The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-01
OUR FIRE PROTECTION.
THE DEPIRTHINT or EirHHOND
md HOU IT ~ CONTROLLED.
improvements I'm the service During the
Year Number of Alarms Turned ia.
The New Headquarters.


enactment under the directioa aId con-
trol OF the Board Of Fire Commissioners
/ composed OF the following mcm1ers-siz
| John II. Frishkorn tpresidenU. Jefferson
/ ward: q. Watt Taylor tuce-presidenp'
Marshall ward. Joseph =. Levy. Monroe
/ Ward. Charles =. Taylor Madison "aiu'
/ J. g. jenkins. clay ward, and James H.
I Sheppard, JACKSON ward. These gentle
men make study OF the requirement.
OF the department, and its present EN-
/ cheney speaks Sc for their aahi'hlsttd-
ton. The officers are. ". g. Fuller
/ Chief Engineer: 6. G. shaw, First Assist
ant Chief Engineer, T.. +. Snead, Second
/ Assistont Chief Engineer, and george l..
/ Paynter, secretary; Dr. Edward McCaF-
thy. physician TO department
HEADQU ARTERS BUILDING.
The department has Just completed d
magnificent headquarters building on
Broad street between Ninth and Tenth,
at Il cost OF nearly $4,000, without asking
the Council for an extra appropriation.
This structure is the most complete IRE
department headquarters in the South.
In it are quartered Engine Company NO.
3. Chemical Company No l, ana Hook
and-Iadder Truck Company 30. j. Two
engines. one horse-wagon, one oa-foot eA-
tension Hayes truck. eight horses, ana
fourteen men-all have apartments WIKI
the most modern cOnyeniences
Ia the tower of this building is l,59l-
pound bell, which IS worked 10y electricity
from the Tire-Aarm office and records
the alarms just IA the same manner ana
AZ the same time they are recorded on
the eongs ia the engine-houses. An adj
ditionai horse has been added TO the big
Hayes truck. which now, Wijh three
D al. az
and greatly relieves The tremendous
strain which mas heretofore been on the
two horses. as formerly driven. Ihs
doors of an of the eugine-houses have
been vestibuied. and general touching
up has been given the entire department
apparatus.
EXCELLENT DISCIPLINE.
Tho discipline Of the department is ex-
colent. and there has been no serious
iufraction OF rules. etc. during the
year There IS one death TO recofd-thai
Of Engineer John Mackie of No. 1 Com
pany. which occurred on the 9TH Of April
ami deprived tho department. OF one OF
fits oldest and most influential nemDers
The Chemical Company has done good
work since its organization, eXtinsuish-
ing a great many fires and saying thou
sand of dollars I'm water damage.
The department is 90 be congratulate
that Their We're no fatalities to record
during the year. and the tre-lcss Is
known to be comparatively small al
though the exact figures cannot be given
Just AT this time. Most or the loss oc-
Cured in a few fires Through the ana
IL the department quite a number OF
ne~sous were taken from burning build
incs during the year. Three thousand ieei
of good hose have been added. Electric
indicators for throwing I'D the number
of the box from which an alarm Is sent
haye been placed in each Of the engine
houses.
Among tho most notable fires were
those at the establishments OF j. III.
Hargrove & Co, Rosendorf q CO., j..
ID. * 2. ;. Christian Lower Gas-Works,
Champion Plaster-Works. ST. Claire
Hotel. W. H. Bennie, Thomas Stasg,
Griffith Nayo e CO.. T.. +. Taylor * GO.
Mrs Guide. r. a. stumpf, Randolph
paper-box factory, and Sanger Han
THE FTRE-ALARM ~-~ '''"'f"NT.
This department is also under the d.
rectlon and control of the Board o. FIRE
Commissioners who nave done att DO
fboir mower 10 make the system the
effective mainsprng 10 Richmond ; wei'@
ORGANIZED fire department The following
are the members of this department, each
---,-.-- ~ REGULAR trrn os operator 'n
rho central office. W. II. Thompson.
suDorinteuGent: George r.. Payuter As
sistant Superintendent. a. Stephen. Fore
man of Construction, i. @. Randoll Do
and =. c. Minor. Linemen. There have
been 3 uew street and private stations.
20 direct-acting eOngs and about ID mil 3
Of wire added 20 the system during me
wear The system has been completely
re0rganized hy the addition Of new
six-circut repeater switchboard Nhe
tr.
tiers. individual auxiliary song, etc,
and about fifty miles Of No. - copper
wire TO lessen the burden on the old
repaater The system now comprises 10
sets Of private telephone instruments
lone I'm each engine and officers house,
1873 stations 90 Of which are private
Il etifl-alarm boxes over i'3 miles or
aerial wires. % electrO-mechanical gonss'
Us direct-acting gongs set or lesuis hl-
struments. six-circuit repeaters, au-
tonatic trips for releasing horses,
three-number Gamewcll indicators. -
large bells Weighing from 500 10 1890
pounds. and one 1900 pound bell work
ed electrically from the Office, with sou
cells of gravity. 2o0 cells stora AaAd go
cells Samson battery for furn the
olac.ro-motiva power for theT neral
working OF tho system.
The record Of alarms shows that there
were fi1 regular alarms AMI llO stlli
alarms. making total Of 90 alarms
received at this office and transmitted
10 the fire department during the year
POLICE PATROL SYSTEM.
The Police Patrol system. which cleo
tricallv. IS unlrr the control of this de-
nartment. continues TO grow in strength
and usefulness and has given general
satisfaction during the year There We're
1.5f wagon-cans and eos telephone mes
saess sent over ,he system. The greatest
number Of calls we"e received from box
IS q. %. %. q. f23. f2i and pa.
Stations 52i, Third and Byrd, and
2ff. Twelfth. near clay. have recently
been added TO ;he system, which now
COMPRISES % street-stati0ns. ( relays, l
eieht-inch electro-mechanical gong, d.
rect-acting eongs. gaivonometers, I
operating desk. I folr-pcn and l one
peu registers. % sets telephone instru-
rnents. 80 cells gravity and IS cells La
Clancehe battery. and about - miles or
conner wire, with central Office located
AT the Second Police Station under the
charge Of Captain j. r. Angle. with
Sergeants Cosby Talley, Brooks. and
Allen acting alternately as operators.
The City Hall clocks are also under
tho charge OF the Fire Alarm Department.
which has kept them in trst-class order
There are 30 Of these clocks, and all are
worked electrically from the clock in the
tower. The 40 cells OF Since and l. cells
NJ Samson battery required 10 work them
are kent ia the basement with the fire.
alarm battery The wires 10 these clocks
centre IN and are controlled from the
central office on the fourth floor. The