The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-21
MAKES A FINE RECORD.
Chief Wilmarth's Report of Fires
for the Past Year.
LOSSES ARE COMPARATIVELY SMALL
Fee cities the size OF Topeka Can
Compare with Et-Interestin$ Facts
and Figures


Compare With It-Interesting Facts
and Figures
Chief G. o. Wilmarth of the fire de-
partment of Topeka, completed today his
annual report for the fiscal year, which
will be presented at the next council
meeting.
The report shows 129 fires during the
year. and the property involved was val
ned at SAG, 6S2 and the insurance on 1t
was S25O.540 Out of this the loss was
only $31, 71737, and $26, 444 90 of insur-
ance losses was paid on this.
The year before there were $50 hres
with only $23, 1893 loss, difference OF
$4,000, Chief Wilmarth accounts for
this by the fact that there were two fires
In electric light plants this year.
OF the 1873 fires, 20 Of them were in
cendiary and 10 are of unknown origin;
10 were caused by SCOT falling on the
roof, 8 by children playing with matches,
by stovepipes being too near woodwork,
16 by gasoline stoves, 9 by oil stoves or
lamps, by defective fues, bonfires 3.
false alarms 3, hot ashes 3, outside city
4, and 81 of miscellaneous origin.
The chief has a table of fire losses for
the past thirteen years During all that
time there have been 1161 fires in build
ings valued at S7,2S2, 422, and insured for
$3,S25,S70 This is an average yearly
loss Of $44765; but emitting the three
age loss is reduced to $29 219. The de-
partment covers an area of nine square
miles.
The expense of the fire department
for the year was $50, 1869, of which
$22, &c. 80 was for payroll of employees,
$3,230.S4 for general expenses and ST.
3SS95 in improvements. The latter item
includes a new hose wagon and three
fire alarm boxes, and two horses.
The receipts of the department were
$299.S6, of which $13S.50 was for build
ing permits, and the remainder is from
sales of condemned supplies.
The fire department consists of % TO
bust and trained men, who have passed
examinations and met with high stand
ard of physical and moral fitness for SER
vice.
The casualties for the year consisted
of one woman who was burned from gas
oline, seven firemen were hurt and seven
horses were burned to death.
Each one of the four fire stations is
covered by insurance, on No. 1, $4,000;
No. 2. $4,000; No. 8, $1,000; No. A, $4,000.
During the year the department has
consumed As i45- 1000 tons of hay, 1850
bushels of oats and 3,4561s bushels of
coal.
There is at present 5000 feet of hose
in use, all of it in good condition, but
part of it will have to be replaced in
little time.
One of the most important branches of
the department is the fire alarm service.
This consists OF 90 miles of wire, $50
poles, Al boxes and a large amount of
electrical apparatus, all in perfect con-
dition.
The water service consists of 31S hy-
drants, one of which was added during
the year. 1t is at the corner of Fillmore
and Sixteenth streets. There are thirty
seven miles of mains. The source and
pressure has been satisfactory. Chief
Wilmarth renews his previous recon-
mendations for mains in important To-
calities where there is no fire protection,
and asks for one more main to North
Topeka above the present main, for OBJ
vious reasons.
OF the horses in the service three are
old ones, used only as extras" The
oldest is "Granger," 81 years old; "Rol-
la. " 21, and Little Dick" is H.
The report contains exhaustive tables