The record-union., 1897-08-06

one Of the relief carts be placed in
service, with headquarters at truck
house No ., ample room being there
for the accommodation Of the apparatus
named.
CASUALTIES
On the afternoon of July 18th, while
on duty at a fire On Eighteenth, F and
G streets, Henry Myer, tinerman of
hook and ladder truck No. =, was over
come by the heat and smoke and off
duty for two days
On the morning of July 18th, while
on duty at a fire in the alley Seventh
and Eighth, @ and r streets. John Null
lurburg, Assistant Foreman of Engine
Company No. /, had his back injured
by everything Off duty for four days.
During the year there have been
no accidents to citizens, except in
few cases where women received slight
burns in using gasoline and coal oil
stoves.
FATALITIES
On the morning of September IA, 1896,
John Heintzman, an emplOye of the
said factory, while asleep in the build
ing. was burned TO death and his
charred remains We're found in the
ruins.
CHANGES.
Only one member of the department
has resigned during the year, Frank
Wallace, hook and alderman of Hook
and Ladder Company No. l, his place
being filled by the appointment Of }.
NJ. Robbins.
The following transfers have been
made during the year: ]. NJ. Robbins,
hook and ladderman of truck No. l, to
hoseman of Engine Company No. 3;
J. NJ Mitchell. hoseman of Engine Com
pany No. ;, to hook and ladderman OF
truck No. l.
During the year property amounting
to 500 20 has been sold and the pro-
ceeds turned over to Auditor Young.
DISCIPLINE.
The discipline of the department has
been excellent. During the year there
have been national, county and city
elections, with their attendant parades
and excitements. The department has
obeyed the directions and spirit of the
rule governing the same and has kept
out of politics. My desire is to pre-
serve the integrity and worth of our
fire department and never to permit the
poison Of politics to be injected into
its veins. The fire service is based upon
acquired scientific or mechanical knoW1-
edge, and is a distinct craft, requiring
skilled labor loyalty to duty and de-
votion in the face Of danger.
VARIOUS DETAILS.
The total manual force of the de-
partment consists of fiftytwo men and
a long list of these and their salaries
follows, supplemented by an inventory
of the property of the department.
The report concludes as follows:
In closing this report, I desire to
tender my thanks to the honorable
Board of Trustee for the active inter
est they have manifested in adj mat
tiers pertaining to the success of the de
partment, and to his honor, Mayor c.
H Hubbard. I also desire to express
my thanks to the officers and members
of the force for the alacrity mani
tested on all occasions in complying
with my orders. Respectfully submit
ted HENRY a. GUTHRIE
Chief Engineer Fire Department"
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
The report of superintendent R. Wat
kins Of the fire alarm system accom-
panies the Chief Engineers report, and
shows that it consists of forty-four
miles of iron wire, with some insulated
in, Il r,la al Rf W.
is on poles. There are about 500 poles
in service, part of which are owned
by the city, and part by the different
electrical companies. There are six
circuits, one gong or main circuit. and
five box circuits. No extensions have
been made during the past year, only
general repairs and some new poles
having been set.
He earnestly requests that the sys-
tenn be reInodeled. At present alarms
can be turned in from all the boxes
at one time, and it frequently happens
that two or three boxes are pulled at
one time for the same fire. thus con-
fusing the firemen and allowing the fire
to gain Roadway while they are trying
TO find out where it is located, whereas,
with a perfect alarm system, only one
box could be pulled at a time, and the
firemen would not get scattered, but
would go direct to the scene of the fire
and save more property.
He makes a recommendation for the
adoption of a certain system and gives
an inventory of the property belonging
to the system at present, and the ex-
pense of maintaining it.
The company reports are also includ-
ed in the main report.
A very complete report of the various
fires, loss of property and insurance in
each case is also made a part of the re-
port