The Indianapolis journal., 1896-01-21
Chief webster Complains Against
Condition of Hose.


The annual report of Fire Chief Webster
was made yesterday to the Board Of Public
Safety. The report shows the number of
alarms, losses by fire and amount OF in
surance carried for the year 1895, as follows:
January-Alarms, Y; loss. s2S,9S0; insurance.
1854, 800. February-Alarms. 66; loss. $132.-
44437; insurance, s707,320. March-Alarms,
IS; loss, s21 1,7CO65; insurance, $3.50 April
Alarms, 4S; loss, s4.272; insurance, $37. .325.
May-Alarms, Al; loss, s2,1l0.4O; insurance,
81, coo. June-Alarms, 46; loss, N,3S34O; in
surance, $l235O. July-Alarms, 43; loss.
sl.7S1.05; insurance, $lS.105. August-Alarms,
80; loss, s., $685. So; insurance. s11.5OO. Septem-
ber-Alarms, 40; loss. 57,O9S.9S; insurance.
s6145Oo. October-Alarms: So; loss, $3,7461; /;
insurance, $16,150. Observation-Disclosures, 6S;
loss, $7,147.75; insurance. $31,2 Seventy
two alarms were sounded in the month of
December, but the chief reports that it was
impossible to secure the amount of losses
and insurance for the month, as some Of
the losses have not been adjusted. The most
serious loss was the Schnull & Co. fire, which
amounted to about $4,000
According to the report the fire force is
politically divided as follows: Republicans
CHIEF. Observation-Disclosures firemen and
Thomas Barrett, assistant chief. Six hum
dred and seventy-eight alarms were sent in
during the year. The department travelled
1851 miles and laid 304,T5 feet of hose
The chief suggests that the engine houses
be painted outside as well as inside, and
says that new floors will be needed in some
of the houses during the present year. The
department has 1890 feet of serviceable
hose and three thousand feet of second-rate
hose. This hose, the chief says, Is not re-
liable. The report recommends that ten of
the sixty-eight horses now IN use by the
department be exchanged for new ones.
Four of the six engines in service are in
perfect condition; one needs repairs and the
other is entirely disabled. The department
has three hook and ladder trucks and one
a aerial truck; Chief Webster ,,,, Is @ urgent In
boxes be abolished. He says that where
two boxes are tolled about the same time,
none but stray strokes are received. The
chief is particularly gratified with the watch
tower branch of the service. which he con-
siders of great value to the department. In
reference to the water company. the re-
port says: 1.-The company has at all times
furnished plenty of water for the depart
ment, although IL is hard for some people
to understand why they cannot throw
through 1,000 feet of hose as is done through
500 feet The pressure is never less than
100 pounds in the center in time of fire,
but the distance thrown depends upon the
length of lines of hose used. feel that If
the idea of the Mayor and you gentlemen of
the board is carried out, the city will have
ample fire protection for years to come,
and second to none in cities the size of
The following recapitulation shows the
cost Of maintaining the department:
Salaries, SlO2, ,57132; repairs to apparatus,
$1.99559; bran and middlings. $253.38;
hay $500; straw, $212.SS; oats, So
69567; new apparatus, $2069.57: print
ing and stationery, $685. fire alarm
boxes. s2,015.50; fuel gas. $99464; arti-
fetal gas, S595.50 soda and acid, s6S6.77;
horses, $1,220; harness and repairs, $3i9 75;
repairs on buildings, s43576: new hose, S.
S6262 supplies purchased for supply room,
sS2371; horseshoeng, 81, ,32425; lumber, $7S9. .02;
plies, 81, ,723. 80; bed and beding, sS07. 60: mis-
cellaneous, s., ,O12.21, making a total of s132,-
5c- 60