Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-18
Pittsburg Firemen Agitating for an
Annual Holiday ofSeven Days
on Full Pay.
ALLEGHENY GIVES THE PRIVILEGE
Members Of the Columbia Engine Company
Object to the Dwelling-House
Regulation.
INTRODUCING THE POMPIER SYSTEM.
Method Of Life-SaVng at Fires Which 0vercOmes the
Telegraph Wire Nuisance.

in fgurative sense. Although the sum-
mer is waning fast, and the camping-out
season is rapidly drawing to a close, the
members of the fire department are sgitating
for an annual vacation. with pay. The
fremen are averse to talking on the subject,
but the matter will be presented to Chief
Brown, of the Department of Public Safety,
upon his return to the city. Mr.. Brown is
expected back to-day or tomorrow. The
moving cause of this agitation is the action
taken by the Allegheny Councils on the 4th
inst, when each member of the fire depart
ment was granted an annual vacation Of
seven days. Only one member of each fire
company is allowed to be absent at time
There are nine engine houses In Allegheny
City, and the first nine men to benefit by
this new rule will return from their vacs-
tions to-day.
wANTED-FISH STORIES.
The Pittsburg fremen argue that they
should be allowed the same privileges as
their brethren on the Northside. They take
very little interest in relative merits of
Silsby and Amoskeag engines, but they do
insist that they shall have a chance to swap
fish stories with the Allegheny fremen.
Another point is raised. Not only will a
weeks vacation invigorate the men, but it
will give them fund of new ideas and
stories with which to enliven the long winter
evenings while waiting for the alarm that
seldom comes before they are snug in bed.
If there is one thing needed by the
Bureau of Fire more than another, il is a
constant supply of fresh subjects for con-
versation. Sometimes for DAYS together no
alarm is turned in, and although the men
busy themselves in polishing up the ap-
paratus, still time hangs heavily on their
hands. When the men are called out their
work is exhausting and dangerous. In the
meantime they discuss every possible and
impossible theme. Politics is a stock sub
ject, always in season, and every Allegheny
county murderer is tried in the engine
houses of both cities.
A COMPARISON OF PRIVILEGES.
The Pittsburg fireman is given three
leaves of absence each month, two of "a
hours each and one of II, making 60 hours
in all. In Allegheny one leave of absence
of II hours is given each week. There is
some complaint in Allegheny, especially
among the Columbia men, of the rule COM
pelling them to live within few doors of
the engine house, SO that they may be able
to hear the gong if an alarm is sent in while
they are at their meals. They are allowed
80 minutes for each meal, and that is an
other reason why they must live close at
hand. The men say that this gives them
but little choice of dwellings, and compels
them to keep their families in houses of a
very inferior character. The Pittsburg
fireman gets three hours a day for meals,
and may live where he pleases, but while he
is on duty he must not 60 farther than 200
feet away from his engine house. In ALLIE
gheny the men are paid during sickness.
In Pittsburg there is a liability fund which
attends to this matter.
Police Inspector McAleese, who is an old
fireman in length of service, said yesterday
that the vacation idea was a good one. He
thought the boys deserved it. Mr.. Nc
Aleese says. however, that the 6remen of
Pittsburg are as well treated as any in the
country, and better than in many cities.
1t is probable that Chief Brown will refer
the matter of granting the vacations to City
Councils. Mr. Brown. as Chief of the De-
partment of Public Safety, is the head of
the Fire Bureau, but as tnis innovation
would necessitate an increased annual ex-
penditure of several thousand dollars, he
NAV first desire the approval of Councils.
The Pittsburg Fire Department, as a paid
organization and under the direct super
vision of the city authorities, was instituted
in 1870. A volunteer fire department had
existed for three-quarters of a century be-
fore, the Eagle company having been organ
ized in 1894 The paid department was
governed by board of nine fire commits
sioners, elected by Councils. When the
new CITY charter went into effect this board
was abolished, and the department became
q bureau of the Department of Public
Safety.
The laws governing the operation of the
Fire Bureau are very strict indeed, and any
interference with fremen in the discharge of
their duty is likely TO result in heavy fine
or Imprisonment, the maximum penalty be-
ing fine of $50 with 60 days Imprisonment
This is mild, however, compared with the
fate of the man, woman or child who tam
of $500 and five years Imprisonment stares
these people in the face. Fire apparatus
going to conhagration have the right of
way over every other vehicle except wagons
actually conveying the United States mail.
In the absence of police the fremen are
given police powers.
FIRE ESCAPES FOB BUILDINGS.
A number of laws have been passed regu-
lating the placing of fire escapes on the out
side of high buildings. Failure to comply
with these regulations subjects the owners
or trustees Of buildings to a fine OF not more
than $500 and an imprisonment of not less
than month nor more than II months. The
buildings of three or more stories in height
on which the erection OF fire escapes is COM
pulsory are educational institutions, hos
pitfalls, asylums, hotels, factories, workshops,
tenements, and places of amusement Where
these buildings accommodate over 100 per-
sons two fire escapes must be provided.
These fire escapes may be of any pattern SO
long as they meet with the approval OF the
Fire Marshal, who must issue certificate
TO that effect. In all the buildings specified
above lights are to be kept burning in the
Railways all night
CHIEF Brown, during his absence in the
East, has been examining into the methods
adopted by the life-saving corps attached to
the New York Fire Department With the
high buildings and narrow streets OF this
CITY. the service will become a necessity
here ia short time. The men of this corps
are armed with long, light poles with rungs.
On the end of this pole is an iron hook,
which is thrust through a window and OBJ
tains firm hold on the sill. The hfesaver
climbs up to this window, and then goes
through the same process again until he