The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-22
Attention, City Taxpayers.

Mn EDITOR: I ask the attention Of The
taxpayers and insurers OF the City to the
neglected condition OF the fire department
as was evidenced by recent fires, notably
Dave Doeley'D house, and Mattress Factory.
To the FORMER ease, the fire companies
arrived promptly upon the scene, fully
equipped with o suficiency Of hose, owing
to the very close proximity OF g hydfant,
but could get no Whtef, thsre being no
prssstfe. The CONSEQUENCE vas that in
the face of 3 fully equipped department
one house and then another burned to the
ground, where there vas no necessity for
one to burn. Again, last Saturday after
noon, after the Mattress Factory had been
burned to the ground, the Rough and Ready
hre company arrived upon the SCENE with
their smallest hand lael, carrying about
300 feet Of hose, which Blk men can carry
to any part Of the city, The Pioneer Com
pany soon after arrived with their only
hand reel, with about $50 feet of hose.
They experienced tho same difficulty as
heretofore-they could not get sufficient
water pressure to avail anything, but there
wss enough to burst three sections Of the
hose, which latter was, by the way, reeled
in Q most awkward manner with the ends
reversed. Fortunately, the Mattress Fac
tory was unexposed and further ooDha-
grafton. was averted by the vigorous use Of
buckets. These questions naturally arise,
which the taxpayers and inshrers want to
know, have a right to know, and demand
to know.
lst. why can no not got pressure at a
freS
znd. Why the hose was so carelessly
reeled, and why, with the limited water
pressure, the hose buratedP
3rd. Why did the Rough end Ready
company report for duty with n reel, and
that the smallest onef
4th. Why did not the Pioneer Company
report with their horse reel?
9Th Last, but not least, 10 any member
or committee Of Council charged With look
ing afser the hose, that it may alvayo be
that they are properly equipped and that
they want for nothingP
Ifso, why these Irregularities.
These are matters OF vital interest to each
taxpayer, he paying for full protection and
not receiving It. To each insurer it 10
more vital. Wenow have An exceptionally
low insurance rate, the whole credit being
due to the efficient fire department We
have had up to this time, but es soon as
the report Of the irsuf1ciency Of our fire
eGtiuguishing service reaches the ears OF
the South Eastern Tariff Association U
rates will be increased at least o%ne-fourtb
of one per cent, costing the insurers 49,
$50 90 more than now. / wish to state
that I know the fault not to lie at the door
Of the Chief of the Fire Department, for he
cannot act until the apparatus arrives and
is given sufficient hose and water pres.
sure. I kno1 that at the last FIRE the hose
was properly reeled up and stored and bad
- lo1~ --rSnraA nrS ANNA hu fha flhiaF
Who then unreeled and reversed the hose
without his permission, and who has Gu
thority to use fire hose and iiozZ' es for
flushing pipes without bis permis-
Diop7
The blc1ns muat rest where it%helongs-
upon the hesds of the c~ompsnieFand priu.
cipalIy the City Council whose duty it is to
see that the companies respond promptly,
fully equipped, or disbaud thet1 and rsor-
gspiss them II necessary, with a paid de
partment, which will be cheaper than 70
have insurance rates Increased, and which
the Council will possibly decline to appre
ciate Noone who ever saw our hremen at
work can ever impute 60 then the fault OF
their short cumings. They hare time and
again tnade complaints to Council. asking
for hose, coats. rents, &c, aud have received
q Scorpion. Their services are volunteered,
LQ61I OUlY CUmpcu0dIlOu oCiD6 ibo
pittancs Of $500 annual exemption from
street tax, which they have to pay to de
fray 81 email portion Of the expenses Of the
company, and they are naturally anxious
that the public will not continue TO blame
them for the actions Of Council, and 10
this end I believe they have unbosomed
thetrouble, 30 that thew may not continue
to be the shield OF ctherD' fsults, and the
brunt Of public criticism. have tired Of
rushing st each alarm into the hungry
hamea, die, II necessary, sleep in the Pot
ter's field, and fight fire in>auother world
for aught the Council cares. A spirit OF
indifference has always been the manner
Of this Council toward the fire department,
60 much 30 that the Independent Hook
and Ladder Company have given notice Of
dissolution, giving as thei, reasons That
they had been snubbed BIZ Council and
were evidently considered o useless adjunct
to the city government:
Insurers pay $I5, 900 annually in pre-
miuns for fire protection, Taxpayers g..
600 additional. Is thia not enough for
good service? II so, we want 1t, and sug.
gest to Council to take immediate action
on this momentous question confer with
the Chief and his officers that the depart
ment may bs put on the most economical,
safe and reliable basie, provide the COM.
panjea with O gu efficiency OF hose of good
quality which, in buying, let out to the
lowest bidder, quality aiwayn considered
INTERESTED OBSERVER.