The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-01
Cuba Demands Fer Ab-
SOlute independence.
Statement of a Cuban Dele
gate to United States.
President Cleveland'S Offer of Good
OFFICES Spurned.

|
Sam, like many other persons, Is some-
times altogether too economical. He saves
at the venthole and loses ut tho spigot.
Just now tho attention Of congress 10 being
called TO serious danger which menaces
tho great government buildings In this
city. The people. of the United States have
invested in palntial structures In this cap
ital something like $3.50, ,000, 900. These
| public buildings, such os tie capitol, the
national library, tho patent Office, the post
Office, tho war, state and navy building,
tho treasury, the national museum, the
Smithsonian institution, and many othors
contain records and collections of incal-
culable value. 1t would seem that II any
city i'm the United States Is TO have ample
protection against fire it should be the ma
tional capital.
a Narrow Escape.
A few nights ago fire broke ont In the
center of Washington but block from
the treasury and tho department. Of justice.
1t was in furniture house, nnG, OF course,
made "a fierce, quick conlagratloE. Spec
tators were amazed at tho slowness o. tho
fire department 1t seemed ages before a
stream was playing upon the blaze. Final
ly one hose nozzle was aimed at the fire,
and it was a long time before there was
another, Meanwhile surrounding build
ings were taking fire, and there was seri-
Gus danger of general conlagration.
Fortunately thero was no wind, and after
an hours fight tho flremen succeeded In
conflnlng the blaze to the building in
which it had started. II there had been
high wind blowing toward the treasury,
L. tkuk
great building from destruction.
AS usual in such cases, people were quick
to criticse the fire department. for its slow
work. But whom the facts were learned
all blame was taken from the fire fighters
and put upon congress 1t ohanced that
there wero three alarms almost sinultane-
ously that night. They were In widely
separated parts Of the city, and they drew
the engines away FROM the point of danger.
Before they could be returned to help the
two or three engines which were held In
reserve In the central part of the town, and
which were early upon the scene, tho fro
had secured great Roadway. Now 1t turns
out that Washington has q poorer fire
equipment than any other city of equal
size In tho country.
/ have before called attention to the par
simony of conprass In permitting this ma
tional capital - go along with only ten
engine companies, and / am glad TO have
this opportunity again to press upon con-
grcss tho necessity which exists for increas-
ing the fro lighting machinery Of Wash
iDgton. 1t must DO remembered that in
comparison with its population the ma
tional capital covers greater area than
most cities.
Few Comparisons.
Washington covers about 40 square miles
OF ground, not including the outlying sub
urbs, which depend upon tho city fire do.
partment for protection. New York COW
ers only 65 miles, Cincinnati only 30 and
Pittsburg only 2S. 1t Is almost Incredible
that there arc only ten engine companies
&c protect all this great city from the de-
structivcness of fire. have had talk on
this subject with Chief Paris of tho local
fire department., in which he gives somo
very interesting figures concerning the fire
fighting forces Of various cities
"Our fro department Is altogether too
small, said Chief Paris, "and I live In
constant droad lest n conflagration get into
some OF the big public buildings. 40 not
know what we could do In case a great
ffo were To sweep tho flames into such
buildings as the treasury, the war, state
and navy bnilding and other government
departments. We have not sufficient
force Of men 70 copo with slch an affair,
nor engines nor appliances enough. am
afraid tho loss would be very heavy. Then
thcro would be great outcry. and we
should have a big appropriation for new
engines, but that would be locking the
door after tho horse was stolen.
'Our fire department consists Of 100
members with 10 engine companies,
hook and ladder companies and two chem
icels, and there are 1867 Gre plugs scat
tered throughout the city. Comparing
this force with other cities, wa find that
we have scarcely moro than half tho facili-
ties that arc given elsewhere Co cope with
fires. Our population Is nearly 25o,0 900.
sin Now Orlpans, for instance, where
the population Is gag 600, there are % en-
gine companies, 5 hook and ladder com
panies and 8 chemicals, with 273 men on
tho force In Pittsburg, with popula-
ton OF e8J, 600, thero arc 10 engine com
penics, q hook and ladder companies, 2
chemicals nDd ESQ mon. In Buffalo, with
population Of $4,000, there are 80 on
Rire companies, o hook and ladder COM
panies, chemicals, with the additional
facilities Of ono water tower and one fire.
boat, with 3i5 mon."
Humiiiating Facts.
Detroit, with a population OF only 205,.
600, has FIRE department with 800 men.
organized i'm 90 engine companies, 10 hook
and ladder companies, o chemicals with 1
water tower and freboat. This force IL
about twice as strong as that IN Washing
ton, where the population exceeds DE
t-oit's. Milwaukee. with population Of
only 204,000 has 10 ongino companies,
hook and ladder companies, chemicals,
with I water tower and ilroboat and 253
mon. Evon Minneapolis, with only 1914,
600 population has ilro department near
ly twice as strong as that existing In Wash
ington. It has l5 engine companies, hook
and ladder companies, chemicals aud 2G6
men. So Paul, with only $4,000 popu-
latlon. but little more than one-bnlf the
population of Washington. has forco Of
80 moro mon than we have, organized In
l3 engine companies, 10 hook and ladder
companies and 5 chemicals. Kansas City,
with bat l82 GOO population, has is engine
companies, b hook and ladder companies,
with ! wRtor towor. Even indianapolis,