The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-03
FROM THE PEOPLE


To the Editor: The ire-hghters OF Sc
attic have petitioned the council for an
Increase in their pay. IN view of the gen.
eral rise In rents and cost OF living. and
In this connection desire the public 10
consider the twenty-one hours day time
which they must devote to the city's
service, and the peculiar character OF
their work There Is no other department
of municipal government In which such
hours prevail. nor Is there another with
as frequent hazards TO life and limb. or
as much hard and exhausting labor at
intervals so uncertain as 10 prevent any
special preparation.
Even a soldier in time OF war has some
little time In which 10 make ready hts at
tack or defense. but fireman at night
Is aroused from his sleep by the stroke
OF gong. and in a quarter Of a minute
must be guiding his furiously rushing
horses along our dangerous streets or
maybe ciinging for life 10 the apparatus
while descending hills where the ground
seems to fan away from under him.
Even before he Is fairly dressed, he
must drag the hose into burning build
ing, confronting perils OF all kinds. II
the IRE is obstinate his time Is varied by
alternate unbearabie heat and drenching
Hoods of water: by partial suffocation
from smoke, blows from falling debris,
and shocks from loose electric wires
While nearly all other city employees
are siumbering peacefully IN their beds.
the fremen are likely 10 spend the night
turning ever ruins and looking for smoul-
dering fire. and all the while soaked TO
the skin and chilled by the wind.
Were II not that the most of their work
Is done at hours when the general pub
lie sees nothing OF IL. there would never
be any necessity OF calling attention to
the character OF their services In endeav-
oring TO make life and property secure.
III our city fathers can see their way
clear to grant the firemen a reasonable
increase in their pay. they may rest as
sured that such action win nnd favor
among the citizens generally
There has been such an increase In
rents and cost OF living in Seattle dur
ing the past three years that city en-
ployes generally have found IL much
harder to make both ends meet But In
any other department a man can live in
the suburbs II he pleases and take ad-
vantage OF reduced rents. the benefits OF
keeping poultry and COW. and maybe
raising his own fruits and vegetables
The fireman on the contrary can only
go to his three meals a day by taking
not over one hour for each; consequently
his home must be within a reasonable
distance of the engine house. no matter
what the rent may be-
Moreover, no other city employee IL at
any very unusual expense as to clothing.
The fireman must be in uniform and the
latter must be In good condition and ac-
cording to regulations. Yet whether he
has on his uniform or his best citizens
suit. when an alarm comes In there IL
not fraction OF a minutes time to
change a single garment. When at work
his clothes are scorched one moment
and covered with plaster dust the next;
he IL likely to be soaked with dirty water
TAN, vntx ~
fire. and 1t Ia frequently necessary for
him to stand and work for an hour or
more knee deep in a mixture OF thick
mud. ashes and charcoal.
He always has his garments scattered
around the engine house in process OF
cleaning and drying: yet he must at all
times be presentable.
very large portion OF his wages
must be devoted to buying new clothing.
No other employe gives SO much time to
tho city Uwenty-one hours day) or
Is so restricted as to residence, or Is at
such an expense for clothes.
In considering the matter OF nremen's
salaries there Is one essential difference
between their case and that OF other
city employees.
This is in tho hours OF duty and Is not
entirely understood by quite a number OF
people. As a rule eight hours a day Is
the limit of time exacted from any man,
in fact, this Is the requirement in every
department except that which has for its
especial attention the preservation Of our
lives and property from FIRE
In this branch OF the city's service there
are no shifts or reliefs and the men must
be at their stations twenty-one hours
every day, the three meal hours max
ing up the round from one midnight to
the next
At intervals OF three or four days they
are granted leaves OF absence OF an after
noon or a night. and these are practically
their only relaxations from the eontine-
ment OF the engine houses.
1t IL not TO be understood of course that
twenty-one hours day are spent in ex-
tinguishing fires any more than a po-
lceman's eight hours are put In at ac-
tualiy making arrests
But Il does mean several hours Of
routine work and the balance in monoto-
nous confinement always ready for the
expected alarm. Just what this mcnotony
liz few outsiders can have much Of an
idea; at any rate an alarm Of FIRE ls al
ways welcomed as grateful relief and
II IL keeps the men away from the house
several hours II Is so much tho better.
When we remember that a run to q
ERE Involves grave periis on the streets
as well rs very unusual hazards In a
building. II will be understood
how irksome must be the tedious hours
Of waiting In the engine houses.
GEORGE W HOOK.