The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-02
FIRE FIGHTERS BUSY YEAR.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETK-SIN
FIRES DURING 1896.

The Loss of Property s39O,97O, In
surance S720,75S and Insurance
Loss $2s7 ,734-The Fire Commits
siOn's Annual RepOrt-Chief Ma
CURES mendatiOns-Addi-
tiOns TO the Department.
Several Of the city officials filed their
annual reports with the mayor yesterday.
Others viii be filed to-day The first re-
port to come in was that Of City
Marshal Power The report was brief,
showing the amount of collections by exc
cution and other sources by the marshal
last year to be 81, 191.7s.
Among other reports received was that
of the fire commission, including that Of
the fire chief. The report makes
good showing for the commission.
With an appropriation of $4,000 for the
year the commission added to the force
and increased the equipment Of the de-
partment and still has a balance TO its
credit with the city treasurer of $4,775. is.
During the year four regular men and
eight supernumeraries were added to the
force at COST of $500.
Improvements and additions to the de-
partment. including a Holloway double
tank chemical engine and 5000 feet of hose,
were made during the year at a cost of
nearly $4,000 The force now consists of
eighty-six men and officers, enumerated q .
follows One fire chief, one assistant
chief, one superintendent of fire alarm, six
foremen, one acting foreman, five engi-
neers, fifteen drivers, thrty-eight uni
formed nremen. eight supernumeraries
and ten volunteers.
The value of the property of the de-
partment, consisting of engines wagons,
horses and other property, is estimated
at $147O54.75. Mention is made by the
commission of the bravery of Fireman
John Morris in his endeavor to rescue
his unfortunate companion, Frank Nc
Stay who was killed by falling through
the open grating At the Hull fire on Bay
street
The chiefs report gives a detailed ac-
count of the operations of the department
during the year, with a description of all
the property owned by it, There were 1886
fire alarms during the year. OF these Ill
were from street boxes, n by telephone
and IS local Forty-two fires occurred in
brick and stone buildings, 1872 in wooden
buildings, and % in places other than
buildings OF this number IA were confined
to point of origin, 80 were confined TO the
floor of origin and - extended to other
buildings. The property endangered was
valued al $3,475, $50, while the loss was $500,
g7e % or II per cent. The burned property
was insured for $729, 1850, and the insur-
ance loss was 1921, 734.23.
Chief Mcguire makes several recommen-
dations among them being the purchase
of six new horses, one for engine house NO
l. two for chemical engine No. l, two for
truck No. !, and one for engine No. 3. The
purchase of a new hose wagon for No.
engine. and a new hook and ladder truck
are recommended. The desrability of US
ing three horses for the chemical engine
No. instead of two as at present is dwelt
upon the weight of the engine being $500
pounds.
The chief wants the electrician to give
his entire time to the fire department or at
least have an assistant appointed, if he
must continue to look after the Gamewell
system for the police department as well as
the fire alarm system. Two additional hose
stations are recommended, one in Roberts
Vile and the other south of Anderson
street, The laying of a new water main on
Indian street is urged to replace the pres
ent 4-inch main which is insufficient TO sup
ply even one engine.
The employment of nine additional men,
eight for engine company No. 3 and one
for hose company No. l, is recommended.
The advisability of placing conduits on
the river front on account of the difficulty
of getting to the river is urged. The report
of the city electrician, Mr.. w. d. Claiborne
is attached, and contains several recon-
mendations for the Improvement of the fire
alarm service.