Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-01
TOFIGHT THE MES
THE EQUIPMENT or THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT COMPLETE.
FIRE ALARM And POLICE PATROL
Splendid Service Rendered the City
Last Ycnr-k Record of Perfect
Discipline nnd Great Efficiency
Few Big Fires.

most ANllIltAht fAllNlNNAs anu EiAlaA a. tNA ,
Fire Department. The equipment is adj
mirable, and it IS o notable fact that
the department is on such a sound basis
| that it IS able 10 keep abreast Of the
times, and to promptly acquire any Of the
| new devices which are invented from
time to time, and are found to be SER
viceable and sllutary.
The different branches Of the depart
ment are recruited with men who are
not only able to stand severe physical
| strains. but whose moral character will
bear the closest investigation. The zcal
and the reliability that they have in
variably shown have frequently been the
subject Of the highest compliments from
all sources. and the services rendered by
them in emergency has often been posi-
lively heroic.
The Fire Department IS, by legislative
| enactment. under the direction and con-
troll of the Board OF Fire Commission
| ers. composed of the following members:
John ii. Frischkorn presidenD, Jeifer-
| son Ward; g. Watt. Taylor (vce-presi-
! denO. Marshall Ward; Joseph j.. Levy,
} Monroe Ward; Charles +. Taylor. Madi-
son Ward L. c. jenkins, Clay Ward. and
| James r. Sheppard. Jackson ward
| These gentlemen make study OF the
requirements Of the department and
its present efficiency speaks well for their
administration.
The officers are: W. J. Fuller, Chief;
George G.. Shaw First Assistant Chlei'
L.. Y. Snead, Second Assistant Chiet;
George j.. Paynter, Secretary, and Dr..
/ Edward AlcCarthy Physician.
HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
The department completed at the be-
| Ginning of the year "a magnificent head
/ quarters building. on Broad street oe-
| tween Ninth and Tenth. at a cost OF near
~ $4,000. without asking the Council
for am extra appropriation. This struc-
ture IS the most complete fire depart
! mcnt headquarters in ne South. In IL
are quartered Engine Company NO. -
| Hook-and-Iaddcr Truck Company NO.
and Chemical Company No j; two
engines. one hosc-wagon, one 63-Ioot eA-
tension Hayes truck. eight horses anu
fourteen men-all having apartments with
the most modern conveniences and APP
plisnccs. In the tower OF this building
is n 1.50O-pound bell. which Is worked 10y
electricity from the fre-alarm ONCE anu
records the alarms i'm just the same mani
ucr. and at the same. as they are re-
corded in the ongine-housos. An aadi-
u0nal horse has been added to the Hay ea
truck. which, now. with three horses
abroast. looks Just as 1t should. and
greatly relieves the tremendous s1i""'
vbioh has heretofore been on the two
horses as formerly driven. The doors
of an the engine-house8 have been yes
tu,,l1ed and a general touchins-up given
all the houses. ,,.
MAGNIFICENT new hook and ladder
truck with C5-foot extension ladder an0
an the very latest appliances for iightirs
fire. including the life gun, life net, pom
uiar ladders. etc, has been placed IN lAt
Laurol-streat house to take the place o
tbe old one which was worn out anl
dangerous. The chemical company has
done good work since its organization
oxtineuishing q great many fires and
savings thousands of dollars in water
damage.
THE GENERAL EQUIPMENT
,ro the general equipment Of the de-
rartnent have been added Miller smoke
protectors. Cooper hose jackets, six Res
fire extinguishers. Smith hose gates, 'ant
new trips for releasing horses NO.
Engine has been painted and fitted witt
new valves. No. 4 Engine has also beer
6tte5 with new valves and her wheels
paintod No. Engine-House has beer
painted. and the Chiefs buggy supplied
with new wheels.
The department has several times du'
ring the year very effectively aided thl
J Health Department i'm pumping out SUD
| merged cellars. The discipline OF inc
department has been excellent and there
has been no serious iniracuon OF TIC
rules during the year.
Although on several occasions the mer
were dangerously near being caught
under falling walls. the DEPARTMENT is &c
be CONGRATULATED that there are no
fatalities 10 record during The year. anC
the fire loss, with the exception Of tho
Crace-Street Baptist church fire. wher.
most of the loss occurred. is known &c
be small, although the exact figures can
not Just now be given.
Through the aid Of the department g
number OF persons were taken from burn
ing buildings.
rive thousand feet Of good hose have
| been added and electric indicators fOl
alarms placed in each engine-hOuse. tn,
most notable fire of the year was The
church fire. which not only consumed IN,
church. but set fire to a great number
Of other buildings, some moro than
mile away.
FIRE-ALARM DEPARTMENT.
This department is also under the direc
ton and control of the Board Of Ilr'
Commissioners who have done all n
B their power to make the system the oifec
tive handspring to Richmonds weil-or
ganiZed Fire Department. The iollOWlh'
are the members of this department, eaci
serving in regular turn as operator a
the central office: w. H. Thompson, Su
perintendent; George j.. Paynter, Assist
ant Superintendent; A. Stephan, Foremal
q If0I" al
i. Gullett, llnemen.
There have been one new street and on
private station ten direct acting gongs
, and about forty-five miles Of wire adde
to the system during the year.
The system now comprises - sets o
. telephone instruments zone in each engine
and ofiicers-house), all Of which are WORK
; ing on metallic circuits; l55 stations q
Of which are private, II still-alarm boNe
over 225 miles of aerial wires % electro
mechanical gongs, 1i5 direct acting gong'
set of testing instruments, siX-circui
: reDeaters. 9 automatic trips for releasin
horses. three-number Gamewell mdlca
. tors. u large bells weighing from SVO I
1900 pounds, and one l5JO-pound Del
, worked electrically from this office, VII
4 GOO cells storage and 250 cells Samson bar
. torv for furnishing the electro-motiv
| power for the SeheIdl Moihii'5 u 'iO -
tenn. The record of alarms shows tina
= there were 15l regular-box and 129 sti
81 alarms. making a total OF 2S3 alarms r.
r ceived at this office and transmitted I
; the Fire Department during the year.
; POECE-PATROL SYSTEM.
The police patrol system, which i
electrically under the control Of this de
nortrent. continues to grow in strength
and usefulness, and has given genera
satisfaction during the year. There wer
1-c waeon-calls. and 2706 telephone mes