The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-01
PROTECT OUR HOMES.
OUR SUPERB FIRE DEPARTMENT
MAKES A SPLENDID RECORD.
REVIEW OF The YEARS WORK.
Good Number of Alarms, Hut Few
Large Fires-Fortunate in Having
Few Cnsunlties-spicndid Service
of Fire Alarm and Police Patrol.

The record Of the Fire Department for
the year 1898 Is highly satisfactory. n
large number OF alarms have been receiy-
ed, but in no case has the brigade allowed
a fire to leave its starting place.
The department Is noted for is energy
and modern push. is wen managed. ana
up-to-date in every respect save in the
matter Of not having It's entire force paid
to remain at the houses.
. The number OF alarms OF all kinds re-
ceived during the year and transmitted
through the central office was 2if. and
the percentage Of correct alarms was -
per cent. None Of the fires were eXtch-
sivc or serious IN results.
The department consists OF one CHIEF
engineer. one assistant engineer, twelve
captains. huy-onc permanent men, and
seventy seven runners and substitutes.
who are controlled by the following gen
tiemcn. known as the Board OF Fire Com
missioners. john II. Frischkorn, presi-
dent and Messrs. J.. G.. jenkins, Joseph
l.. Levy, james r.. Sheppard, Charles l..
Taylor. and G. W. Taylor.
They have maintained In first-class or
der the equipment OF att kinds besides
the purchase and rcmodeiling Of the fire.
station located at tho corner Of Brook
avenue and Marshall streets. making 1t
indeed a handsome and comfortable home
Tor the men. and placed in new double
combination chemical engine and hose
wagon on Church Hin, besides the addi-
ton Of several thousand feet Of new hose
They will also turn back 10 the city seve-
raj thousand dollars unexpended.
The Improvement marked off for the
I.I five sta
lower part of the city, besides many con-
tempiated changes iu the hre-alarm sys-
TEN.
This commission meets twice a month.
and I'M ten years has not failed 20 have
quorum.
The annual inspection in front Of the
City Hall met with the usual success, ANA
was witnessed by a large number Of rep
rcsentative people
FIRE-ALARM DEPARTMENT..
This department. as previously stated is
under the control of the Board Of Fire
Commissioners. and IS well managed by
Superintendent William H. Thompson,
with the following corps Of employees: j..
G.. Randolph. C.. l.. Gullett II r. Taylor
and J.. A. Umlauf each ot whom alter
mates as operator. The work OF these
employees has proved more than salts
factory 10 the board, showing. as It does.
that they are fully capable TO take charge
of the important ana delicate duties in
trusted 10 them.
The office one Of the finest ia the build
ing is always open, and is visited daily
by hundreds of persons. who praise very
highly the beauty of the machinery and
appointments. one of the employees re-
ports at every fine FOR the purpose Of re-
moving. as far as possible, the danger OF
live wires, etc. The system comprises
twenty-five sets Of telephone instruments,
one IN each engine and officers house;
162 hre-alarm stations. seventy-seven OF
which are private, one repeating still
alarm box, 30 miles Of aerial wires thirty
five electro mechanical gongs. one set Of
testing instruments, two volt metres, Two
ampere metres, two siK-eiFcuH HoH-in-
terferlng tcpeaters, one eisht-eircuit local
repeater. ten automatic trips Tor releasing
the horses, nine three-number indicators,
twelve large bells. Weighing from 500 10
800 pounds one 800 and one 1,lO0-pOund
bells worked electrically from the Office,
with G35 cells OF storage and 30 cells OF
open-circuit battery for furnishing the
power for the general working OF the
system. The hours are struck electrically
on the bell az the BrOok-Avenue house.
There has been one new box placed IN
position. that at the Home Tor Incurables,
No. Az. There have been 2F alarms du-
ring the year
There are about 6Sol poles and 5000
miles of wire belonging 10 the various
electric companies in the city. all of which
has been inspected and looked after by
this department
POLICE PATROL.
This system, which, electrically. IS un-
der the control of the Fire-Alarm De-
partment continues TO give general salts
faction.
The system comprises twenty-three
street stations. four relays. one S-inch
elcctro-mechanical gong two direct act
ing gongs, four galvanometers. one ope-
rating desk, one. t0ur-pen and one one
pen register, twcnty-four set, OF telephone
instruments. thirty cells Of storage and
forty-hve cells OF Samson battery. and
about fifteen miles of copper wire. There
have been 1.137 wagon and 2.90l telephone
calls sens over the wires during the year.
The central Office is located at the
Second Police Station. under the charge
of Captain j. b. Angle. with Sergeants
Tallcy. Brooks. Cosby Ind Allen acting
alternately as operators.
THE wATER-WoRks DO WELL.