The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-19
WORK OF FIRE COMMISSION.
EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS MADE
IN THE DEPARTMENT.

Politics Entirely Removed, Expert
cnced Firemen Put Back, and New
Apparatus and Equipment Secured.
The Cooperation of the Tybee Sc
cured-Improvement Which Led
10 the Taking on of the 10 Per
Cent.-Future improvements to BE
Made the Basis of n Request for n
ShH Further Reduction.
The improvements the fire department
has undergone since the reorganization of
the Fire Commission, are remarkable con-
sidering the short time the new commits
sioners have had in which to accomplish
what has been done
The two new fire commissioners,
Messrs. r. NJ Hull and ]. ]. Carolan,
went into Office on May 10, with Com
missioner T. NJ. Cunningham, Jr., as
chairman of the board. The improve
ments, therefore, have been made within
the space of two months, and it is said
authoritatively that others equally i'm
portant are to follow. 4
Since the reorganization of the commits
sion, the fire department has been entire
ly removed from politics, and is run, not
in the interest of any political clique or
faction, but in the interest of the assured
or the people who pay the insurance prem
iums. One of the first things the commits
sion did was to issue an order prohibit
ing all members Of the department, Off
GERS and men, from allying themselves
with any political club or faction, or at
tending any political meetings, or talking
politics around the engine houses.
In the next place the commission induced
Council, after a presentation of facts re-
laling to the pumping capacity of the de-
partment, showing it to be insufficient for
a city of this size, to appropriate 81, 500 for
the purchase of a new engine. This en-
CINE, which has been ordered and will be
here about Sept. l, will be the largest in
the state, having a pumping capacity of
100 gallons per minute.
The commission replaced many Of the
old and experienced fremen, who we're
discharged for purely political reasons,
and restored them to their former posi-
tons in the service.
Through the efforts of Lieut.. G. B. Ma
her with the consent of the treasury de-
partment in Washington, the cooperation
of the revenue cutter Tybee was secured
to assist in handling fires on the river
front, and all the necessary equipment
viii be furnished by the commission,
Then the commission has instituted
within the department a sort of salv-
age corps, whose duty ii is after every
fire to leave the premises in good condi-
ton, and for this purpose the trucks and
1FrVIn
buckets, brooms and shovels have also
been supplied for this feature, and after
a fire In the future the premises Will al
ways be left in a clean condition.
The commission has, in addition to this
established a branch of the department
known as the supernumerary force, con-
sisting of FIVE men, who are always on
duty, and from this force appointments
viii be made to the regular service, &C
cording to the merit and service Of the
supernumeraries, as the occasion requires.
Upon a presentation of these facts,
showing the improvements already made,
and others contemplated in the future, TO
the executive committee of the Southeast
ern Tariff Association on June II, the 10
per cent. increase in rates made on ac-
count of the past experience of the fire
department. was removed thereby result
ing in a saving to the insuriug pubic of
Savannah of between $4,000 and $4,000 a
lyear in premiums.
The commission, with other improve
ments contemplated in the future, hopes
to secure a further reduction of Is cents
per $1OO, which has been imposed on Sa-
vannah for the last four or five years and
this will amount to a saving of another
$4,000 or $4,000 in premiums. This. of
course, will depend upon the commissions
bringing the department up to the stand
ard in other firsG-class cities in the dis
trict controlled by the Southeastern Tariff
Association.
What has already been done should en-
title the commission to the support of the
insured public of Savannah. The COM
mission seems to have studied the situa-
ton closely, and whatever requests 1t may
make with regard to water mains, or sim
liar needed improvements, will no doubt
receive careful and favorable attention
The commission is familiar with what is
needed and hopes now to soon be able to
put it on a basis which will warrant the
removal of the other 10 cents per 500
By securing the cooperation desired it
IS said that commission will at once get
the confidence Of the Southeastern Tariff
Association, and when it is in a position
to make a presentation OF the improve
ments sufficient to warrant the associa-
ton in making the further reduction it
viii not doubt be only TOO glad to do it.