the sounding OF an
alarm. The work of the Salvage Corps
men is not apparently as heroic and ad-
yenlurous as that Of a fireman, nor has
the light Of romance flashed a glamour
over It, vet It 10 none the less
full Of danger and labOrIous duty.
Very often while the fireman stands
in the street and throws stream
Of water high in the air the industrious
and unosteutahous member OF the Sal
wage Corps is cropping about in cloud
Of binding smoke within the building,
rescuing yaluabes, covering merchan-
disc. and engaged IN all the many de-
tails Of salvage work. And then when
the members OF an engine company may
not be required TO respond 70 more than
one out of five alarms. because Of their
remoteness from the district, the Salvage
Corps must respond to each and every
alarm by day or night. The lite is not
the enjoyment Of q slnecure. Captain
James VI esley shaw, the head Of the
Baltimore Salvage Corps, ia n veteran
fireman, upon whose bent shoulders the
weight OF oye- tlueo-score years begins