Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-01-26
FIRE COMPANY MATTERS.
Late Chief Mann Makes Some Good Sue.
qestiOns

OLYMPIA, January LIST, 1900.
To His Honor the Mayor and The Hon.
City Council
GENTLEMEN: Herewith is submit
ted my annual report and some rec
concentrations for the coming year.
The Fire department has been
strengthened during the year by the
addition OF two new hose teams, Nos.
2 and 3, and an increase in Barnes
Hook and Ladder Co, by the purchase
of an excellent team and by many lit
tie repairs. The force is now OF SUI
ficlent strength to man all the appa.
ratus when called out for duty.
The alarm system is in good repair
and working like clock work. The
several outfits for the department are
in good repair, which is gratifying to
the officers and hope meets the ap-
proval of the Board.
A few fire-hydrants are somewhat
exposed and should be banked up be-
fore any cold weather causes a freeze
up.
The force consists OF about &C men,
including the paid men. The organi-
cation of company for the protec-
ton of the south part of the city will
result in much good in the future.
The city has been signally favored
during the year by absence of serious
fire losses. The department has an.
swered to three still alarms, nine
alarms where no water was thrown
and eleven alarms where water was
turned on or fire extinguished by car
rying water in buckets. The largest
number Of alarms have been turned in
at Nos. % and 43 boxes. Where
there has been any loss it has been
light-scarcely $500 for the year, and
SO far as / can learn about SIS has
been made good by insurance COM
panies. The largest single loss was at
the bakery on West Fourth street and
was uninsured; caused by falling of a
burning coal oil lamp.
Stricter enforcement of the ordi-
nance in regard to roof moss will af-
ford more protection against fires than
any one other source.
Five hundred fret of new first class
hose has been provided in the revenue
estimate to replace damaged hose and
increase the stock on hand.
Also recommend new Hook and
Ladder truck, as funds are available.
The one on hand is in fair condition,
but it is very hard for the company to
enthuse over the old truck, though it
has done duty for forty years. The
company has been recruited, so that
with new truck and new vim and
couple of hand fire extinguishers
the security of the city would be rea-
sonably assured. A new truck can be
obtained at from $500 to $500, accord
ing to the apparatus purchased. Cata-
logues are at hand for examination.
That magnificent machine, our
Silsby. has been ont of service for two
years, and the present is a good time
to repair her and put her in commits
sion again.
LIST. She deserves it from the hands
of our taxpayers, for the services she
has rendered them on more than one
occasion. Many of US remember the
day she stood on the tide flats and
stopped the Horn fire at the draw
bridge and probably saved the whole
of Fourth street property.
I'd. She should be repaired for what
she can do for property owners in the
future.
Look at East and West Bay Ave.
nues, no provisions for their protec-
ton. With our two teams and the
Silsby in good order the department
can cover all the secondary fires from
the Young place to the Schneider
place on the avenue. A thousand
feet OF hose will reach any place on
the avenue from one of the three
points - Young's, Austin's, and
Schneider's. Citizens have subscribed
in aid of the shingle plant at the Aus
tin creek bridge. Other mills are
looking this way, and is not the policy
of the city to give every protection
possible? Then take the East side,
the bridge on Plum street affords site
for protecting much property on that
East side. Our lumber yards must be
saved at all hazards. They have been
the especial care Of the department
during this year. No. l has outrun
the team on at least one occasion in
their eagerness to get there on time.
Now the distance from Third street
hydrant is so far from the new Allen
and Springer mills that it is not prac-
teal to lay but one leading line of
hose and have enough hose for lateral
lines, but put the Silsby on the lower
lumber yard and pumping salt water
and you have trebled the protection
for those mills.
/ wish to extend the thanks OF the
department to your honorable board
for the support and assistance rem
dered and material furnished in car
rying out our efforts in protecting the
city during the year.
To the several companies in the de-
partment who SD cheerfully assisted in
carrying out every order and respond
ing to every call, night or day, l wish
to return my hearty thanks; we have
cause to congratulate the department
for the continuous good feeling and
the harmony existing in each branch
of the force, for only by harmony can we
expect to maintain creditable depart
ment. Respectfully submitted,
c. B. MANN, Chief.
GAG ToEEA.
Beam tho HIhs Kind You Have NxsE osgtt