, 1889-07-06
$4,000
No amendments we're proposed,

No amendments we're proposed.
3rd Member for Christiansted (StakemanR)
begged to call attention to the fact that the
Fire Engines and other Inventory are not
in a state to give protection to hOuSeOwncrs.
There is used a good deal OF money on this
Department, but nothing is done to secure
efficient aid in the event of Il fire I.en
again, the lava providing that house
owners are TO have fire implements, such
as ladders and buckets, on their properties
for use in fires, are not carried out there
is scarcely any one who has those articles,
he had none on his property. He would
beg to ask the Government If no measures
Can be taken to improve the effectiveness
of the Fire Department in those two re-
sppcts.
The Governor replied that not very long
ago the Government had requested the
chief of the Brand Department to report
whether the houses were provided with the
necessary fire implements. as yet no reply
had cen received. but it will be noticed
thar attention had already been directed on
the matter.
The Chairman said, in Frederiksted it
hadTecently been examined whether the
houses are supplied with the requisite fire
implements aud it was found, that almost
bil the OltltI UttStS WtlS SupIuC'5 OuU
some Of the buildings that had been erected
after the riots were not supplied; it could
not be expected that small houses should
have those things.
End Member for Fredpriksted (BrOCn)
SAID, in West End the Brand Department
does their best, but the fire engines are
worthless it is only to the energy and ex-
ertiOn of the people who attend at fires,
that we owe any success in PXtlngulshlng
fires. He would therefore most seriously
urge on the Government the necessity OF
getting engines. The men are now paid, at
least to meet at drills; when they are hun
CRY, they meet but in case of fire., it Is
impossible to say who appears or who not,
in fact i is so that everybody goes to- a fire,
and as a consequence there is no control,
and at times you find few able to work pro-
perly :; it is only Gods mercy, and some
energy that helps. He thought it should be
so that every man should be bound to
do BrandcorpS duty or to send a suhsti-
tute as it is now, the Public pays the
money, but secures no proper assistance,
which together with the poor state OF the
fire engines, is very unfortunate.
3rd Member for Frederiksted Con ntry
District: (He0itt) remembered that 3 years
ago His Excellency the Governor said that
new fire regulations were OeIng made for
st. Thomas, and we could see how that
would work, but since then nothing has
been done here as yet.
The Governor =: If nothing had been
done, one of the reasons was to avoid
that of which the honorable Member
himself complains, namely the increase
of expenditure. All changes of the kind
require increase of expense.-He remem-
bered that the matter was brought up, a
Draft of Ordinance was framed and laid
before the Ministr y; We are still waiting
for 9 reply; he would see whether it would
be possible to improve the fire depart
ment without increased expenses.
3rd Member for Christiansted StGkemGnn
could not agree with End Member for
Frederiksted Brown that there should
be no paid men, but he would say that the
men should be paid and chosen with great
caution, and they should be punished if
they don't appear at fires. There is this
advantage that those drilled men will
know how to handle an Engine; they
should therefore be properly exercised
every month. 1t is good to have volun.
teers too. Still, the laws are not carried