The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-18
Our Fire Department.

To the Editor of the Press:
Since my article on the fire department in
the PRESS Of the 18th inst, | have taken
some pains to inquire into its present condi-
tiOn, so far as protecti ON to our water front
is concerned. There can be no doubt that our
people are heartily in favor Of an effectivs
department, well organized. well command
ed and under good discipline; but they are
equally desirous, I think, that no money
should be wasted about it, and that every
thing in relation to it should be wisely and
prudently done. There has been good deal
of talk by people who really are not well in
formed about the matter. that we need a
'fire boat"-a real fire boat, such as they
have in Boston-to properly protect our
wharf property. Let us see what is our ac-
tual condition in that respect.
We have now attached to the department
two tugboats-good ones-each OF hich
throws easily two powerful streams through
one inch nozzles. At. short range they can
employ one-and-a-quarter inch n0Zzles; but
for general purposes the one-inch nozzle is
best for the capacity OF the pumps they now
have. These boats are almost exactly equal
to each other in tonnage, stability and power
of their engines. One of them stationed at
the post office through line OF hose laid on
Exchange street, throwing two streams
through one inch nOZZles, TO the caves OF that
tall building. 1t played one stream through
the one-inch nozzle entirely over the rooI OF
the post office. Through only the necessary
length of hose, 1t could play two one-inch
streams over any building on Commercial
street, at or near the wharf where it might
be stationed.
81 hact hat xxro nnuld nlav and in thncn
DAYS IL was thought to be doing wonders.
There is another good tugboat, owned by
Capt Willard (who Is part owner OF the two
boats have spoken OF which Is not con-
nectrd with the department. 1t plays now
one ee-quarter-inch stream effectively.
and he is about to put into the boat another
and more powerful stream. This boat, as
well as the others, did good service at the
late fire.
But for the efficient work of these boats.
the fire at the wharves could not have been
stopped at Browns wharf, and a great deal
of property now saved would have been de-
strOyed. The boats saw the fire before any
alarm was given, but they are forbidden to
respond to any alarm until called for.
fire boat and Hose 6''
On this occasion, instead of rushing off to
the hre and pitching into it, they waited Is
minutes before they were called for, obeying
the rule under which they act. When they
did reach the fire, the docks were so narrow
and the heat 50 great that care was necessa-
rIy TO save themselves. The tug with the
tnree-quarter inch pipe did good service in
saving the yacht club house.
Inc rule by which the fire boats are TO
walt Tor orders should be changed so that
cars from Commercial and Fore streets
should include them. IL not required Ior
actual service on any such alarm, OF course
they would not have pay for work not dohe
In any emergency these boats coulu .taSHIa .SnH1I
Important service on many parts oL Mluu,o ~ tho
street and the cross streets leading TO tne
harbor. ,I.,,a
One of these boats at the Cushing's isiana
fire did very effective work through ,nft i.fe VI
A distanc, greater than from Commercial
street to Cumberland street.