Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-01
alcHMoNp's FIRE DEPARTMENT.
improvements In the sssvies-Number .
A..v,.s n = sAnuartera Moved.


improvements In the sssvics-Numbef Of
Alarms Headquarters Moved.
The Fire Department II By legislative
enactment under the direction and con-
troll of the Board Of Fire Commissioners,
composed Of the following members-vis. !;
John H. Frischkorn Presidenp. Jefferson
Ward; @. Watt Taylor Vice-President),
Marshall Ward: Joseph Il. Levy, Monroe
Ward; Charles r. Taylor. Madison Ward;
l.. G. Jenkins. Clay Ward. and James X.
Sheppard. Jackson Ward. These GENTLE
men make a study Of the requirements
OF the department, and Its present effi-
cheney speaks well for their administre-
ton. The officers are w. @. Fuller. Chief
Engineer; @. c. Shaw, First Assistant
Chief Engineer; r. T. Scead. Second AS
sistant Chief Engineer. and George T..
Paynter. Secretary.
While no new buildings have been
erected during the year. all OF the old
ones have been thoroughly overhauled.
The board organized and put into service
a Chemical Engine Company, consisting
OF w. F. Epps, Captain; r. W. Stubs.
Hostler, and J. A. Carter, extra man.
and supplied them with double-tank.
sixty-gallon Holloway engine, pair Of
handsome grays, etc. This company has
done good work since its organization.
extinguishing a great many fires and
saving thousands Of dollars In water
damage.
on July LIST Engine Companies q 8. T..
and 7, and Truck Companies I and 2
were reoiganized and given three addi-
tional permanent men each, adding
greatly to the effectiveness OF the de-
partment upon arrival at fires. A new
hose-wagon has recently been delivered
to the Main-street company, which re-
tires the last reel--the glory OF the past.
The department Is to be congratulated
that there were no deaths or fatalities
to record during the year, and the fire.
loss Is known to be comparatively small.
although the exact figures cannot be given
Just al this time. Most OF the loss oc-
Cured In a few fires. Through the aid
of the department quite a number OF
persons were taken from burning build
ings during the year. Three thousand
feet OF good hose have been added. and
the firemen furnished with new helmets.
Electric indicators for throwing up the
number Of the box from which an alarm
IL sent have been placed In each OF the
engine houses.
Among the most notable fires were
those at Cameron & Cameron's. January
18th; W. s. Taylor & Co.'S hay warehouse.
March I'd; Mccormack Machine-Works.
G. B. Davis, J. II. Valentine and A. b.
Clarke e. Sons. May 18th: Nebletts
planing-mill, September 18th: col. 60lI
south Pine, 619 62l. and 6o3 China streets
September 26th. The Tredegar fire on Oc-
tober 18th. which was by many thousands
OF dollars the greatest loss OF the year.
and the fire of December 9th in the
cheroot-factory Of ]. NJ. Bailey wind up
the year with something of flourish.
Fire Alarm Department.
This department Is also under the direc-
ton and control of the Board Of Fire
Commissioners, who have done all In their
power TO make the system the effective
handspring to Richmond's well-organized
fire department. The following are the
members OF this department, each serving
in regular turn as operator In the central
office: w. II. Thompson, Superintendent
George II. Paynter. Assistant Superintend
ent A. Stephan. Foreman of Construction
T. W. Bowry End p. G.. Minor. Linemen
There have been new street and private
stations. 10 direct-acting gongs. and about
Is miles of wire added to the system
during the year.
About the middle OF February this de-
partment was moved from Washington
Hall to the present beautiful quarters IL
the City Hall. This delicate operation
which in other cities Is let by contract
to the manufacturers OF the instruments
was performed by the members Of this
department without a hitch-lndeed sever
or eight alarms went successfully through
the system while half the instrument:
were in the old Office and the other hal
| in the new.
A new trlink-lne Of poles was run dowr
Broad street from Ninth to the City Hal
| and eight i5-wire leadencased cables rur
| from the top Of the pole on Tenth stree
| through the underground conduit unde
| Tenth street to the building. then NJ
| through a chase in the wall to the ope
| rating-room on the fourth floor. Thei
| five 15-wire house-cables were run from
| the Office to the battery room In the base
| ment. Under the central-office floor Is
perfect network of tubes. through which
| are run about seven miles OF ofilce-wir'
| TO connect the instruments In the oflic
| with the outside wires. The system ha
| been completely recognized by the Adj
| dition of n new six-circuit repeater
| switchboard (the handsomest IN tn
South, galvonometers. individual auxiliar,
gongs. etc, and about fifty miles OF No
| 10 copper wire to lessen the burden oil
| the old repeater. The system now com
prises l6 sets Of private telephone in
| struments zone in each engine an
| officers house,, IA stations (G6 OF whIcl
are private). II still-alarm boxes, owe
| $50 miles OF aerial wires. Is electro-me
| chanical gongs. 125 direct-actlng gongs
| set OF testing instruments, 2 six-circui
| repeaters, automatic trips for releasin.
| horses, three-number Gamewell indi
| Gators. II large bells weighing from 81
| to 1900 pounds, with COO cells OF gravit.
| and $50 cells Samson battery for furnish
| ing the electro-motive power for the gen
eral working OF the system.
The record of alarms shows that II
| first alarms. 8 second alarms, Is still
alarms. and IL special calls were receives
| at this Office and transmitted to the Fir
| Department during the year or the frs
| alarms 30 were received between midnigh
| and 6 a. NJ. % between A. NJ. and noon
| Sc between noon and p. NJ, and 10 be
tween y. NJ. and midnight
| The Police-Patrol system. which. cleo
| trically, is under the control OF this dc
| partment, continues to grow In strengt
| and usefulness. and has given general sal
isfaction during the year. There wer
| l.4l7 wagon-calls and 1,s72 telephone mes
| sages sent over the system. The creates
| number OF calls were received from Bo
q, corner Ninth ana Cary. Station j.
| at the corner OF Grove avenue and Plur
streets has recently been added to IN
system. which now comprises 20 street
stations. relays. eight-inch electro-mt
chancal gong. 2 direct-acting gongs,
galvonometers. operating-desk, 1 foul
pen and 1 one-pen registers. 20 sets tel,
phone instruments. 90 cells gravity and =!
cells LaClancehe battery. and about
miles Of copper wire. with central ofiic
located at the Second Police-Station unde
the charge OF Captain j. Is. Angle. wit
Sergeants Cosby. Talley. Brooks. and A
len acting alternately as operators.
The City-Hall clocks are also undt
the charge Of the Fire-Alarm Department
which has kept them in first-class orde
There are 40 Of these clocks, and all al
worked electrically from the clock in II
tower The 10 cells OF Since and 10 Gel
Of Samson battery required to work thel
are kept in the basement with the fr'
alarm battery. The wires to these clock
centre in and are controlled from ii
central Office on the fourth floor. tt
dals to the tower clock are lighted ever
evening by machine worked from III
office, where there is also located a coo
to cut of the lights in the morning.
MANY PEOPLE WE'RE MARRIED.