The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-06
FIREMEN'S BUSY FOURTH.
SCORES or ALARMS. but NOT ONE
SERIOUS BLAZE.

Unusual Precautions That Were Taken to
Cope with the Extraordinary Conditions
aud Pcrils of the Day How the Alarms
Were Handled at Fire Headquarters.
Members.ot the Fire Department we're con.
graduating Themselves yesterday on their rec
ord Of The day before. There have not been as
many alarms in twenty four hours as there
were Tuesday since 1892. As against "a
box and 2S still alarms on Tuesday. the record
for lSS was 30 box and 30 stll alarms In
1897 it was 81 box and ~ still alarms: in 1896
% box and % st:narms. and in 1885. u box
and ii still alarms. The three days celebra-
tion Of 1876 is recalled 10y Tuesdays record
Then there we're 300 alarms in seventy.tuo
hours
Commissioner Scannell said that he felt
greatly pleased with the work OF the depart
ment on the Fourth. whom ninety eight fires
occurred in the boroughs of Manhattan and
the Bronx. THE nreinen did their arduous
duty faithfully. as they are in the habit Of
doing when called upon to do extra work" he
sai1. They had very much running to do
but they always responded so quickly that not
q single fire got ahead Of them. Altogether
the total damage of all the ninety. eight fires
was under $1,000. That Is something un-
usual"
There was extra helm In the signal room at
Ere Headauarters that day to take caro- OF
obliged to hustl at times to keep up. The
busiest time Was between X 30 and 81 80 o'clock
In the evening. when twenty-five alarms yers
sent III. At ono time three boxes were pulled
simultaneously Ordinarily :here are two
at headluarters. On Tuesday there were five.
Including Superintendent Black well and at
times all had their hands full. The operators
who transmit tho alarms from headquarters
have to know Just what engines are out. and
when one that would naturally respond to an
alarm Is not lin its hOusea special call has tO.be
sent to another TO take its place.
An inspection OF the list Of fires on the Fourth
shows that there were many instances where
such special calls had to he made. In one
case none of the engines called for for certain
alarm was in readiness. SO two special calls
had to lie sent out. Before the Instruments had
stopped ticking off the box number. the en-
Rincs and truck which would have responded
to the call if they had been at liberty sgnalled
and ready for further duty. The great rush
OF the evening caused only one change to be
made in the usual method Of procedure in the
transmission OF alarms. Ordinarily. alarms are
not sent to all the fra houses in the city. es-
peciallv at night. There are eight circuits
which take in certain districts. and most
night alarms are nOt sent over all Of them
This saves the flremsn the trouble of coming
downstairs and harnessipg up. when they are
not anywhere near the fire. Max ing the con-
nections to cut ont some OF these circuits
takes time. however that in the rush Of
TUESDAY night all alarms were transmitted
over all circuits. That means that the horses
OF every piece OF fire apparatus In the city
were harnessed and hat nl the men of the
crews were in their places for every alarm that
came in 1t 10 thought To- have been due to this
continued readiness In which the men were
kent that not single second alarm was neces-
sary to control the clty's fires.