The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-12
THE FIRE COMMISSIONERS.
1 Lengthy Reply to The Report Made by
City Accountant Mccarthy.
EMANCIPATION OF APPROPRIATION"
Fully Explained and Justihed-why They
DeaitExcIusively with One firm-That
"Prixate Bank Account"-The In
creased Expenditure.
on.. poara FIR. Commissioners,

| To the Public:
ferring this statement TO the taxpayers
| and general community bsre 10 Bay
| that IN no sense is 1t to be construed ss Il
| defence OF commissions, or an apology Tor
| tbelr actions. which they confidently re-
| affirm have always been strictly wltnlh
| the charter limitations; but In their opln-
ion q clear unbiased statement OF their al
| fairs is due the taxpayers.
| The Board OF Fire Commissioners I'M
| hesitatingly invites criticism and exam
| nation OF their affairs as they are
| part Of the city government and do not
assume that their official acts are perfect
| To this end they invited the EXAMINATION
OF their accounts by the City Accountant.
but did not solicit his law opinions or
! suggestions. The act Of tho Legislature
fully empowers the board with the dis
| erection they have exercised, ior
IN the language Of the act
exercised, for in the language Of the
itself (see section o.. they are explicit
| ly instructed ito take any and all such
action in the premises as II may deem 70
J be reasonably necessary and proper"
The records OF the Department ore kept
with such attention 10 detail that We are
not only enabled TO show a duplicate in
voice of every purchase, but can also ac-
count for every postage stamp, giving data
and for what purpose used.
The record Of the private bank account
| shows that IN seven years the board re-
/ ceived So SS5.56 from the sale OF old MAJ
| terial Of every description, hre-alarm
! boxes and goDgs. and exactly FOR what
| purpose and 10 what extent II has been
/ dsbursed
| 1t might DO Of interest in this connection
| 10 note that an examination Of the Au-
| dltor's books shows d total Of 81 $50 @ for
the eight years preceding the board.
| turned into the city by the old fire COM
I mittees, an average of not quite $3.50 per
annum. whiTe from the same source. with
the addition of boxes and gongs, the
fire board has averaged and carefully ex-
pended for the benefit Of the department,
nearly fifteen hundred dollars each year
The balance sheet shows that tho board
disposed Of twenty-five old horses for
N,9S5.S0 and purchased thirty-seven new
ones at a cost OF 1907 60 without any
warrant on the city Treasury for their
| payment. IL also shows the purchase OF
two Of the new hose wagons Of the very
latest pattern and equipment, radical re-
pairs 70 engine houses, and every con-
ceivable detail for the general betterment
Of the department.
1t will further show that 1851. as were
received from the sale Of fire-alarm boxes.
gongs and construction, giving the de
partment clear profit Of 8. 500 % that in
no sense had any connection with the City
Treasurer, but was with pleasure and
pride devoted, TO the City's interest By
placing new fre-alarm boxes throughout
the city. IT further shows that the
Chief Engineer and Superintendent Of
Fire-Alarm were sent to the National
Convention OF Fire Chiefs at greatly re-
duced appropriations. for where the Coun-
ell had formerly allowed 800 each for each
trip. tho Board has been able 20 accom-
plish the same result at a cost Of about
$50 for the same. These trips have
proven Of great value 10 the city as well
as 10 the officers. 1t was due TO the
Chiefs trip TO the Louisville Convention
that the city saved $4,000 In the purchase
Of a repeater.
The trip Of the Superintendent TO Au-
gusta, last year saved by the adoption
of the storage battery six or seven hum
dred dollars per annum for each coming
year.
NECESSARY AND PROPER.
In view Of these facts the board does
not hesitate 10 say that their action in
this matter was certainly reasonable.
necessary and proper.
With reference 10 the alleged anticipa-
ton Of appropriation, the captain OF
tho No. truck reported last October
that his truck was In a dangerous con-
dillon and liable 10 let down on the way
to fire and kin some of his men.
The board then. acting under their char
tered rights by doing what they deemed
to be reasonably necessary and proper.
knowing that under the law the Council
would appropriate a fixed amount, ana
that IL would take three months 10 buila
a truck, gave an order for one last No
vember, to be delivered in February oil
this year, the bill TO be dated when the
truck was delivered. and the city IN no
wise responsible until then.
The board respectfully submits that,
had they been forced 10 wait until the
appropriations for this year are available
TO give the order, II would probably have
been the middle OF May before the first
step could have been taken; then, allow
ing three months for building, II would
have been the middle Of August before
the apparatus arrived.
Had loss Of life or accident happened
during the interim they would certainly
have felt culpable, even had they not been
so accused. for not doing what they
deemed to be reasonably necessary ana
proper"
In the light Of subsequent events the
board feels amply justified In this pur-
chase as IL would have been a mat
ter OF utter imposslality for the ola
truck TO have accomplished the one day S
work of the new one at the late church
fire and numerous other fires, started
by that one.
The same statement applies to the pur-
chase of hose. The bill was dated q,
its delivery, and the city only responsible
at that time; hence no anticipation but
reasonably necessary and proper"
The 81, 500 due on the Broad-street house
cannot be charged TO the house proper
as the contract for the erection Of that
building. amounting TO S,35l.y0, was
awarded after the appropriations were
made and entirely paid Tor last year,
but 1t is due for extra furnishings ana
extra work ordered by the board in order
TO get the men and machines in the build
ing as soon as possible and not keep lie
apparatus as far as the ArmOry. where
too. a great deal OF trouble was expert
enced in getting them out. from the valua-
BILE business interests IN the centre OF
the city.
All Of this work could have been left
over until the appropriations Tor this year
are available. but the board, again know
ing that, under the law, the money would
come, and obeying the Injunction 10 DO
what was treasonably necessary ana
proper." ordered the work to be com
pleted at once, and the machines and men
brought back 10 where they would best
serve the real and personal interests
OF our citizens. As 10 the 500 brought
forward on account OF hre-alarm boxes
the board feels even more Justined, II II
were possible, than In the other pur-
chases, for in this instance, the fire