The evening times., 1899-03-30
LOCAL FIRE ENGINE
HOUSES UP TO Date
Compare Fayorably With
Those in Other Cities.
Mr.. WiShfs Return From Tour of
Inspection.
Some Features in Which Washing.
ton Structures Are SuperiOr to
Those of New York.

District Commissioner Wight has re-
turned to the city from New York and was
at his desk in the District Building early
today. The object of the trip was TO con-
suit with Andrew Carnegie, donor of the
S250,O0O gift of a public library to this
city. He was accompanied by B. III. War
ner. Vice President of the Washington
Public Library, and Bernard r. Green
Superintendent of Construction of the pro-
posed building, but the latter returned be-
fore Mr.. Wight, as the conference with MIR.
Carnegie was completed last Monday
After the conference Mr. Wight remain
ed over in New York and spent two busy
days in New York city inspecting engine
houses. He visited Philadelphia yesterday
and continued his observations in that
city. During his absence from the city
Mr.. Wight visited about fifty different en-
gine houses of all classes and kinds of con-
struction. Mr.. Wight, as President Of the
Board OF District Commissioners. is in i'm
mediate control of the local Fire Depart
ment, and by reason of his position is well
qualified to make comparisons between To-
cal and other engine-houses.
Washington is as far advanced as New
York and Philadelphia when il comes to
comparing engine houses stated Mr..
Wight TO a Times reporter this morning.
Many new and modern structures of this
character have been erected in New York
and Philadelphia during recent years, and
il was for this reason that it was decided
10 visit such buildings in both cities. But
the engine-houses of this city are every
hit as modern and complete as they are
in either of the other cities mentioned.
Their departments may be larger because
the cities are larger but their engine
houses are too narrow. This is the first
feature which impresses itself upon one in
looking at New York and Philadelphia en-
houses. The narowness of the build
ings is probably caused by the high prices
demanded for ground in both cities.
Our engine-houses are wide enough for
the engine and hose-wagon TO Atand side
by side and also TO have two large swing
doors. With few exceptions, their engine
houses are one door wide. Our houses are
built so as to have the horses in stalls To-
Gated at the rear of the machines. In
New York and Philadelphia some of the
engine-houses, and in fact, many of
them, are so narrow that only one door
is provided and the horses are placed in
stalls arranged along the side of the ap-
paratus. This results in a crowded con-
dition which we do not have here.
Our dormitories are located directly
over the engine-rooms so that the firemen
may use the sliding poles from the second
floor and reach their apparatus quicker.
Once on the sliding poles, they drop di-
rectly into the engine-room. In New
York and Philadelphia the dormtories
were located in the rear portion of build
ings and the front portions of the struct-
ures were used for sitting rooms
While in Philadelphia and New York
Mr.. Wight devoted considerable attention
TO what are known as combination engine
houses. or structures built SO as to ac-
commodate both truck and engine COM
panies. The object of such structures is
to provide a truck and engines for a GER
tain locality without going to the expense
of erecting TWO large houses.