The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-09-09
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The semi-Annunl Inspection Last
lsvening--Ai1 the Companies Visited
and Found In Excellent Condition.
The sen1i.annual inspection Of the
fire companies OF this city was made
last evening, and those who witnessed
it could not but say, that for efficiency
the department cannot be excelled by
any in this country. Nearly all the
members Of Council were present with
Police Commissioner Jester, Supeiin.
tendent OF the Fire Alarm Telegraph
Pierson,a representative OF the REPuB.
IIoAN and one from the Every Evening.
The party left the City Hall few
minutes after So'clock In five carriages
and proceeded first to the house of
the Liberty Company over Third street
bridge.
This company took possession yes
terday OF their new house, which was
erected at q cost of $1,000. Hubert
Cassidy was the contractor, and every
thing about the entire building Is first
class In every respect. 1t is two stories
high, with mansard roof and tower, in
which is bell Weighing 1000 pounds.
with electric striker. The stables are
| In the rear, ON the first floor, and i'm
mediately over them is the feed room.
| The front part OF the second story Is
devoted to o pai.lor 25x40 feet, which
| will be handsomely finished. There
| is also q bunk room with we'll and pole,
| leading to the engine room. The meet
| ing room and committee room are on
| the third floor, and In the rear OF the
building there Is hose tower.
This company is now using second
hand engine, but on October u Will
house their new La France engine,
which is now being built. They have
| three fine horses, 100 feet first class
new hose. The members claim that
one of their horses can beat anything
| in this city running. A test was made
| of the time required to hitch up, and
| it was found that with two men the
apparatus was ready to leave the house
| In TX seconds after the alarm was
struck, and with one man In 10seoonds.
Each horse is in stall by himself, and
when an alarm is struck the stable
doors fly open, and the faithful AMI
mails run and take their places along
side of the engine. and in the shafts OF
the hose cart.
The harness when not in use is kept
swinging, and as soon as the horses
are In place, it is dropped on them,
4 ~
This company is valuable acquisi-
| ton not only to South Wilmington,
but also to the entire department, con-
sequently 1t should receive substan.
tia1 encouragement from Council and
the citizens,
| RELIANCE.
The Reliance Company at Fourth
| and Lombard streets was next visited.
| This company owns fine new build
| ing, O first class Silsby engine, hose
cart, 1900 feet first class hose, and two
hundred feet Of medium. In addition
to this they have lot OF new hose that
has never been used. The three fine
horses belonging to the company oc-
cupy stalls IN the rear, and the entire
house is furnished with the most i'm
proved electrical apparatus.
A test showed that with two men
the horses were hitched up and ready
to go out in 10 seconds, and with one
man in ll1% seconds. This company
has handsome parlor on the second
floor in the rear OF which is the drivers
sleeping room.
| WASHINGTON.
The Washington Company's house
on FRENCH street, below Fourth, was
| Tie ucAt hbupH1uB pltccs uiS bOth
pany has good hook and ladder truck
two steam engines, a hose cart, 2.00t
feet OF good hose, and three fine
horses. Their engine house is three
stories high, and contain parlor, meet
ing and bunk rooms. With two mel
the horses were hitched up in 8 sec
onds, and with one man In IL sec
onds.
| DELAWARE.
The visitors were next driven to thu
house OF the Delaware Company, or
French street near sixth. This com
pany has new truck, supplied with I
is feet extension ladder, A. feet O
ground ladders, fire extinguishers
axes, picks, hooks, and other accessor
les, and three fine horses. A tes
showed that although the horses have
to pass distance of 80 feet TO reael
tile apparatus, they can be -hitched III
by two men, and ready to leave TIN
house in Il seconds after an alarm il
struck. The truck house is a thre'
story building. nicely Furnished
throughout. The parlor is on the sec
ond floor. and the remainder OF TIN
upper pnrt OF the building Is devoted
to meeting, committee and bunk
rooms.
PHOENIX.
The Phoenix house at Twelfth an,
King streets. was next inspected an,
everything found in first class order
This company has No, / Clapp 4
Jones engine, a hose cart. 1000 feet o
good hose and 300 feet of medium hos
The three horses are new but are rapit
~ being trained.
Two tests were given. In the first o
which the horses were hitched up b,
two men IN Ii seconds, and in the sec
ond in IL seconds. The house Is
three-story building with n tower, ii
which is bell and electric striker. Tn
parlor on the second floor is hand
soinely furnished. and The compan.
also possesses fair library.
FRIENDSHIP.
The next stop was at the house o
the Friendship Company, Tenth ant
Shipley streets. This company has 9
fine four story iron front building
with tower on top, from which al
excellent view can be had. In addition
to the building the company owns
La France engine, a hose cart, 1000 fee
first class new hose and three lin,
horses.
lon account oil the lateness of tn,
hour. and the fact that there we're ye
two companies to visit, no test wal
given, but it is safe to say from foime
tests that the Friendship would no
have been behind any OF the others
The upper part OF the house has par
lor. meeting and other rooms, all o
which are nicely furnished.
THE FAME.
It was nearly eleven O'Clock whel
d. - T. n.