The morning call., 1892-11-05
Our Department Gould Have
Handled It.
THE SPIRIT OF THE CORPS.
Great Copfsgrations That Have Been Spared
TO san Francisco by Our Fire
Fighters.

.sWell" said the '49er. II had about made |
an n,y mind that the day was past and gone |
-orsver in this country for these great con-
gaerations Ike tie Milwaukee FIRE last |
sunday
,It'sdone for at least, so far as San Fran
cisco is concerned" said one of the others.
s'Yes: I'm pretty sure of that" came
rom the first speaker. "And it's right
here that Eve probably been misled into the
,dsa that every other city of its size and i'm
variance had a fire department as well
eouipped and ably manned as our own"
"You havs been wrong there by large
naioritv." said the third man in the group.
"Yod know I've been interested in fire
jspartments and fre-saving appliances and
one thing another these many years, and
my Oldest boy once drove in red buggy
right in This city.
"When iD the East last year took good
deal Of interest in going around among the
old FIRE Iaddies and inspecting the engine
and hose houses and one thing or the other
connected with the department.
'T'm not going to make any reflections on
the hre departments of other cities but |
can't help saying, so long as M has
preached TIE subject, that there are many
Eastern cities Of 100000 or 1000 inhab-
10 cur own.
"And think M is right that such an
immense c0nfagrati0n as that which re-
Gently ragged in Milwaukee could scarcely
occur in this city. Milwaukee, though not
as large q city as San Francisco, had a FIRE
department greatly inferior even in COM
parison to the size OF the city with that of
cur own city. And Milwaukee's lack in
this respect was her doom when the fire.
bells sounded last Sunday"
Now perhaps these elderly gentlemen
were right and perhaps they were wrong
with regard to the efficiency of San Fran
ciscO's Fire Department. Let US see.
It's an Interesting subject despite the
nesrness OF election. One must read some
thing aside from politics; why not consider
The Fire Department a littleP If you're
pTopeTty-Owner or connected with fire in
surance in any way you'll see the point OF
this at once.
As a matter of truth San Francisco.
though comparatively wooden city, has
had but one million-dollar fire in all its his
toEy.
That was the big fire down on the water
'front.' near Mission street. about three
years ago. one Sunday afternoon in Sep
tember.
That was great confiagration and il did
damage enough, at all events, to give San
Francisco a respectable showing even in
ihe list Of cities which have had great fires.
But 1t wasn't much compared TO the big
fires OF Seattle. Milwaukee, Chicago Boston
and other large cities. Only million dollars
worth of property was destroyed. The sum
was large enough to those who lost it, but it
wasn't much in comparison.
And since that time we have had no great
conhagrations.
Now there's a reason for everything, and
surely reason why We have had no great
fires In this city. 1t can't be laid to the
climate, for the fire fend will rage any
where IN any land where il is permitted to
get good Roadway.
Perhaps the last is the true reason-that is,
that in San Francisco we don't let fires get
good headway.
Then a word must be said for our red
wood, if only to keep the industry booming.
1t is not as infammable as pitch pine used
elseW here. But then that can't be the true
reason. for we have more ramshackle old
frame structures in this city than in most
of the Eastern towns. There everything is
brick and stone; here wood predominates
So it really looks as though the Fire De-
partment would have to get some of the
credit for the lack Of large confagrations In
this city. And they deserve it. There's not
more generally abused department. of the
public service than the Fire Department
unless it Is the Police Department
IT'S quite the correct thing, you know, to
remark to your friend that the 'police are
never around when wanted" A great
many people have about the same idea Of
the flremen.
But It's wrong. As rule you'll find the
fremen Of this city on time to a dot When
the alarm is sounded 500 men are on their
feet and dressing and preparing to go to
fire. they don't know yet where.
The alarm that sounds fire on Mission
road makes the North Beach JUMP, and 800
fremen are ready to run to every fire before
the alarm has sounded the whole number.
And then remember that this is any and
ali times OF the day and night, and it
doesn't make any difference whether the
flremen have worked hard that day or not,
nor whether they have been to a couple of
fires already that day or not. They may
just be taking off their rubber coats and
boots and preparing to clean up a bit after
fighting the flames for few hours. and the
alarm may sound right Ia the midst of this
cleaning
"a not out they 60 to fight other flames,
save other human lives and other mems
property. There's no excuse even made or
permitted to be made that would absolve
company from service when the gong sounds
the fatal number.
The alarm may come at the midday meal,
CT the midnight dream may be shattered by
1t. It's all one. It's the freman's fate, and
fate, you know. is as unfeeling and inexor-
able as the metal gongs which tell you the
numbers of the fireboxes.
San Francisco Fire Department has eigh-
teen engine companies. In each of these
three men are employed and reside in the
engine-house permanently. They go home
to their meals-if they are lucky enough to
live near by-but not to sleep. Their wives
and families-for even fremen are addicted
to such luxuries-may live here or there !;
the permanent fireman lives at the engine
house.
Attached to each engine company there
are nine call men. Each must live and
work within the limits Of certain district,
that to which his particular engine company
Is accredited. Aud when the gong sounds
ne must answer the call. DO matter what
may be his present occupation.
Does the call come at midnight when he
ID at the bedside OF sick or dying child? !?
No matter; he is fireman, and family
duties and ties do not exempt him, not even
family sorrows.
The life OF the call fireman is perhaps
more uncertain and turbulent than that of
even the permanent fireman.
There are seven hose companies. Each
has seven call men On its staff and two per-
maneDt firemen.
There are thirteen truck companies. and
attached to each are TWO permanent and Eve
call men.
These permanent fremen handle the