Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-01
THE DEPARTMENT MAKES A coon
RECORD FOR THE YEAR.
REVIEW OF TIE YEARS WORK.
Good Number of Alarms, but Few
Large Fires-Fortunate In Having
Few CasuaIties-Splendid Service
of Fire Alarm and Police Patrol.

| promptly and well done. NO IRE Depart
ment in the country has better reputa-
ton. 1t is well managed and well
manned. the commissioners. officers. and
men all being experienced and having at
| heart the interests Of the citizens and
their property.
In the year Just closed the department
has been fortunate. both in preventing
large fires and In guarding the men and
| apparatus against accidents. The total
loss by fire for the year will not exceed
10000
The number of alarms OF all kind re-
ceived and transmitted through the cen
trail office was PSI and the percentage
OF correct alarms averaged 50 per cent.
| This is a splendid record, since alarm
boxes are subject TO all kinds of wea-
Their and frequently injured by the shock
| OF heavy teams striking the poles, etc.
| The department consists Of chief engi-
neer. 1 assistant engineer, IL captains,
= permanent men, and II runners and
substitutes. The system Of civil service
predominates in every branch. Men are
accepted. are placed on the regular list,
and no character of outside influence can
keep them out of their rights. This In
centive always preserves satisfaction ana
peace In the brigade.
The Fire Department Is, by legislative
enactment, under the direction and con-
troll OF the Board Of Fire Commissioners,
composed of the following members:
John H. Frischkorn (presidenD, Jeffer-
son Ward: c. Watt Taylor (vice-presi-
denO, Marshall Ward; Joseph l.. Levy,
Monroe Ward Charles +. Taylor. Nadi-
son Ward l.. G. Jenkins, Clay Ward. and
James r. Sheppard, Jackson Ward. These
gentlemen make a study OF the require
ments OF the department, and it's present
efficiency speaks well for their admins
traton. Four of them, the Messrs. Tay-
lor and Messrs. Sheppard and Jenkins
served in the ranks, and rose from the
humbest positions to those of high au-
thority. and retired from an honorable
active service. only to lend the city their
influence and experience, which, to
great degree, explains its perfection. The
officers commanding are: W. c.. Fuller.
chief n veteran in the service; George
c. Shaw, assistant chief, a fearless and
intrepid fire-fghter; l.. $. Jones, secre-
tary.
ADDED TO THE EQUIPMENT.
This year the board have added to the
equipment Of the department a powerful
new fire engine, which was exhibited re-
Gently, and threw stream over the
top OF the City Hall tower: completely
rebuilt No. s engine. located in Fulton;
introduced steam boilers for heating the
water in the engines. while in the house.
besides paying to the city over 5000 for
gas furnished Every piece of apparatus
has been overhauled, and large sum
has been expended upon the quarters TO
make the force comfortable. and TO such
a high degree are the firemen satisfied.
that any kind of breach OF discipline is.
rare.
improvements now contemplated are
the erection of a new station i'm Clay
Ward for the benefit of No. Engine
Company; the purchase of a chemical
combination wagon for Church Hill, and
al an early date, a water tower"
The inspection of the department De-
cember 9th attested it's popularity, when
a least 1900 citizens viewed the interest
ing exhibits and exercises. The economy
of this administration by comparison with
other cities of equal size makes a very
favorable showing for Richmond, and the
endorsement of its taxpayers as en-
phaszed both politically and financially
appropriations. but has nearly always re-
turned balances though governed in it's
expense by the sum appropriated in
lSS7-'&. when the department was 80 per
cent smaller than 1t is now. This COM
mission meets at least twice a month.
and I'm its entire history has never lacked
a quorum.
The Fire-AIarm Department.
This department. as previously stated. |
Is controlled by the Board of Fire Com |
missloners. is we'll managed by w. II. |
Thompson. superinte lent; A. Stephens, |
foreman Of construction; II. T. Taylor, |
c. Gullett and T. Randolph, linemen. 1t |
Is hard, indeed, TO establish a more COM |
plete corps OF electrical employees than |
the above. and the discharge OF their
duties has given 10 the Fire Commits |
sioners full satisfaction.
Work of the most delicate and expen-
sive character is done in the Offices.
which. if contracted for elsewhere would
entail cost largely in excess of this de-
partments allowance. The workshops are
lifted with improved machinery. The
electricians have just finished a NAM
moth switchboard to control the cur
rent feeding the storage battery at a
nominal cost. which regularly would cost
at least several thousand dollars.
This Office was visited last year. ac-
cording to the signatures on the register.
by II, 676 persons from all over the world
and the beauty of the machinery and
appointment elected nothing but praise
The office is always open. and a trained
employee reports at every fire
TO assist the officers, and as far as pos
sible. to remove. the danger of live wires
distractions, etc.
WHAT THE SYSTEM EMBRACES.
There has been added 10 this service
three street stations, located as follows:
No. S27, corner Of Fourth and Canal; No
342, corner Of First and Orange; No. 3S,
corner Fourth and Clay streets. And
private stations as follows: No. 743, Mer-
chants National Bank; No. 745, Rich
mond Traction Company.
The system now comprises twenty-one
sets Of telephone instruments, one in
each engine and officers house; l60 sta
tons, 70 OF which are private; re-
Deating still-alarm box; 24O miles aerial
wires; electro-mechanical gongs, 50; di-
rect acting gongs, -; / set Of testing
volt meter, ampre
meter 2 six-circuit repeaters, 1 eight
,ircuit local repeater. 3 automatic trips |
Tor releasing horses, three-number indi-
,ators. twelve large bells. weighing from
800 TO 800 pounds. and / l.500-pound bell
worked electrically from this Office, with
rs cells OF storage and 275 cells OF open
circuit battery. for furnishing the electro
motive power for the general working OF
he system. tWenty-fOur Circuit SWITCH |