Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-04-08
LAST NIGHTS FIRE.
A Little Blaze That Serves to Point q
Moral-PTompt Action De-
manded-EX- Firemans
Views.

Fire broke out in en- clubhouse at the
Breeder place, on Palace avenue, at 9:l5
last night. The damage amounts to
about $40. Fortunately the night was
still, otherwise serious conhagratlon
would certainly have been the result.
The soldiers from Fort Marcy we're
promptly on the scene with their own
hose cart and a few of the volunteer fire.
men were there with the city cart.
Upon arrival at the two adjacent fire
plugs the fire fighters aided by several
citizens undertook to place stream on
the flames, but the water pipes were
partly choked with mud and in the excite
ment the tops of the fire plugs we're
twisted off by the men handling the wrench.
This set the water to flowing all over the
ground, but very little went through the
hose. bucket brigade finally secured
water enough to quench the flames At
this time the register at the water works
office showed $50 pounds pressure to the
square inch, but the clogged condition of
the pipes on Palace avenue rendered this
pressure of little avail for fire fighting
purposes.
These facts were CLEANED from citizens
who we're early at the scene OF the fire,
and they point moral that should no
longer 60 UNDECIDED by the property own
ers Of the city. There should be re-
organization of the fire department at
once, under the direction of the city
council, aud some provision must be
made whereby competent representa-
tive of the city and of the water COM
pany shall make Il systematic examina-
ton of all the fire MIGRANTS at least once
month. The water company people
say they will not only cooperate with
the city to this end but will also lend a
hand toward reorganization of the fire
department provided the city authorities
take the initiative.
On this subject the following was re-
ceived at this Office this morning:
TO tho Editor of the New MEXICAN:
Santa Fe, April S.-Last nights ex-
perience will. it is hoped, arouse the IN
terest of citizens in the needs of the
city of Santa Fe as regards facilities for
preventing the destruction of property
by fire. have talked with several who
formerly belonged to the fire companies
and they say they have ceased to take an
interest in the subject because, chiefly, OF
the citys neglect since the day of incor-
poration to do anything toward encour-
aging the firemen. Many citizens have
been individually kind and considerate
in the past, prior to the incorporation OF
the city, but since we have had city
government tax payers naturally feel
that the maintenance of fire depart
ment should be looked after as well as
the police, the water and light and other
public interests for which we all voted to
have the city incorporated. 81 fire
men are tired of taxing themselves fifty
cents each per month to keep in repair
the fire apparatus and then turning out
and working for glory with the chances
of suffering from accident or sickness
that might cost them loss of time from
their business duties and good sized
doctors bill to meet.
LIT the city council take hold and main
tain the fire apparatus from the public
funds, appoint competent man as chief
and it will be easy enough to organize a
first-cass volunteer fire department. here
Ex-FIREMAN.