The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-09
Chief fERBER'S ESTIMATE
Made on the Basis Of d Paid Fire
Department.
MEN AND APPARATUS NEEDED
Total Cost Of Paid Service for the Year
lie Estimates Would Nc SOS. SAL
8S-DctaiIs OF tho Figures
That lie Gives.

Believing that Scranton ought to have
a paid fire department and convinced
that the growth of the city demands
IL. while there Is not the intention on
his part in any degree to underrate the
efficiency of the present volunteer sys-
TEN, Chief Engineer H. f. Ferber, in
his estimate presented to City Con-
troller Widmayer yesterday, for the
fiscal year 1896, has included an item
of $4,000 salary for thirty permanent
men, In addition to the force now oper-
ating.
His estimate for the volunteer depart
ment amounts to s4O.32O; the $4,000 sal
ary for thirty men and the purchase OF
two additional chemical engines, one
for the West Side and the other for the
North End. and also the purchase of
other appliances which would be nee
essary II a paid service We're inaugu-
rated, would amount to $25, 52l.6S. This
added to the sum that Is required to
run the department as 1t now exists.
woud bring the cost of paid service up
to $65,S41.6S. The various items set
forth in Chief Ferber's estimate for the
fiscal year 1896 are as follows: Salary
of chief engineer, $1,000; five engineers,
$500 each, 1000: five stokers. $3.50 each,
$3.50: two permanent men for Neptune
Engine company, 100; two for Nay
Aug Engine company, $1,000: two for
Franklin Engine company, $1,000; two
for Crystal company. $1,000: two for the
Hook and Ladder company, $1,000; two
for the General Phinney company,
81, 200; one for the Eagle company, $500:
one for the Phoenix, $6GO; one chemical
engineer. $720: one man for Relief Hose
company. 5000: one for Liberty Hose
company. $500; one for the Columbia
Hose company, 5000; one for Excelsior
Hose company, 5000; one for Century
Hose company, $780, one for william
Connell Hose company, $500; and one
for Niagara Hose company, 5000.
Maintenance of Quarters.
The items for the expense Of the
maintenance Of the companies quar-
ters and incidentals are as follows:
Light and heat, $1,S00; rent of fire alarm,
sl,1Oo; maintenance of Il fire alarm
boxes, So $50; parade and inspection. $500: /:
repairs Of apparatus and harness. 1000;
supplies, $500: repairs on engine houses,
$1,000: printing and stationery. $3.50:
rent of engine houses, $500; purchase
of fire hydrants, $1.50O; repairs and
erection of hydrants. $780, incidentals,
$3OO; veterinary expenses and medi-
cine for horses, $500: purchase of hose
$1,000; telephone for chief, $50; substi-
tutes for vacation and sickness, $500:
pulling apparatus to fires, 500; keeping
of 80 horses at $40 each. $4,000; repair
Ing OF hose. 500. Total, $4O.32O.
Chief Fcrber recommends the follow
ing and states positively that they
would be of incalculable benefit to the
department. They are: Purchase Of
horses $1,000; purchase Of a combina-
tion wagon, hose chemical and hook and
In Il e..
Hose company, $l.S00; and a double
drop harness for the same company
$l25; combination wagon. hose, chemi-
cal and hook and ladder for the Excel
sior hose company. 81. 800; fire alarm box
for First ward, $l25; one for Twentieth
ward, $l25: one at the corner of Glib
son street and Clay avenue, $125; one
at Vine street and Prescott avenue. 1925:
one at Penn avenue and Mulberry
street, SIPS; one at Washington avenue
and New street, SIPS; for glass boxes for
fire alarm keys. S10O; maintenance of
six boxes, $166.6S; team Of horses for
Niagara company, $500; shut OFF noz-
zles, pipes. relief valves, etc, $500 six
district engineers at $3.50 each. 5000; six
bell strikers for district engineers, $50
each, $3.50; thirty permanent men, $500
each, $4,000. Total, $25,52l.6S.
Only objection Is Expense.
The argument in favor of a paid de-
partment are manifold, and the only
one against it is that the taxpayers
cannot stand the expense Of 1t.
The estimates Of the several depart
ments were expected to be presented
at the meeting of the councils tomorrow
night, but City Clerk Martin T. Lavelle
stated yesterday that the estimates are
not yet ready. They will be presented
at the following meeting.