The herald., 1895-12-19
The Chief of the Fire Depart
ment Makes His Report
COST OF THE DEPARTMENT
Some Suggestions for General Improve.
ment Made
The Great Coss of Renting Private Property
for Engine Houses What Could Be
Gained by City Ownership

III MS annual report lieu yesterday CuleI
| Walter S. Moore of the fire department
shows the condition of the department up
to and including November 30. The total
expense for the year was SS4,647.5O, of
which sum $50.S75.17 was for salaries.
The department has to its credit the sum
of 1928. The department has been in
creased by the addition of three more COM
panies. The cost for gas and regulators in
1894 was $3713.94; supplies, $225326;
for hay. $3713.4S. In 1895 it was for gas
and regulators $3634; supplies $2O5l.7S;
hay $3634. There is now on hand about
! 100 hundred tons of hay, valued at 5000.
An increase, amounting to $500 month,
was made during the year in the salaries
of the department.. The houses of the de.
partment have been repaired, refitted and
placed in good condition, and the appara-
tus has been thoroughly strengthened and
repaired, and thirteen new horses have
been purchased.
The report embraces a complete muster
roll of the entire department, and contains
the location of every one of the fourteen
engine houses. and shows that the city is
now paying as rent for all of these prop
critics, which are leased, the sum of $7O94
year, which the chief figures is fair per
cent on $1T7.350, half of which, he says,
would purchase lots and erect buildings
for each company in the department and
allow $25 900 for the erection of a house
for double company and department
headquarters in the central portion of the
city.
The department now possesses the fol-
lowing apparatus: Eight steam fire engines,
. champion chemicals, 8 hose combina-
ton wagons. hose wagons, carts, l
second class hook and ladder, = chiefs
buggies. l electricians buggy, l supply
wagon. 40 horses, all of which are COM
pletely equipped and are estimated to be
worth 100000. There is also in the de-
partment one reserve hose carriage worth
$50.
Ofthe horses in the department, one has
been in active service for twelve years,
two for eleven years, two for nine years,
and SO on through the list to the animals
which were purchased two months ago. Of
the animals which have died during the
year. one was in service for sixteen and
one for fifteen years.
The department responded during the
year to 1o2 alarms, the total pecuniary
loss of which was $54 ,429. Of the various
fires, gasoline stove explosions caused 33,
oil stove explosions caused 3, oil lamp en-
plosions caused II, oil lamp upset l oil
stove upset >. crude oil stove explosion l,
oil wells D. refined oil explosion l. candle
upset >. gas l. coal stoves .. electric wires
=, sparks from chimneys i. sparks from
machinery /, from locomotive &, children
l. matches l. cat with matches l, water / &,
10. spontaneous combustion cigar stump
., timers pot l. defective tlues z, Chin
ney fires 4. grass fires 10.
The worst fire during the year was that
of the Lankershim flats which was in the
neighborhood of $1,000. OF the new COM
panies established during the year. chemi-
cal No. 3 is located on the corner of Griffin
avenue and DOWupV. chemical No. i ia
located on Pico street near Starr; chemical
No. > is located on Central avenue below
Twelfth street. Each of the above have a
crew of three permanent mon.
The city has 466 fire hydlants, 221 of
which have the notorious and speedy
sprinkling attachments. The chiefs re-
port locates each hydrant. The depart
ment relief fund contained on Nov. 3Oth,
S993.O4, which money is on deposit with
the First National Bank.
The chief recommends that one first
class steel frame ariel truck complete be
procured Immediately, with an 80 foot eX-
tension ladder, to be erected in the vicinity
of the city hall, along with 5000 feet of
2% inch hose, some of the companies be-
ing at present deficient in the latter SUP
plies, which would, the chief says, seri-
ously cripple the department in case of
serious confiagraton. The chief also
wants four new horses, three of those in
Use having been over twelve years in the
city's service, The chief asks also for two
additional steam fire engines of the third
class to be located on Boyle Heights and
on the southeastern hills section.
Five of the present engines will need to
be equipped with steam heaters. so that at
all alarms they would respond with hot
water in their boilers, and not have to
waste five or six minutes of very valuable
time. The chief suggests leather helmets
for the men in the department., for use
while on fire duty. The lease on the en-
CINE house OH Third street, between Main
and Spring, has expired, and the engine
company therein located has been notified
to vacate. The chief wants the fire COM
missioners to act at once in the matter.
The fire alarm system of the city
is recommended to be extended as
rapidly as possible. All of the
school children of the city are
being constantly educated in fire drills at
their various school buildings, and the
chief is arranging with the owners of all
places of public entertainment for fire.
man to be there stationed while such
places are occupied by any public audi
ences. The standpipe ordinance is being
enforced.
The chief recommends double fire n.y.
drants in the middle of every block, and
objects to sprinklng cart attachments be-
ing attached to any hydrant.
Electrician Ira j. Francis, in his report,
shows the location of every fire alarm box
in the city and gives in detail the technical
property stored in every engine house, and
also AT fire headquarters in the city hall.
The expense of this portion Of the public
service last year was SS026.41, of which
amount 81 49, 60 was for alarm boxes.