The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-13
HOW THEY FIGHT FIRES.
SKETCH OF EQUIPMENT OF THE
WORLDS PRINCIPAL CITIES.

Their Extinguishment Are mad
eouate-Facts and Figures of Con
eral Interest.
From the Chicago Herald.
Though we live in an age Of cities few
persons have much knowledge of them ex-
cent their names. This is especially true of
me cities of the old world Our state de-
nsrsment has just published a volume Of
rsports prepared by our consuls, which not
only gives the building regulations of many
foreign cities. but presents the facilities
they possess for extiuguishing fires. Some
of this information relating to the more i'm
portant cities of Europe and Asia is here
civen. The city of Vienna has SOC, 900 peo-
ole and Is, s41 buildings. These structures
are almost wholly of stone and brick, there
being only 1900 1-story frame houses,
mostly gardeners lodges. During the year
1891 there was no case where a fire ex-
tended beyond the building in which it
originated. The city has only five steam
fire engines, but has many hand engines.
The water supply is ample and electric
alarms numerous. A reward of 2 forms
goes to the person first sending in an alarm.
The city of Antwerp covers $500 acres
and has a population of $50 1000. Had
Chicago as many persons to the acre as
Antwerp It's population would exceed 8. 900. -
600. In the old portions OF the city the
buildings are thick together and have stood
for 200 or 800 years. The city has three
steam FIRE engines and two steamboats,, with
pumps for dock and river use. The fire de-
psrtment employs less than 100 men, In
1890 there were sos alarms, though the total
loss by fire was only 500, 900.
The buildings Of the city of Brussels are
ell Of stone and brick, and It's present pop
ulstion is 600 Its fire department con-
ssts of 166 men, steam fire engines, hand
engines, Is water wagons, for in some por-
tions Of the city il is necessary to carry
water In wagons to fire. During the year
1890 no fires extended beyond the property
where they originated. The daily con-
sumption of water in Brussels is only
twenty-seven gallons for each person of the
population, or less than one-fourth of the
per capita consumption of water in Chicago.
Copenhagen in 1890 had a population of
3l2S59, and its buildings are almost en-
ttrely Of stone and brick; the older portions
Of the city contain few frame structures
In 1890 only 262 fires were reported, and all
were unimportant. The city has compul-
sorry insurance plan, so thai all houses are
insured. Two hundred and ffty-seven of
tle IF6B IN 1851 were GOnQueQ W0OllV TO the
flats in which they originated. The mill
Itary forces stationed in the city turn out
and assist the fremen.
IN FRENCH CITIES.
The buildings of Marseilles are almost
wholly of stone, the small number of
wooden structures not being noticeable.
The population is now 100000. In 1890 the
city had only two steam fire engines, but
had plenty OF hand engines and carts.
Among the fire apparatus we find 249 leather
buckets and 874 linen buckets. The sal
aries Of firenen here do not compare favor
ably with those in Chicago. The fire mar
sha gets $500 year first lieUtenants, $40 !;
second lieutenentI, 1850; sergeanUs, $40,
and forty tirst-Class hremen get $780, and
sixty-seYen seCond-olass men get Sl95 a
year
Paris, the second city of the world, has an
area Of 10 $50 acres and population in 1890
OF 2, 424 ,7O5 and the suburbs contain nearly
as many more. Most of the buildings of
Paris are made Of hewn stone or of rough
stone covered with plaster. Of of brick A
few workshops and sheds alone are built of
lumber. Were Chicago as compactly built
as Paris and its population equally dense, it
would have IA, $50, 600 people. The city has
200 public telephone fire alarms and as many
more private ones. The fire department is
commanded by an officer who has the rank
VI SO4OuSlt tAlu UDQbE nllll arc uLby-Ou9 Of
hcers and 1893 men. The water supply is
excellent, and In many cases the pressure is
strong enough to throw water upon a burn
ing building by simply coupling hose 20
hydrants Paris has all modern appliances
for handling fires. In 1890 the department
was called upon to extinguish $50 fires, and
544 OF them were put out with water pals
SMALL LOSSES.
In 1890 the city of Dresden had popula-
ton of 267, GA and 5000 soldiers in bar
backs. The houses are wholly of stone and
brick. Apartment houses from two TO Eve
stories high with stone stairwAys are MI
meroUs. In 1890 there were 325 flres, with
loss Of only $4,000 Flremen receive
from $3.50 to S400 year. OF the causes of
tires In 1890 we find ffty-nine of them at
tnouted to cerelessness with fire and light
tnlrty,five to upsetting lamps and candles
t"enty-six TO throwing away cigars aud
matches and fourteen to children playing
with matches. Steam fire engines had not
been adopted here in 1890, and the cost Of
tDe IRE department. that year was S5l. 0l3
Ine city Of Hamburg, with population
OF $4,000 in 1890. covered Is, 26S acres, or
mad 20, 4S0 persons to the square mile. The
city has eleven steam fire engines, eight
steamboat fire engines, many hand engines
snQ an abundance OF fire apparatus. In adj
dluon to the regular force there is large
ro4uuAScE uephTlueuV. L ne DullulQE8 OF
hamburg are of stone and brick.
Florence, in 1890, had a population of
!o0,UOO, or 90 persons TO the acre, The city
has no wooden buildings During 1890
There were l5S fires, and they were all con-
med to the floors on which they originated.
Inc fire department consists of lis men,
ana has two steam fire engines and plenty
OF hand apparatus. Firemen are required
by the municipality to be present at all
puolo theatrical performances and at off,
cial funerals.
B, Rome in 1890 had "a population of 100000,
zoe area OF the city limits being 1888
acres The buildings Of Rome are all stone
ald brick. The fire department is a mill
lsry body as regards discipline, though de-
pendent entirely upon the municipal au-
1uorlty. 10 numbers 500 men, and the
wages paid first-class men amount TO SO 6S
yer month, and secOnd-class men receive
- " ger month. The salary OF the fire
marshal is 1855 per year. Electrical appar
gus is IN use for alarms, but in 1890 the
NY mad only one steam fire engine, and
maj Is used SO little and Is SO seldom
brought out that upon a recent call it took
bt"o hours TO have 1t ready 20 throw water.
..l and fire extiuguishers are chiefly
relied on at fires
II NORTHERN EUROPE.
Moscow has $50, 600 people, and wood is
.'ed here for building far more extensively
SsIsu IN the cities of western Europe The
moscow fire brigade is an old organization,
vi Glnatlng soon after the great conhagra-