The evening times., 1899-12-29
FIRE DEPARTMENT. NEEDS
Reforms Tha. Will Be Brought to
the Attention of Congress.
Fully n Score of New Houses Needed,
While Extensive Repairs should
He Made to the Others-A State
ment by Chief Parris-RemovaIs
Urged-InadequateA Appropriations.


20 the attention of the Commis sioners afte
Congress has convened at the conclusion O
the holidays. TO be remedied, and which ha.
assumed great importance during the las
year, is the repairing of the va ious house!
used by the Fire Department for thti
apparatus, and the installation of new
companies.
In this connection a statement of III
Chief Engineer Of the Fire Depart ent
which has been submitted to Commissioner
Wight, shows the present status of t-t
department and its belongings:
AT the present time the departms nj
occupies twenty houses Chief Paris said
fourteen as engine houses, four as truck
houses, and two as chemical engine
houses or this number one is the OPP
erty of the United States Government,
which makes all repairs without cost 10
the District OF Columbia. In this connec-
ton 1 desire to state that recently eXtsn-
sive repairs have been made-in fact,
everything that was requested was done,
and the house is in better condition today
than il ever was before.
mo new houses were taken possession
of during the year just closed, but tine
wear and tear, especially on the olitr
houses has been so great in recent yea
that it is necessary TO make repairs con-
tinually. The various houses are kept in
as good condition as is possible. The ap
prepriations are always entirely exp ended
and in addition TO this the men themselves,
who take great pride in the condition and
appsarance of the stations 10 which they
are attached, do great deal toward this
end.
An adequate appropriation has never
been made In some Of the houses eX-
tensive repairs are necessary, but they
could not be made owing TO the lack OF
tie necessary mon ~, All moneys are u
diciously expended under the direction OF
the Superintendent of Repairs, and never
In the history of the department has so
much been done with so little. Every
dollar il made to count, not one cent Is
expeuded unless there is absolute necessity
therefor. Notwithstanding all the care that
is taken, many things must b. LETT undone'
and IL is the aim. if possible 10 avoid the
annoyance and worry that large ara Is
cause on q small appropriation
"Twenty-three houses, which VIII be our
number next year must be kept in repair.
and the small increase askei will be none
loo large even If sufficient, to meet tee
demands that must be made upon 1t.
In another portion of these estimates
will be found an item of S3O.oVo. Whlch is
asked to purchase site and erect a new
house for No engine company, now To-
Gated on Massachusetts Avenue northwest,
between Fourth and Fifth Streets. 1t is
not the intention to remove this company
TO any distance from its present location.
the bounds being given between Fourth,
Seventh III and Streets northwest. This
company is one Of the most important IN
the city. and it would result to the detri
ment OF the city should the location be ma
terially changed.
This house has been occupied since the
early sixties. having been used by the
volunteer department prior to the organi-
zation OF the paid department. and should
be replaced 1t is not only very near past
repairing but il is too small, and not at
all adapted to the fire department use. An
examination OF the premises will convince
anyone that a new house is an absolute
necessity.
Engine house No. 4, located on Vir-
gfnia Avenue southwest between Four
and half and Sixth Streets. has been oc-
eupied continuously since 1870, and new
house is badly needed there: but as the
time is not far distant when this compa-
ny may be located In different section OF
the southwest portion of the city. owing to
the growing demand for new companies. it
is not deemed for the best interests TO
recommend the erection of new house at
this time. Considerable repairs have been
made however during the past year. and
more may he made in the near future, in
order that the house may be made as ten
antable as possible.
Engine house No. l. located on X Street
northwest between Sixteenth and Seven
teenth Streets. and engine house No =,
located on r Street northwest. between
Ninth and Tenth Streets. are also old
houses the former having been occupied
since 1867 and the latter since 1885. Ii is
only matter of very few years when
new houses will have TO be provided for
these companies. In the meantime, how
ever. It wifi be the endeavor to get along
as nicely with them as II is possible. All
the other houses are in frst-clsss condi-
tion. and compare more than favorabiy
with the fire houses of other cities
With reference to new companies Chief
Paris states:
Attention is invited to the necessity OF
a further increase in the number Of COM |
panies of this department. While some I
sections of the county have been gener- /
ously provided with fire apparatus, there |
are other sections in which there is virtu- /
ally no protection from fire.
THE part OF the county most in need
of a company al this time Is Brookland. |
one of the most densely populated suburbs |
OF tne city. btSiues liIt VI !
private dwellings in this village. there is 1
the property of the National Soldiers /
Home and the Catholic University. Mil |
lions of dollars have been spent on these |
two tracts alone Several fires have oc- !
CURED in this section during recent years |
and because of the inadequate service of
this department very little assistance !
could be rendered"
THE company nearest this section is en-
gine company No. u, located at North Capt.
tol and Quincy streets. The run from this
house 10 property in and about Brookiand
is a long one and in bad weather il is al
most an impossibility for horses 10 draw
the heavy apparatus over the roads. For
this reason as the residents in this section !
are now without any protection whatever
In case of fire, the establishment of a COM
bination chemical and hose wagon at
this place is recommended. and it would at
ford ample protection at this time.
Several sections OF our city are also
without the proper protection. and five ad
ditional companies are much needed. The
extreme southwestern portion, in which are
schoolhouses railroad shops, and
numerous warehouses; many Of them along
the river front. has not now the proper
protection. An engine company and
truck company In this locality would not
only afford better protection to these build
ings, but would also relieve other compa-
nies of long runs. and be the means Of
having other sections of the city better
protected in case of a fire south Of the Mall.
Another section that is greatly in need
nafn ie hnt arf nf ha