The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-15
ANNUAL REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL.

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ANNUAL REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL
To TIE Hon, Mayor and City Council:
GENTLEMEN-I respectfully submit the
following, my annual report of the fire
department for the year ending March
Dist, 1898:
The department consists of twenty-one
(21) men, including officers.
One steam engine, drawn by two horses.
One chemical engine, drawn by two
horses.
Four hose reels. drawn by two horses
each.
One Bangor extension truck. drawn by
two horses
One chiefs buggy, drawn by one horse
Three thousand feet of rubber hose. all
of which has been in service from three TO
six years; necessary equipments, tools etc.
for each apparatus.
There are four fire stations located as
follows:
No. l. Station on North Market street,
between First and Second streets.
No =. Station on South Topeka avenue.
between Williams and English straets.
No 3. Corner of Fourth aud Thirteenth
streets.
No l. Station West Side, on Seneca
street, near Chicago avenue.
All the buildings are OF brick and stone,
ond in good repair. excepting No. station
which needs new roof and some inside re-
pairs.
Improvements consisting of new floor
and changes in the sleeping apart
ments as we'll as arrangements for the
storage of feed have been made the past
year at No. l station.
We have fifteen horses in the apartment
all in good condition and doing service.
One horse died and one horse sold. and
one horse purchased to take the place OF
the one sold.
The fire alarm service is in bad condi-
ton and inadequate. When it is conceded
that the efficiency of the department is in
a great measure due to the accuracy and
LIABILITY of the fire alarm. consider it OF
great Importance that steps be taken that
some good system of alarm be adopted by
the city at the earliest moment.
Great improvements, with reference to
pressure, has been made by the Water
company. Yet, there are many localities
where hydrants should be placed. That
would render the fire hazard less danger
Gus to privite as well as public property.
Many Of our school buildings should have
better fire protection, and the board OF
education should give this matter serious
thought, especially 50 where the buildings
are located outside of water limits
During the year the department re-
sponded to eighty-fOur go alarms. seventy
three 90 of which were actual fires.
The loss as near as can he ascertained,
was (S33 00) thlrty-tL1ee thousand two
hundred and sixty-iive dollars, and as near
ly as can be ascertaiued was fully insured
| wish to state in this connection that
there is no law or ordinance which COM
pels insurance companies to make a state
ment OF loss or settlement to the fire mar.
shal and Il correct estimate cannot be
made. The most serious fire during the
year was the residence building of Mr..
Amos Houck, in which the entire build
ing and contents were consumed.
The expenditures OF the department will
show IA decrease in the salary list, AS COM
pared to that of the preceding year,
amounting to 81, 1868
The attention OF your honorable body,
rs we'll AS the property holders and tax
payers of the city, is called to the com
Darative statement OF the expense of the
lire department of this and Of other cities
in other parts of the country, which Will
appear further along in my report.
The expense of the department. for the
March RI 1909.