The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-05
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COM
MlSSl0NERS.
SOME TERf INTERESTING N
FORMATION Is PRESENTED
the HENRICO REPUBLICANs N 4
eOUABBLE.
uenrico school Nafters-Items of News
From Manchester-A Budget of Live
Paragraphs From Richmond College
- Interesting Game Of Base BAH.

The first annual report Of the Board
Of Fire Commissioners, together win
the renOIts OF the Chief Engineer OF the
Fire Department and the superintendent
of the Fire-Alarm Telegraph for the
six months ending December 81, 1855
The report saws The retiring Com
mittee on Fire mad supplied many essen.
tial adiuncls, and had unquestionabi1
improved i'm many respects the Depart
ment. and your board have steadily en-
deavOred 10 elevate its efficiency until
we believe 10 takes foremost rank Do
the dcpariments of the country for tho
control of tire of is size. We haYe car
ried out 20 The letter thr requirements oi
The legislative enactment. and have re-
ORGANIZED the departments ou sou ll
business principle. and while everything
consistent will be done Tor the comfort
and welfare of The force, DO breach Of
0rr laws viii be overlooked which we
believe is now generally understood.
The total appropriations for the year
SOP 420. amount on hand July .. 1883, 10
credit of Fire Department. @@3.5il4G
amount appropriaied bv Council and
available August II, 1855, $1,000, amount
expended by the board during the siA
months. S267ll g.
During the six months there were ~
alarms and y still alarms, onc-siXth OF
them occurring on Christmas day. The
loss was Sl42j2.3j. the insurance SO, 1874.
The inventory shows that the Fire
Department property including the
houses and lots owned by the city with
the value OF the engines, hose carriages,
trucks, hose. horses, &c. 20 DC T.4.sis.
The causes of nre during these siA
months We're Unknown, T., Kerosene oil
and lamp explosions, 9. oil stoves j..
Christmas fires were mostly caused by
hre.crackers and carclessness, fre-crack-
ers alone being the cause of eight
MIR ". IL. Thompson, superintendent
of Fire-Alarm Telegraph, says among
other things
The workshop, established last year in
connection with this office, has supplied
"A lOnp.felt want, thus enabling ms 10
make all necessary repairs ami aliera-
tons TO our instruments, and place them
back in circuit without any delay We
have turned out some hrst-class work
during the year. which would have put
the city To- considerable expense had the
work been sent 20 Northerh manuiacto-
ries
We are indebted To Superintendent j.
B Tree. of The Western Union Iele-
graph Company, for furnishing us daily
with the standard time from Washing
ton. which enables MS 10 strike the cor
rect time ON all the gOngs at q y. VI J
L. VI and =. NJ. for The benefit Of The
Fire and Police Departments, and also
answers as tests 10 show If the gOngs ar
IN proper working order
The new trap-lOcks placed on AL the
street stations during the year nave
proven eminently satisfactory, and have
materially lessenel The number OF alarms
for trivial causes.
The Department has now in operation
over ninetv-fve miles OF wire, divided
into five box, four alarm. and ore Taper
circuit. all working well. The wire is
in fair condition, but there are great
number OF unssfe poles throughout The
city. which should be replaced as rapid
IN rs our means will allow.
Ny limited force have sll they can do
I'D hNtl hl tlt A'HatA9 anu INV WI A.
owing TO the rapid introduction OF
other electric wires, some of which car
~ powerful and dangerous currents,
thus making their WORK more daring, as
they are called out both day and night
/ would recommend that your honOra-
ble Board suggest 90 the Council that
they inquire into the eSpedicncy OF put
ting all wires under ground, or that they
frame an ordinance prohibiting any for
eign wire from coming within TWO feet
of the iire-alarm wires, under penalty OF
having said wires cut when found. and
the owner thereof subject 10 fine, sc.
| would also recommend that some
means be provided to give standard time
10 ciiizons and the accurate fire alarms
10 hremen, which can only be done by
the erection OF "a large bell or steam
whistle connected electrically with this
office