The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-21
FIRE ESCAPES TO COME.
Superintendent Brown Tells
the Fire Board of
Their Need.
CON DlTIoN OF THE DEPARTMENT
Pensions Awarded to the Widows
of Chief Engineer Farrier
and StOker Oman.

The Board of Fire Commissioners held an
important meeting last night.
The annual reports Of the Superintend-
ent of the Department, Superintendent
of Telegraph, Inspector Of Horses and the
Clerk were submitted. Superintendent
Browns report, showing the condition of
the Department, together with the num-
ber of fires, alarms, and insurance paid
on same for the years ending December
81, 1891, also the inventories contained in
the different houses of the Department
under the control of the Board OF Fire
Commissioners, shows mp as follows
The manual force is composed of one
superintendent, one chief engineer, one
assistant engineer, two battalion chiefs,
one superintendent of telegraph, one in
spector of horses, three telegraph line
men, one headqnarter janitor, sixteen
foremen of conn panies, twelve engineers,
twelve stokers, twenty-nine drivers, five
tillermen, twelve permanent hosemen,
ten permanent truckmen, sixty-four
horsemen-at-call divided into twelve en-
gine com panies and five hook and ladder
companies. Nos. and IL Companies
have in service double tank chemical en-
gines. There are ten steam fire engines
in service. ten one-hOrse hose tenders, five
hook and ladder trucks, five officers
wagons, one supply and one Telegraph
supply wagon.
MATTERS TO BE REMEDIED.
The Superintendent reported that most
all of the apparatus is in fair condition,
but recommended new boilers for Eu-
gines Nos. 2 and q A new engine should
Oe substituted for No. 10. There is no
spare engines, but two new ones had been
ordered. When these are received there
will be two third-siZe engines in reserve.
The hose tenders of Nos. l. 2, 5, Z, 10 and
IL have been partially rebuilt during the
past year. The others are in fair condi-
tion. Nearly all of them are twenty years
old and have outlasted their usefulness.
The Board is behind the age in this arm
of the service.
A new areal truck has been contracted
for. and the Superintendent recommends
that it be placed in service in the house
of Truck No. /. The lofty buildings now
being erected demand such apparatus.
No. should soon have new areal trnck
truck. Nos. 8, and Trucks are in good
shape No. needs overhauling. There
is no truck in reserve.
The officers wagons and supply tele-
graph wagons are In good condition
J'he Superintendent urges the necessity
of procuring Immediately new coal SUP
ply wagon, to be located at or near No.
Truck house, ana calls the attention OF
the Board to tie necessity of locating an
engine company in Greenyille. Hudson
City should also be provided with another
engine company There are twenty houses
of brick and stone under the control of the
department.. Engine House No. 2 needs
general interior repairs, and No. Engine
House needs new roof and front door.
No. 5 Engine House, Notwithstanding
recent repairs, is too cramped and not at
all suitable for fire purposes. No. 8 En-
CINE House is in bad condition. 1t has
been criminally neglected. No. s, 8 and
10 Engine Houses and Truck House
No need repairs. Headquarters is in
fair shape.
The Superintendent, in view of the
recent appropriations of 81 600 for repairs
to fire houses being transferred to the
Street and Water Board, urges the FL
nanciers to impress upon the Street sand
Water Board the necessity of immedia te
action In the matter of repairs to dilapid-
ated fire houses.
There is in the department. IS, 700 feet Of
2%-inch fire hose and $50 feet of 1-inch
hose. OF this amount II, 700 feet is cotton
rubber lined, and 1000 feet rubber. Nest
of the hose is in good condition, but most
of 1t has been thrown aside as useless.
The department wants 5000 feet of new
hose. The Superintendent urges the ne
cessity of wells and towers for drying and
preserving the hose.
THE NEUROLOGICAL LIST.
''For the third time," says the Superin-
tendent. lin the history of the depart
ment since its organization in 1871 has
death occurred to any of its members
while in active discharge of their duty"
The Superintendent submitted list of
such deaths and accidents, includ-
ing the tragic deaths OF Chief Far
rier and Stoker Dinan, the death
of Thomas Lamson, hoseman-at-call of
Engine No. |, died of pneumonia March
~ SOnoQrg h0Snman-Qt-CaIl
No Engine. died of dropsy, November
"a. 1891: John T. Denmead, injured in
foot and leg from explosion at fire at Sta
tion No. 241, January "a. 1891; John Nc
Donald, No. Truck, burned at tre at
Station No. 241. January "a, 1891; Michael
from ex xploson at fire at Station No. 241,
January "a, 1891; Matthew Bligh, stoker,
No. / Engine, thrown from engine while
answering an alarm from Box NO. II;
Patrick Burns. No. Engine, thrown
Speicher, Superintendent of Telegraph,
thrown from wagon and run over May 2,
1891: John Duunensen, No. Engine, In
jured in right knee While answering an
alarm from Station No. II, May IL, 1891;
Michael Lennon, cut by glass, July " 1871;
injured in back at fire at Station No 13,
November Q, 1891; Joseph H. Markey. No.
I Engine, burned in hands, November %,
1891; George Meyers, No. Truck. de
tailed to No. 8 Engine, thrown from
tender, December 4, 1891.
The Superintendent condemns the
nreseut system of fire alarm, and advo-
Gates what is know as the central system
TO prevent confusion of alarms and conse-
uuent delay. The New York and New
Jersey Telephone Company had
greatly improved the old service. 1.-The
Indiscriminate stringing or dangerous
electric wires" says the Superintendent,
'more especially in the lower section OF
the city is q source of great danger to our
men while engaged in their arduous
duties | would recommend that the
offer of the electric companies to have |
man on duty at all times (providing al |
alarm gong is placed ut their works. who |
will attend all fires and render assistance
to prevent accidents from that cause be !
accepted"
FIRES AND LOSSES. |
During the year, according 10 the ou-
nerintenttent's report, there were received |
on the fire alarm telegraph l93 alarms,
and by telephone and other ways, 1913,
making total of alarms received during
The past year 1856, an excess OF 10 oven |
khe nreyiols year. The Superintendent |
attributes this excess to the rapid CROWN |
pf the city. The losses amounted TO
1894. .S1S, on which there were $500, ln-
snrance. The largest connagration was
that of the Passaic Zinc WORKS, March
10. 1891, entailing loss or Slus, ,5sS; ene
next was the Argus building s4o,ouo' T. =.