The Portland daily press., 1895-04-15
DEERING.
Chief Moody Says the Fire Depart
ment is Inadequate.

If Big Fire Should Start at the Time
When Portland Could Not Assist. Deer
ing Might Suffer.-Wise Recommends
tions of Mr.. Moody.
Mr.. Frank B. Moody, Chief of the
Deering Fire Department., has rendered
his annual report, which appears in the
volume of Iity Reports. He makes
some important recommendations for the
improvement of t1e service. The most
important portions of the report follow:
The number of fires and alarms that
occurred during the past year was seven,
an increase of one over last year, all of
which may be classed as ordinary fires.
The whole amount of losses was, as
near as could be .ascertained, SIS, los. 90
The amount of insurance on property
damaged was $11, 10000 amount of in
surance over and above loss was Sc, 7e5. 90.
The largest loss by any one fire occurred
April 8, 1894, the Perkins house.
1t is self evident fact that fire de-
partment TO be of any benefit to COM
munity must be prompt, reliable and
efficient. 1t can safely be said that your
department. possesses the two latter
qualifications but the first it never can
be until we are equipped with an electric
fire alarm system. Fully realizing that
this city, but yet in it's infancy, has
cause to carefully consider the expendi-
ture of any large amount of money, yet
it must be conceded that the Importance
of prompt and definite alarms in case of
fire cannot be exaggerated Neither a
plentiful supply Of water nor the best fire
department. is available until the fact
of the existence of fire aud it's locality
are made known. The loss of q few
minutes time after the discovery of fire
often means the loss of thousands of
dollars worth OF property. / would re-
spectful1y commend this subject to your
careful consideration, as it is one, the
timated. 1t is an inseparable part of a
modern fire department, and no depart
ment however otherwise equipped is eff
fective without it.
In regard to the necessity of an increase
of the hydrant service in some sectious
city ordinances do not require a permit
to be given to persons about to build
unless within ten feet of an accepted
street there is no official record of new
buildings, but it is a fair estimate to
say there have been erected since we
became city. at least two hundred
and twenty-five kbuilings. These build
ings arewithout exception built of wood
tIssfeDy greatly increasing the fire hazard
and the chances of confiagration. This
growth of the city together with the
character of the buildings erected, re
qulres an increase of the facilities for
putting out fires.
The great need of having horses kept
in or near the hose house at Woodfords
is fully demonstrated every time we re-
spond to an alarm, as mich valuable
time is. always lost in securing horse
from the livery stable. A few minutes
saved at the BEGINNING of a fire is. worth
hours afterward. / would suggest that
some arrangement might be made where
by the street department. horses might
be kept in or near the same building
with the fire apparatus. That would re-
suit in saving of time during the night
and Sundays at least.
| would also suggest that there be pur-
chased during the next year hose
wagon to be placed in service at the
Oakdale hose house as the reel now in
use there is much too small and does
not carry enough hose. While our de-
partment has been fortunate in prevent
ing large fires, its inadequacy to extin-
guish dangerous fires is recognized By
every thinking citizen. There seems to
be settled feeling among our, citizens
that should fire here gain huge pro-
portions, assistance could be readily OBJ
tanned from the adjoining city. Perhaps
we might obtain assistance if they did
not happen to be in need of their own
apparatus al that particular moment,
which might at any time be the case.
1t would seem full as well to be fully
equipped ourselves as to wait for help
from our neigh boring city while fire