The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-03-18

Though we live in an age of cities few
persons have much knowledge of them
except their names. This is especially
true of the cities Of the old world. Our
state Department has just published a
volume of reports prepared by our Con-
suls, which not only gives the building
regulations of many foreign cities, but
presents the facilities they possess for ex-
gushing fires. Some of this Informal
ton relating to the more important cities
OF Europe and Asia is here given. The
city Of Vienna has 100000 people and
1851 buildings. These structures are
almost wholly of stone and brick, there
being only 200 one-story frame houses,
mostly gardeners lodges. During the
year 1891 there was no case where a fire
extended beyond the building in which it
originated. The city has only five steam
lire engines, but has many hand engines.
Inc water supply is ample, and electric
alarms numerous. A reward of two
HORNS goes TO the person first sending in
an alarm.
The city of Antwerp covers $500 acres
ana mas population of 100000. Had
chicago as many persons to the acre as
Antwerp It's population would exceed
S,OOO,OOO. In the old portions of the city
The buildings are thick together and have
stood for two or three hundred years.
The city has three steam fire engines
ana two steam boats with pumps for dock
and river use. The Fire Department en-
pioys less than hundred men. In 1890
lhere We're 90 alarms, though the total
loss by fire was only 5000
The buildings of the city of Brussels are
all OF stone and brick, and its present
population is 100000. Its Fire Depart
dnent consists of l6S men, four steam fire
engines, nine hand engines, thirteen wa
Ter wagons, for in some portions of the
city 1t IS necessary to carry water in
wagons to a ire. During the year 1850
mo fires extended beyond the property
where they originated. The daily con-
sumption of water in Brussels is only
.Lwenty-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 population of
3l2, $50, and its buildings are almost en-
tIrely of stone and brick; the older por-
lions of the city contain few frame
STRUCTURES. In 1890 only 262 fires were
reported, and all were unimportant. The
city has compulsory insurance plan so
that all houses are insured. Two hundred
and fifty-seven of the fires in 1890 were
confined wholly TO the flats in which they
originated. The military forces stationed
IN the city turn out and assist the fire.
men.
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 ire apparatus we find 249
leather buckets and S74 linen buckets
The salaries Of firemen here do not COM
pare favorably with those in Chicago
The Fire Marshal gets 5000 a year; First
Lieutenant, SAC; Second Lieutenants.
$3.50; Sergeants, $40; and forty tirst-class
1iremen get 500, and siXty-seven second
class men get Sl95.
Paris, the second city in the world, has
an area OF $3.50 acres and population
an 1870 Of :, IN, 700 and the suburbs con-
tain nearly as many more. Most of the
buildings OF Paris are made of hewn stone
or rough stone covered with plaster, or
OF brick. a few workshops ana sheds
alone are built of lumber. We're Chicago
as compactly built as Paris and its popu-
latlOn equally as dense, II would have
14,4S0,000 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 of Colonel and under him are fifty
one officers and I,693 men. The water
supply is excellent, and in many cases
The pressure Is strong enough TO throw
water upon burning building by sim
ply coupling hose to hydrants. Paris
las all modern appliances for handling
1res. In 1890 the department was called
upon to eXtinguish $50 fires, and 344 OF
them were put out with water pals.
SMALL LOSSES.
In 1890 the city of Dresden had a popu-
1agf ion Of rs "a IL
racks. The houses are wholly of stone
and brick. Apartment-houses from two
to tive-stories high with stone stairways
are numerous. In 1890 there were :;25
fires, with a loss of only $4,000. Fire
men receive from $50 10 800 year. OF
the causes of fires in 1890 we find tifty-
nine OF them attributed to carelessness
with fire and light, thirty-five to upset
ting lamps and candles, twenty-siX to
throwing away cigars and matches and
fourteen to children playing with
matches. Steam fire engines had not
been adopted here in 1890, and the cost
OF the Fire Department that year was
S5l,Ol3.
The city of Hamburg, with a population
of 10000 in 1870 covered Is, 26S acres. or
had $50 persons to the square mile.
The city has eleven steam nre engines
eight steamboat fire engines, many hand
engines and an abundance of fire appara-
tus. In addition to the regular force
there is large volunteer department
The buildings of Hamburg are OF stone
and brick.
Florence, in 1890, had a population Of
$1,000, or siNty-eight persons TO the acre
The city has no wooden buildings. Dur
ing 1880 there We're I5S fires, and they
were ali confined to the floors on which
they originated. The Fire Department
consists OF lI5 men, and has two steam
ire engines and plenty OF hand apparatus
tiremen are required by the munich
pality to be present at all public the
atrlcal performances and at official funer-
ais.
Rome in 1890 had a population of l3O, 900,
the area of the city limits being 5, $50 acres.
The buildings of Rome are all stone and
brick. The Fire Department is a mill
tary body as regards discipline, though
dependent entirely upon the municipal
authority. 1t numbers 500 men, and the
wages paid trst-claSs men amount to
IS 6S per month, and second-class men
receive 81 81 per month. The salary OF
the Fire Marshal is $3.50 per year. Elect
rical apparatus Is in use for alarms, but
in 1880 the city had only one steam fire
engine, and that is used so little and is so
seldom brought out that upon a recent
call il took two hours TO have 1t ready to
throw water. Buckets and fire eXtin-
guishers are chiefly relied upon at tires.
IN NORTHERN EUROPE.
Moscow has 100000 people, and wood is
used here for building lar more extern
siyeiy than in the cities OF Western Eu-
rope. The Moscow Fire Brigade is an
old organization, originating soon after
the great connagration OF 1872. The
service is now voluntary, but subject TO
military discipline, and is incorporated
with the public force and subordinate 10
the Chief OF Police. The department
contains 400 men, $50 horses, l06 water