Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-13

alarm been sounded before box 6i7 was re-
ceived, when the third fire occurred. they
would have had to depend upon getting a
company from the general alarm fire.
Property at Stake.
| The above circumstance is related TO
| show the great and urgent necessity for an
| increase in this department. Too much cam
not be said In this connection. From the
| books of the assessor 1t may be learned
that the assessed value of taxable real es-
| tate in the District of Columbia is slSn s7G-
| sos. and it should be borne in mind that
this does not include the buildings occupied
by the United States government nor their
contents, and at the present time there are
only ten engine. four truck and two chem
lcal engine companies, with l59 men, all
told to take care and protect this i'm
mense wealth. Something should be done.
| and that at once The fire department
above all departments should be recog-
| nized by large appropriation, for upon its
| members our citizens depend not only for
protection OF property, but also of life.
Money spent in the support and mainten-
ance OF fire department has proven. not
| only in our own city, but i'm every city,
| town and village in the United States, a
| good investment. 1t can always be depend
| ed upon in time of emergency. and there is
| no doubt that il legislators were as
| fully cognizant of the necessity for an ex-
tension in the fire service our citizens.
tnoSe to whom large and efficient fire de-
partment means so much, there would be
no necessity for repeating the earnest pleas
for recognition that have been made in the
past years. In the endeavor to increase
this department by additional companies il
| Is not done for the self-glorification OF any
person or persons. but for the good of our
| city. Of which We are all justly proud.
The first session of the Fifty-fourth
Congress made appropriation for an engine
company, to be located i'm the vicinity OF
North Capitol street and Florida avenue,
and for the erection in Brightwood OF a
house to accommodate the chemical engine
company i'm service on 14th street between
Kenyon street and Kenesaw avenue and
one engine to be placed in the house 10 be
vacated by the chemical company. but fail
ed to make appropriation for a hose car
riage, or the men for either company. The
second session of the above Congress APP
propriated for the men, not to be avail
able, however, until the list of July. 1897,
but likewise failed to appropriate for hose
carriage. There are but three extra hose
carriages i'm the department and one of
these will have to be used until such time
as Congress provides one in its place.
Men Not Provided.
I'm my last annual report particular
stress was laid upon the manner in which
Congress appropriates for our needs. As
has been the case in recent years the
| houses have been built and the apparatus
standing therein, and we have had to wait
| months and months before the men be-
came available ID place these companies
in service. This should not be. The men
should be provided for at the same time
the rest of the appropriation is ordered.
BY this method when new companies were
ready for service We would have all ex-
perienced men to operate them, not be
compelled to make transfers of old men to
| the new companies. thereby, in a meas
ure, Gripping the efficiency of several other
companies, and during the time interven-
ing between the time the appropriation
should become available and the compile
ton of the houses, the men could be as
signed TO the various companies. and while
they were being properly trained and drill
ed the department would have the benefit
OF their services, giving us stronger COM
panieS, which might, perhaps, enable the
department to render more effective serv-
ice. There is nothing that would be de-
rived from this manner of making appro-
priation except that would be of great
benefit to the service, and ii is earnestly
hoped that in the future some little at
tention will be given to this matter. IT,
on the other hand, the Congress will not
| listen to this plea, 1t is hoped that it will
at least provide for the men to be avail
able within six months after the appro-
priations become available for the houses,
SO that the houses are COM
pleted and ready for service We may get
the use of the companies which are so
badly needed without any useless delay.
The new house appropriated for by the
third session of the Fifty-third Congress,
to accommodate engine company No. =, To-
Gated on ID street between 18th and 18th
streets northwest, was completed, and on
the 18th day of January the company va
Gated its old quarters and moved into the
Few. The old house, located on ID street
between 18th and 18th streets, has been
| thoroughly cverhauled and put in good
condition, and as soon as it is possible the
chemical engine, which is now in service
at the house of truck company c, 14th
street and Ohio avenue, will be trans
ferred and placed in service in this house
with full complement of six men, pro-
vision having been made for them at the
last session of Congress. This is done to
give the business portion of our city the
best protection from fire possible.
The second session of the Fifty-fourth
Congress-, in addition TO appropriating for
the men necessary to operate engines IL
and l., four men for No. 1 chemical COM
pany, and four men to be assigned to
chemical company No. ., also appropri-
ated for two additional engine companies,
one to be located in Anacostia, and The
other in the section bounded by 7th, 18th.
and streets northwest. The need of
these two companies was fully set forth
in the last annual report of this depart
ment, and it can only be added at this
time that when these houses are COM
pieted and the companies ready for ser
vice they will prove TO be among the
most important additions that have ever
been made to the department, as they are
located in sections wnere they are very
much needed, and where they will be able
to do important service.
mo. chemical engine company, located
on 18th street between Kenyon street and
kenesaw avenue northwest, Will be trans
ferred to the house erected at Brightwoo1.
To give this section of the District Of CO.
lumbia, which is being rapidly built up
with frame dwellings,, the best possible
protection from fire. it was the Intention
to place a hose carriage fully equipped in
this house. but Congress failed TO APP
propriate the money necessary to purchase
hose carriage for the company to be
placed in the house to be vacated 10y the
chemical company, and in consequence CT
which one of our extra carriages will have
to be used for this purpose, il will not he
possible to place one in service at Bright
wood unless Congress provides for new
one. An appropriation of $500 is therefore,
asked for one new hose carriage"
The Discipline.
Speaking Of discipline the report says:
notwithstanding the fact that the de-
partment is being steadily increased, and
that very rigid discipline is constantly
maintained, there are comparatively few
occasions when it is found necessary to cite