The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-26
LONDON FIRE BRIGADE
II Has Lately Come Under Con-
siderable Criticism.
COMPARED WITH OTHER SYSTEMS.

Iondoners Much Agitated In Regard to the
Efficiency or Inefiiciency of the Fire
Rripade-The Duke of Manchester MAY
Go to Prison for a Small Debt-woman
sentenced for MISUNDERSTANDING quake i'm
Thuringia-Foreign Notes.
London, Nov. 25-The inhabitants Of
this metropolis, as result of the out
cry which followed the great fire of
last Friday, are much agitated in re-
gard to the efficiency or inefficiency Of
the fire brigade. and the newspapers
are filled with letters comparing Lon
don's system unfavorably with those in
use in America and other countries.
At a meeting of the London county
council the chairman Of the fire brigade
committee defended the organization of
the London fire department, claiming
that II is ahead of New York, Mon
treal and other cities, adding that every
appliance used by the New York fire
department is employed by the London
fire brigade Continuing, the chairman
of the fire brigade committee said his
committee believed the London fire bril-
grade had better enginesand other appli-
ances than were in use elsewhere. One
member of the committee interrupted
with the remark: "And better men
than any other town" This statement
was received with cheers
Some Damaging Testimony.
In spite Of this rosy view of the sit
uation most damaging testimony has
been furnished by member of the firm
% e, IN M q writ Lot
ter to The Times saying that the en-
gines employed in extinguishing the
flames at the great confiagration of
Friday last were short of coal and wa
ter. The writer continuing, explains
that he inquired at different engines on
this subject, as his firm had several tons
of coal in its cellars, and all the at
tendants of the engines replied that they
were short of coal. but had orders not
to go anywhere for coal. But the men
answered that If coal were brought to
them they would use it. Accordingly.
the employees of Herring G. Co. carried
coal to the fire ngines until $3.50 p. m.,
enabling one engine to resume pumping
and making 1t possible for another to
keep up steam. Two of the crews Of the
fire engines refused the proffers of coal,
SdylHS IL was uotltSS, dS lilty Ntlt
short Of water.
Didn't Know a Hydrant.
The member of the firm Of Herring &
Co. furnishes still further evidence of
the inefficiency Of the London fire bril-
gade in a statement, during which he
points out that when one of the engines
arrived opposite Herring 81 Co.'s ware
house an employe Of the firm showed
the firemen a hydrant, but they would
not try 1t, saying 1t was one Of the
electric company's bores. After fruit
less search along the street. however,
the firemen returned to the place oppos-
tie Herring e. Co.'s warehouse and
found that the alleged electric COM.
pany's bore was really a hydrant In
spite Of this testimony Sis Eyre Mas
eey Shaw. X. G. b., who was chief Of
the metropolitan fire brigade in London
from 1861 to 1891 is quoted In an in
terview as saying that he has studied
the fire departments Of New York. Chi
cago, Vienna. Berlin and Paris, and he
adds: London is ahead Of them all"