The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-25
During 1897 Fire Department Be
sponded to l69 Alarms.
LOSS OF PROPERTY NOT LARGE.
Present Salaries, the CHIEF states,
Are Inadequate and shoutd be In
creased at Once-Ratcs Of Insur-
,ure Have Not Been Redoced-
City Electricians PInckney Makes
an Important ton.


Tho IRE department. and City Electrician
PIakney were completed yesterday after
sooa. They are volurninous documents.
aud show the workings CT the DEPART
nsen,s in every way and shape.
The IRE department responded 20 lss
aiarrns during 1885. as compared with
~ for 1896 Or these, 50 were received
from boxes, 20 by telephone and = st.il.
l. addition 10 the foregoing, four fires
yere discovered BY members OF the de-
ux,rtuent three OF which weFo extin-
gGllsssd without calling cut the appar-
stus.
Losses and Insurance during the year
nere IS follows.
Losses OF. buildings. 3z5.7i3s5: losses on
contents. sss.3-i-30. insurance On buildings.
sl.s. al; insurance on contents, siS2.s2f:
value Of buildings. s9ss 30; value Of con-
tents, tI.z4s. 60: insurance paid. -, -ss;
loss for year. So. o7e.s
According to the table, the loss per
capita. figuring Seattles population at
1909. was se-i0a OF a dollar. The loss on
tire property endangered was Ais o:
per cent. $500
What kellogg Says.
1T is with no little pride" says Chief
Kellogg. "ihat refer TO the above fig
Gfes. Few are aware OF the disad-
vanizges attending the efforts of the de-
partment: lcas distances. heavy grades.
and In the outside districts AN insufficient
water supply have eutaiied total losses
that materially add TO the percentages
given. With the single exception Of The
Kerry mill fire, no serious losses have
Ieen sustained in the business or manu-
featuring portion Of the city. This Is
a. =. - Ksx.L 81 10 d
Jiarmsnt Iafrisnc.y criticisms have
heen made at the speed the apparatus
f. driven going to fires. have no knowl-
edge Of such criticisms having been made
BY those whose property Was endangered.
4 delay or ten seconds at the Stevens
hotel fire would. instead OF loss less
than 500. have resulted IN a loss OF not
less than ss5Uoo, and probably $40. 600
In the course OF his report Chief KEEL
iogg says that In the matter OF municipal
legislation for the government of the sew
trai departments OF the city. Ii will be
admitted that only the best interests Of
the service govern the intentions of the
legislative authorities. but that these In
fentions often mfscarry and the result
practically defeats the object of the pro-
meters cannot be denied.
These conditions prevail continues
Chief Kellogg. "oniy wnen there Is not
q fun understanding Of the necessities
governing the proposed legislation. and
can ne remedied. and the best results OBJ
talned. only by closer business relations
Letween the heads OF the several depart
ments and the making authorities
IL Is not pleasant for the head OF any
department To review the actions OF his
superiors or criiieise their actions. IN de-
tail. but when the service is liable to suf-
fer BY reason OF his silence be then be-
comes simply a figurenead Neither
~ IL fsslt. IL St-<. -
ulent IL necessarily correct in his conclu-
sions. so I say that the matter can only
be rightly determined by Investigation
aided by personal consultations between
the legislative branch and those having
IN charge the carrying out of It's edicts
'''" o'aihances' aaxs 2
The salary Question.
''Not much remains 20 be said on the
subject Of salaries. That the salaries arc
Inadequate none will deny. The Gu, that
was made in tho sularies heretofore paid
WAS regarded by all In the department at
the time as a necessity. and was cheer
fully acquierced in II Is fondly hoDcd
that the renewed prosperity tn nil branch
eS Of business viii reach our department
have already furnished your honorable
body proposition when contemplates a
classification Of companies into first and
second grades: graduated scale OF sal
aries which provides for payment In pro
portion 20 experiences and ability
maximum and Il minimum salary IS es-
tahiished A yearly increase Is provided
fer until the maximum ~ reached
We are now az the end Of the second
year u civil service. In this denartmen,
enough has been learned hv experience it
demonstrate lis adaptablity 90 the re.
anlremsuts Of the service After show
snt M havv no min
takes Of the system are counterbaianeet
BY tho advantages. the chief conclude:
with ths following: ut should be enough
70 satisfy any citizen "a know that onl,
individual merit Is considered in DEPART
msns membership. . condition unknown
prior 20 TIE introduction Of civil service
Seattle II about - witness m era q,
prosperity following the five wears Of de
preston which has afflicted tho rnunicipai
ity and the citizens alike the citizen !.
moving 20 taking advsefase of the oppor
tnnittss Consistently developing. II Il I'm
r~-ssive thar the municipality awaken e
tho necessity anc provide for the contln
gepses sure 30 follow orr rapid ircreass
IN population a~a buildings
''Cpon The cfss craacii. ,se directing art
isv--usas,sng body Seaoat' the ryielenr,
and "a great measet. ,hs success Of IN
several esra, .nen,s. and have no douh
tiaaf a faithful presSntat3c.. Of th. denart
nscnS's nee .sslties wiz result in such act.o,
IS VIII render posaihie TIE utmost benefit
"a be deltsed.
The Fremont Hose COMPANY
by agreement With ~. Fremont MI
cctnnsay. the city council un lieu os othe
facilities for water iR even. % rvA pay
tae min come>ay 81 a day 20 n,alntas
steam for working the pumps tn case c
FIRE This agreement WIS intended an
has IN is tine proved n protection. In OF
der - maintain such protection Il Is IS
sasiial thsf the hcas company he provide
wNA sufficient and seTSfeeaAis hose
would certainly he as wise - have =
steata pressure - work the p9mps as {
have ne hose u Wse 81 connection there
with. The latter nrouostion Is the Cend
tloa 81 thiRxs 81 Fremont tedav. sna ha
bean Tor u Ioag time. Ths FIRE prosectio
sn Fremont is protection only 1
PANE. eSrnot 100 earnestly ~
aew TaN request TIA, Iafa feet ~ hes
he purchased ger the protection 90 yaa
cNpose,i parfte- II the city"
The rhlsf saVE that when engine cor
pSnN " AIS anl 81 service ere siTs ~
- q