Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-17
Comparative Statement of the Cost of the Differ
ent Departments for 1894 and 1895.

t<f,V<-.fo fo,so1os
The report of the Chief of the Fire
Department is as follows:
To the Honorable Mayor and Members o.
tie City Council Of the City Of Olympia
GENTLEMEN: In conformity with
Ordinance No. 49S, have the honor
as Chief OF the Fire Department oil
the City of Olympia. to submit my
seventh annual report, together with q
correct record of all fires which have
occurred during the year 1895, the
losses incurred, the amount of insur.
ance paid. the cost Of maintaining the
department for the year ending De.
cember 81, 1895. and also the amount
of apparatus belonging to the depart
ment, and what is needed at the pres
ent time.
The apparatus in service at the pres.
ent time consists OF hose wagon, with
eleven hundred feet of hose which il
in good order, drawn by two horses
three hose carts handled by men; one
cart in No. engine house, with 700
feet OF Excelsior hose in fair condi-
ton; one cart in No. l engine house,
with $50 feet of Maltese Cross hose in
good order; one cart in gas works
house on Eastside, with 500 feet OF
old Maltese Cross hose (condemned)
one hook and ladder truck handled by
men, with 140 feet of ladder in good
condition; one Silsby engine in good
order, and one hand engine in good
order. ]. C. Percival has one hose
cart on his dock, with 400 feet OF NAL
tese Cross hose (condemned). There
is one cart owned by the Olympia
Door e. Lumber Co., with 800 feet OF
old Maltese Cross hose, stationed at
sawmill with hose belonging to the
city (condemned). All OF these are
under the control of the department,
and can be brought into service at any
time.
There are Al fire.plngs located in the
city with pressure running from 40
to 11S pounds. We have fire alarm
system, which has given good salts
faction and which costs but little to
maintain. We have eleven fire alarm
boxes at the present time, one OF these
being a private box stationed in the
Olympia opera house. We have 500
feet of hose in fair condition, and g..
700 feet of old hose in poor condition,
making q total of 1920 feet OF hose.
We have $50 feet Of condemned hose
in store house, making grand total
or 4 $50 feet OF hose in all conditions.
There are at the present time 65 fire.
men on the roll books of the depart.
ment in good standing. The depart.
ment is in good condition, and har-
mony prevails in all the companies,
and we have had good success during
the year ending Dec. 81, 1895.
We have had 10 fire alarms during
the past year, resulting in loss oil
1925, all of which was fully covered by
insurance, which has been paid.
Our success in fighting fire is due in
a great part to the fact that the City
Council has furnished good apparatus
to work with, and l hope that the
same spirit will prevail in the presen,
Council. The insurance companies
have faith in the department and theiI
opinion should not be changed. They
have from time to time made large re.
auctions in the rates of insurance tC
the property owners, which would
more than pay the entire expenses o.
the Fire Department.
During the year 1895 fire occurred
in the Hale block and one in the Pres
byterian church, either of which would
have caused great loss Of property
and have become very disastrous fires
had it not been for the paid firemei
being at their post of duty and prompt
ly answered the alarms. / therefore
recommend that there be no change
made in the paid service of the Fire
Department.
The cost Of maintaining the Firt
Department for the year ending Dec
I3l, 1895, was $3,2S9.1l, as against Sc,