The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-18
FIRE LOSSES SMALL
CHIEF COOK SAYS THEY WE'RE
LESS LAST YEAR THAN
EVER
BIG INCREASE IN ALARMS
They Exceeded the Previous Year
by I73, Yet the Losses Were
Scaled Down to- the Minimum
Efficiency of the Departm emit
Was Improved In Various Ways
Politics Kept Out of It..

H. N. Cook, chief Of the fire depart
! ment, yesterday completed his annual
report, which will be submitted to the
fire board at the next meeting.
The report shows that the total num-
Der of alarms responded to was $50,
an increase Of 178 over 1897. The total
losses were $3.50, 968.17 nearly equally
divided between buildings and con-
tents. The total insurance involved
was 1882, 1888, so that the latter ex-
ceeded the losses by $2,232, 511.16
The losses were the smallest of any
one of the last ten years, the smallest
amount for any previous year within
that time being $174, 345.58 in 1887. In
proportion to the number Of alarms
the losses were smaller than in any
year since the department became a
pay department. The total number Of
hours worked was 199.643. The depart
ment did 2,049.5 hours extra work in
carpentering. painting, plumbing, plas-
terfng, boiler and machine work, black
smithing at Merriam Park, etc The
officers made 2,148 inspections of build
tngs, and the chief says he believes
many fires have been prevented by
this system Of inspection"
The only member lost by death dur
ing the year was James Cody. of hook
and ladder company NO. g. who died
Sept. IA, 1898, Of Brights disease.
During the year our fire alarm serv-
ice has been extensively improved by
entirely new and modern machinery
and appliances, the battery being
changed from gravity to storage max
ing 1t one of the best and most COM
plete systems in existence. A suite Of
rooms was procured and fitted for it
in the court house, where it is now in
stalled. A suite of rooms was also pro-
cured and fitted up In the court house
for the board Of fire commissioners
and chief engineer as offices where they
are now located. Quite extensive and
necessary repairs have been made to
several engine houses, the labor being
all performed by the members of the
fire department, the extra expense be-
ing for material only. Hose wagons
8 and 4, at Merriam Park and
Hamline, were changed from one to
two-horse, thereby adding to their eff
ficiency. Chemical engine No. 1 was re-
built, rear tank removed and monitor
nozzle mounted in it's place, thereby
making g. very effective piece of ap-
paratus for the down town district"
The chief recommends that an engine
house be built on lots and 4, block
8, West st. Paul, now owned by the
city, and that an engine company be
organized and placed therein, as many
extensive factories are in operation
along the river 'front.', ana many more
are contemplated. To give these pro-
lection 'it is now necessary to run one
Of the most centrally located COM
panies from this side Of the river"
The report says that entire harmony
has prevailed in the department and
between the officers and that "as far
as 1t has laid within my power, the de-
partment has been kept free from po-
htical influences and its energies d.
rected towards the work for which the
taxpayers maintain It,"