The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-10
HOBOKEN'S NEED.
Fire Commissioners Will
Ask for More Fire
Apparatus.
CHIEF APPLEGATE's CONFESSION
Lower Part Of the City in Grave
Danger-Houses Out of
Repair.
CHIEF APPLEGATE'S CONFESSI0l

The public agitation in Hoboken for a
more efficient fire department, arising
out OF the two disastrous fires which oc-
CURED a few days ago, was the cause OF
q lengthy discussion by the Fire Commis-
sioners at a meeting held last night. AL
the Commissioners were present with the
exception of Commissioner Gustav
Hauser.
AFTER the usual routine business was
dispensed with President Kuper an
nounced that the meeting was open for
any remarks which the members wished
TO make on he welfare of the depart
ment.
Commissioner F. w. Bender presented
a communication from the Board of Fire
Underwriters of New York recommending
a number of necessary improvements in
the department which should be made in
order to insure the safety of the city
against fire. The communications stated
that an additional engine should
be organized and furnished with either a
steam fire engine or a first class chemica
engine, and be located in the vicinity of
Eighth and Clinton streets, which is the
f~rame-building section of the city now
without adequate protection.
II also suggested a better fire alarm
telegraph. The present system has but
one circuit and is defective. There should
be two circuits, it said, as under the
present condition If the n wire breaks
the entire service is disabled. All cleo
trio fire alarms should be placed under
ground to insure safety from storm and
nTaUnnf q 1io6s1;kr - -
crossed with electric light wires.
In relation to the water supply the
communication recommended additional
fire hydrants, which should be located at
the corners of streets and between the
blocks within the business and immediate
residential sections.
A suitable building law should also be
enacted to provide for the erection of
battlements or fire walls and to prohibit
the erection of frame buildings within
the business and residential sections.
After the recommendations were read
President Kuper said:-''We have asked
repeatedly for more apparatus, but the
Tax Commissioners would not permit it.
These gentlemen thought they knew best
and now they lave the
commissioner Bender moved hat a
resolution be passed requesting the Coun-
Gil to provide the department with a
mouse and another apparatus. He said
tnal the department needed at least two,
a steamer and a chemical engine.
1T is not Mayor Fagan's fault, con-
tinued MI. Bender, that we are in this
condition. The Mayor has been with us
heart and soul. We have been unable to
prevail upon the Tax Commissioners. I
was at both the recent disastrous fires
n am satisfied that the department
could not have done better work. Had
we had another engine the damage at the
$500"
Chief Applegate said that the lower
part of the city was practically unpro-
tected. We have to take out No. / en-
g1ne." said he, and that caves the lower
section with no apparatus. 1 have no
way of getting to a fire only on No. / en-
CINE. If we were like other cities we
would have facilities to get the Chief to
a fire."
Commissioner O'Donnell also advocated
additional apparatus and censured the
Tax Board for not appropriating the
necessary money.
Chief Apologize sail the Tax Board
made it a point to cut the department as
enough last year. he said, ito make re-
pairs. The floors of the uptown house is
SO rotten that the chairs break through.
The Councilmen will meet tomorrow and
/ hope they will act in the matter,
tn taxpayers know" said Commits
sioner Bender, 'that a more efficient de-
partment is needed. A similar calamity
to the recent one may occur any time"
"A resolution appealing to the Mayor and
Common Council to provide another house
two engines was passed. Another
the department for their efforts at the
recent fires was also adopted.