Evening star., 1896-12-29
Fire Department of Washington Much
Too Small.
COMPARISON WITH OTHER CITIES
The Danger of Two Big Fires
Occurring at One Time.
CHIEF RIS' VIEW

recognized upon comparison of the force
of the department in this city and the
forces in other cities of the same size
throughout the country. The danger from
number of fires breaking out at the same
time is especially great from this cause
| and it is safe to say that the city is con-
| stantly placed at great risk because Of the
very limited facilities that Congress has
given to the fire department.
Chief Paris of the fire department talked
at some length today to Star reporter re-
earding the lack of facilities with which he
is supplied to cope with fires that may
treak out in the city.
Take the cities of Cincinnati, San Fran
cisco. Cleveland, Buffalo. Pittsburg ana
New Orleans, said Mr.. Paris, "and COM
pare the force of the fire departments there
with the force in this city. The populati ton
OF these cities range from 2i2, 600 to Z.)o O,a0
at 23G,0G0, which is a very low estimat
and probably considerably below what the
actual figures should be.
Our hre department consists of 1863 mem
bers, with ten engine companies, four hook
and ladder companies and two chemicals
ard there are 1,751 fire plugs scattered
throughout the city. Comparing this force
with other cities, We find that We have not
scarcely more than half the facilities tha:
are given elsewhere to cope with fires.
In New Orleans, fer instance, where the
population is 242,000. there are p engine
companies 8 hook and ladder companies
and chemicals, with 213 men on the force
In Plttsburg, with a popula .ion of $3.50
there are 10 engine companies, 6 hook and
LADDER companies, chemicals and 239 men.
In Buffalo, with a population Of 2Jl5GOO
there are 23 engine companies 8 hook and
ladder companies, chemicals, with the ad-
ditional facilities of one water tower and
one 1re boat, with 245 men. Cleveland
OHIO has population of POI 600 yet its
hre department consists of 2S1 men, organ
l"ed in % engine companies, hook and
ladder companies, chemicals and two fire
M oca.s; us. san san francisco, with a population
OF 29S.oOO, has fire department organized
INTO - engine companies, 6 hook and lad
der companies, chemicals, with one water
tower and one fire boat, and with a total
1crce OF 4O4 men. Cincinnati has popula-
tlon OF ~, 600, and it has &c engine COM
psnles, 10 hook and ladder companies :,
chemicals and 29S men in the department
Poor Showing for Washington.
This is very poor showing for a city
like Washington, where the improvements
are exceedingly costly and where If de-
structive fire should break out there is
possibility of tremendous loss of property
Now, take the cities that are much smaller
than is Washington. Detroit, Mich with
population of only 205 900, has a fire de-
rartment with 800 men, organized in twen-
~ engine companies, ten hook and ladder
companies, six chemicals, with. one water
tower and one fire boat. This force is
about twice as strong as that in Washing
ton, where the population exceeds Detroit S
| fully 25,00O. There is Milwaukee, with q
population of only 204,OO0, yet they have
fifteen engine companies, seven hook and
iaoder companies, seven chemicals, with
Cne water tower and one fire boat, and DIR
men. Even Minneapolis with only 10000
population, has fire department nearly
twice as strong as that existing in Wash
u gton 1t has eighteen engine companies
five hnn nd 1o1
chemicals and 266 men. ST. Paul, with only
900 population, but little more than one
half the population of Washington has a
force OF thirty more men than we have, or
l. SdnlZed In thirteen engine companies ten
hook and ladder companies and eight chem
lcals. Kansas City, with bu. 132Op0 popu-
lation, has eighteen engine companies five
nook and ladder companies, with one wa
Ter tower. Even indianapolis, with but
10000 population, considerably less than
one-half of the population of this city, has
larger fire department than have We That
city mas fourteen engine companies, four
nook and ladder companies and three chem
icals. l think that these facts are strong
enough to indicate a pressing demand for
additional facilities for the fire department
OF this city without comment.
No Reserve Force.
Should a very large fire occur and a gen.
eral alarm be sent in" continued Mr.. Par
ris, there would be no reserve force to
protect the lives and property of citizens
left wholly unprotected by the necessity of
calling out all the companies to one fire.
This was demonstrated last evening While
tne nre at the rink was burning, another
alarm was sounded, and the one engine not
IN use was sent out on the Brentwood road
1t would have been exceedingly unfortun-
ate II another fire had broken out at that
time, because l do not see how we could
have sent anything to it.
Another fOrcible example of this condi-
ton was had at a recent fire on Louisiana
avenue and b street between 9th and 10th
streets: 1t Will be remembered that a
large fire started there about 8 o'clock in
the evening, and in less than ten minutes
| 1t had spread to such proportions that it
was absolutely necessary to call upon
the entire fire department to subdue the
flames. The fire occurred Immediately
after severe electric storm, and had
another fire started in another section of
| the city it would have been necessary to
send aid from this fire. AS 1t was. with
the entire department doing service at this
fire, we experienced the greatest difficu
| in combining the flames, and not until twen-
ty-three buildings had been completely
gutted was the fire gotten under con-
troll Had there been ten more companies
at that fire they could have been used to
the best advantage.
Dangers Tint Threaten.
''Tbe great success we have had in hand
ling this department seems to have led
some of our legislators to believe that it
| ts impossible for a fire to get away from
us in this city. This is far from the case
At any time with. our present limited force,
we are liable to sustain losses that would
partially paralyze the business of the
city. In addition to the property owned
by the people Of this city, we have to
contend with the many public buildings and
their valuable contents, which are being
| increased year by year. Another thing of
much Importance to us, which makes the
handling of fires in this day a hazardous
and perilous undertaking, is the manner in
which business and dwelling houses are
erected. Houses are erected in rows after
rows. and instead of being two stories as
| In former times, they go up four five and
six stories in height.
In my estimates have asked Congress
| to give US an engine company to be located
In Anacostia, and one in the section bound
| ed by Sth and 10th and d and streets
northwest. There are over ], 100 buildings
In Anacostia scattered over one square
mile and inhabited by 8.OO0 persons, and
this does not include the churches, schools
and outbuildings. yet this suburban town
is without any protection from fire what
ever. An engine company Is located on
North Carolina avenue between 9Th and
7th streets southeast, and that IL the near
est company TO that suburb, which is l-S
miles from the nearest fire alarm hor