Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-15
FIRE MATTERS.
The Inadequacy of the
Present Department.
IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED.
Meeting of the Fire Commission
ers and the Visiting
Underwriters.

The Board of Fire Commissioner
held special meeting yesterday, a
III A. NJ, at the Mayors office, as pre-
viously announced. Mayor Work
man, Messrs. Humphreys, iced and ;
number of the visiting insurance rep
resentatives, together with severa
citizens interested in the work OF tn,
Fire Department OF the city were pres
,ent. After the meeting was called
to order by Mayor Workman, Mr.
Albert Stillman, of San Francisco
presented list of formulated sugges
tons, stating at the time that he die
so at the instance and request Of mem
bers OF the Board, hoping, if possible
to assist them in furthering the mu
tual interests Of the city and insur
ance companies here represented.
The suggestions submitted for the
consideration OF the Board were as
follows:
SUGGESTIONS OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
FIRE PROTECTION TO THE HONORABLE
BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS.
First: That the main on Main
street be examined and if it be found
as stated, that its capacity is not suf-
ficient to supply two engines lowing
to theposit Of sediment) larger mains
be substituted.
Second: That the contract with the
Water Company, by which hydrant
was to be placed at each cross-street,
be enforced; and that wherever these
crossings are more than $50 feet apart,
an additional hydrant be placed in
the middle by the city.
Third: That part of the city now
dependent on zanjas should be further
protected by cisterns; also that els
terms be placed in parts of town re-
mote from the large main as auxiliary
to the four-inch main.
Fourth: That the salary of the
chief engineer be increased to $4,000
per annum.
Fife. That three additional light
engines be located at elevated points
in such parts OF the city as the east
and west portions, in which the pres
ent population is quite large and en-
tirely unprotected.
Sixth. That the fire Marshal be
clothed with power sufficient to COM
pei the use of iron receptacles for
ashes, and the keeping of the rear
yards clear from rubbish, and the en-
forcement of binding laws.
Seventh. That careful investiga-
ton of the present working of the fire
alarm system be made.
Col. Walter s. Moore, ex-chief of
the fire department, in reference to
the fire alarm system, stated that in
his opinion one of the most important
and necessary auxillaries of an eff
cient fire department was peri
ect system of fire alarms, which
at present the city did not
possess. Time and time again
he stated, false alarms were sent in
by which every station in the city re-
ceived different signals, hence only
one engine reached the place of the
fire promptly; also that often the
alarm refused to act at all and if at
all possible, giving the gong only one
stroke, leaving the department help
less, aud entirely at loss as to the
location of the fire. He did not think
it possible to ever make the present
system success, and advises that it
be abandoned for some one
thoroughly tested.
Mr.. Stillman informed the board
that at many cities of the size OF Los
Angeles, an error in the alarm signal
scarcely ever occurred a single time
in the course of year.
Colonel Moore further stated that
the water supply was all that could
be wished, if hydrants could be so
connected with the mains as to enable
them to draw directly from them in
stead of branch mains and pipes.
He thought arrangements could be
made with the Mountain Water Com
pany, lately organized, which would
have pressure OF lao feet, by which
the supply of water would be greatly
increased; also, that it would be
advisable to make such arrangements
by which the main from reservoir
No. be connected with the street
main on Main street by pipe brought
down on Temple street to be used
used only in case OF fire. Further,
that all hydrants be connected directly
with mains, and that connections be
made with zanjas, pipes to be used in
case of destructive fire.
The Colonel stated that the prin-
.cipal obstacles he had to encounter
while Chief were the duties OF the
office being hampered with politics.
Hence, he advised every member of
the department to free themselves of
everything of that nature. 1t was
suggested that there be two assistant
engineers, the first OF whom should
be the Fire Marshall, invested with
full police authority.
Mayor Workman expressed his
thanks to the gentlemen for their
preferred suggestions in fitting terms,
stating that no pains or expense would
be spared in equipping department
which would give the people of Los
Angeles the greatest protection of
their property against fire. He re-
allied that the city had outgrown
itself, and no effort would be spared
in the attempt to recover the ground
lost and to meet the present demand.
At the suggestion of Mr.. E. D.
Farnsworth the Mayor appointed Col
onel Moore, A. Stillman and MIR. Curtis
a committee of three to take further
action and submit detailed plan OF
the proposed changes and improve
ments to the Board.
With this the Board adjourned sub
iect to the call OF the President.
In the afternoon the Fire Commits
sioners again met in the Mayors Of
flee to conside the question OF proyld,
ing new fire engines for this city, but
owing to the absence of Messrs. Hum.
phreys and Moriarity no action was
taken in the matter. The agent o.
the Ahrens fire engine was present
and produced a number of references
in favor of the engine he represented
including one from the Chief Of thu
Fire Department at Chicago and Oak
land. where the engines are used. Oh