The Portland daily press., 1894-11-13
MUST have A FIRE BOAT.
50 Said Citizens Unanimously Last
Evening.
AND so DECIDED THE JUDICIOUS
CITY FATHERS.

A Very Strong Representation of the City's
Heavy Business Men-Alderman Ran
dali Leads the Observation-Disclosures of
the Meeting-Mr. Kent's Order Passed
After Stormy Time,
There was considerable attendance in
the Common Council chamber last evening.
when the subject of the fire boat was up for
a hearing before both branches of the city
government. Mayor Baxter presided. The
entire board of aldermen were present. OF
the council the absentees were Messrs.
Henley and Snow.
Mayor Baxter, after briefly outlining the
status of the subject. called upon the fol-
lowing classes OF citizens: l. those who be-
lieve no additional fire protection is needed;
2, those who believe that fire boat service
may be hired; and 8, those who believe that
boat should be purchased by the city.
JUDGE JOSEPH W. SYMONDS
was first called upon. Without pretending
to have extensive knowledge of the subject,
he would say that he had been struck with
the I6dTlul 1AcoCuiAty VI pIOpclby OA bu6
water 'front.' The insurance rates were al
most prohibitive, and in half an hours time
a fire might wipe out property worth many
times the cost of fire oat. We need per-
manent addition to cur fire department and
if that is SO we do not want TO hire. The
owning of the service will result in its de-
velopment and Improvement. Speaking as
it appears only to my own mind, for do
not represent anyone here tonight, am not
employed to advocate anything, it seems to
me that the city ought to purchase. own,
control and direct its fire service on the
water front.
CAPTAIN J. S. WINSLOW
said that he had a great deal of interest in
the subject. He had much property along
the water front. and in the Browns wharf
fire he lost vessel nearly new. He was
strongly in favor of sonnet hing being done.
Being about the wharves great deal. he
knew that in little while a fire might
sweep out many times the cost of a fire
boat. He. believed that the city should
own it's own fire boat.
Alderman Randall asked Captain Winslow
what would be the cost to the city of own
ing and maintaining a fire boat.
Capt Winslow said he should guess that a
boat would cost S2O.oOo and the mainte-
nance of it would cost $25c0 year.
MR.. GEORGE WEST
said that the Harpswell Steamboat company
had a boat TO sell, as they wished to build
larger one for their increasing passenger
business. But the boat and her boilers were
only four years old. W ell made and strong.
The cost of fitting up this boat for fire SER
vice would be
Cost of steamer, $500
Expenses of ironing the boat, ice cutter.
etc., 100
Carpenter expenses in putting in pump, $50
New fire pump, 1000
Foundation. setting up of pump, etc., $50
Painting, ~
---
Total. $500
Thus fitted up the boat would be able to
throw 1900 gallons of salt water per minute.
using four lines of hose and doing the work
of two engines. The cost of the boat would
be far less than of two engines with their
houses, horses, etc.
The cost of operating the boats would be
as follows:
Captain, engineer and fireman.
and water,. per year. $3.50. 90
Less pay of habor master, 450.0O
Cost of manning boat. $1,740.0O
Coal. 5000
Paint, 1000
Depreciation, 10 per cent. $4,000
Interest on cost, per. cent. 345.60
Total, $3, ,489 go
MR.. FRANKLIN G. PAYSON
said that as an owner of property along the
water front, he was greatly interested in
aving a fire boat service. He believed that
the engines were not able to cope success
fully with fires on the wharves. AS to own
ing or leasing the boat he could not say
definitely, but his impression would be that
the city should own it's own boat. as ii
would thereby get far better service.
Mr.. Payson having raised the point as to
how far fire boat could be effective. Chief
jackson, being called upon, said that fire
boat could be effective as far as Middle
street.
MR.. WILLIAM ". BROWN,