The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-17
FIRE CHIEFS REPORT
Shows Fire Loss in Topeka Last
Year Only $4,000.
Few If Amy Towns in the World
Can Equal This.
Expenses of the Fire Department Are
Light, and They Were Reduced
Little Last Year.

Ii Ills dAnud1 report 10 lll0 Al4o OA anu
| city council for the fiscal year ending
March 81, 1897, Chief Wiln1arth of the
fire department will show that the de-
! partment has been kept up to its high
standard of efficiency, while at the
same time the running expenses have
been reduced $15S.65 over those of the
| previous year.
He will also show that in SO per cent
of all the fires which the department
| has been called to, the damage has been
confined to the building in which the
| fire originated. Topeka has the most
| complete electric fire alarm system of
| any city of its size in the world. 1t
has as good a department as any of its
size. The fire losses show this An
| other thing which is interesting to
know is that the department is not I'M
der the. control of politics. The men
! are neither employed nor discharged for
| political purposes.
Each applicant has to pass a certain
| examination and has to be fit as to
| height, weight, physical SOundness, and
| must be of moral, sober and industrious
! habits. The discipline of the depart
ment is excellent.
At present there are 80 regular fire.
men and officers in the department.
| There are four hose companies, two
| chemical companies and a hook and
Ladder company; 16 horses are used
Chief Wilmarth summarizes the ex-
penditures of the department as fol-
lows:
| EmplOye pay roll ..............$23, 293 II
Il .
Total running expenses $50, 747 40
1000 feet of Hose .............. $50 90
The receipts of the department We're
of course, small. They were:
Cash from building permits. ..... 1927 90
Sale of condemned articles ...... 20 Il
Total to city treasurer ........$147 Il
There is now in the possession of the
department 5000 feet of hose. Some of
this is RUBBER hose. which does not last
well. The chief recommends to the
council that 1000 feet of the cotton hose
be purchased soon to improve the serv-
ice
In the matter of fire losses the past
year has been one of remarka bly, small
figures. The total losses by fire have
been but $14.2O2O5, which Chief Will
marth declares is wonderful.
The total value of property in which
fires occurred was $430, 3O5 The total
amount of insurance upon these proper
ties and the contents was $27O,55O. Dur
ing the year there We're 1O8 alarms of
fire, being 20 less than for the previous
year.
In the electric fire alarm system in
use here there are 80 miles of wire.
Eight fire cisterns are always kept in
condition ready for use in case of ener-
gencv and there are 31S fire hydrants
in the city. This is not enough by
drants, but while the city and the wa
ter works company are Htigating in the
courts, no new hydrants can be placed.
In the causes of fires Chief Wilmarth
various causes, giving the number of
each for the past year, which are as
follows:
Incendiarv
Carelcssness with gasoline stoves. 8
Children with matches ...............
Defective fueS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
SCOT on Single roofs ..-..-...........
StOvepipeS too near woodwork D
Oil lamp explosions NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Mice and matches Observation-Disclosures. l
Fire works Observation-Disclosures.
F'lue stop out of place ................
Electric light wires OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Clothes too near stove ........-......-
Hot air furnace NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l
Gas jet in show window .............. l
General careleSSneSS with fire .......
The valuation of the fire department
property is placed at $59S75, of which
the building and contents are rated at
$50 800, the apparatus, horses, supplies,
etc, at $19, co., and the electric fire
alarm system at $10,375. These figures
do not include the value of the ground
upon which the fire stations are situat-
ed. Insurance is carried on each sta
ton.
On No. I, in North Topeka, there is
policy for 81, 600; on headquarters, in
Guiding city building, $4,000; on Jeffer-
son street station, $1,000, and on Clay
street station, $1,000.
During the year three new horses
have been bought for the North TOpe-
ka station, and three old worn out
horses disposed of.
Each fireman's life is insured in the
IraVelerS insurance company Oh
Aug. 20, 1895, the Firemen's Relief as
sociatiOn was organized. This assOcia-
ton keeps up the accident policies for
$500 for each fireman. In case of acct
dent IS a week is paid. The association
also pays 500 funeral expenses upon
the death of any fireman who loses his
life through the performance Of his du-
ty. There is now in this firemen's relief
fund the sum of s1,794.85.
Chief Wilmarth reports the depart
nent in excellent condition and the ap-
paratus in good order. All the men are
in good working condition. During the
year but five of them were injured, and
no fatal results are consequent.
The report which Chief Wilmarth has
prepared is similar to the ones issued
every year with the exception that
some money has been saved in the run
ming expenses. It will be presented to
the city council May 3.
Mrs. Vanderbilt's Estate.