The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-20
NINTH WARD ENGINE PETITION.
"A Public Hearing ..efore the Special
Committee Last Night.

I A Public Hearing a4efore the Special
Committee Inst Night
The special committee to which was
referred the petition for the equipment
of No. 9's engine house with an engine
held a meeting and public hearing last
night, with all the members present.
The members are Aldermen Hall and
C. F. Brennan and Councilmen Miller,
Rowland and Maroney. Alderman
Chillingworth of the Tenth ward was
the first one to be heard on the petit
ton. He pointed out the reasons why
in his opinion the engine house in his
ward should be equipped with an en-
CINE. In reply to questions by him, Su-
perintendent Fancher of the fire de-
partment said that he did not think
that property in that part of the city
was now sufficiently protected against
fire and that he thought that the
amount required to equip for the re-
mainder of this year the engine now
at No 9's house would be about $1,000.
When this new house was built one Oh
the old fire engines was placed there
but it was not manned or equipped
with horses. Superintendent Fanchers
estimate of 49, 500 was the amount Whlch
he thought would be needed to man
the engine.
Alderman Chillingworth did not favor
taking money from the salary account
in the fire department to pay for the
equipment of the engine house. lie
said that he believed that the corpora
alton counsel would render an opinion
to the effect that the firemen could, be-
ginning on January last, legally draw
salaries under the schedule adopted by
the common council and that conse-
quently there would be no part of the
salary account available for engine
equipment He thought, however,
that the amount necessary could be
transferred from the contingent ac-
count which the board Of finance had
made larger than ever before this year.
The appropriation to that fund was $l0,,-
00G
Minotte e. Chatfleld appeared to IA
vor some action towards the full equip
ment of the engine house. He said that
although at one time the chemical en-
CINE furnished adequate fire protection
to that section of the city, the city had
grown rapidly in that direction and le
soon became evident that the chemical
engine was not enough. 1t was now the
most unprotected part of the city. AS
one of the trustees of the town farm
funds he could state that the trustees
had 100000, the citys money practical
ly out on mortgages on property in
that section. There was also the New
Haven Orphan asylum where many
lives might be lost in fire unless there
we n To
Councilman Walsh favored the object
of the petition, but would not touch the
salary account in the fire department to
provide the necessary money. He
made strong argument for the equip
ment of the engine at No. 9's house.
Attorney Louis e. Jacobs one of the
signers of the petition, spoke strongly
in favor of it. He thought that If the
members of the board Of finance were
men of proper public spirit they would
have seen that it was their duty to see
that they appropriated money enough
to provide for protection of property.
He referred back to the contract be-
tween the city and the New Haven
Water company and read from the city
year book to show that the water COM /
pany for the considerable of $4,000 per
year. should furnish water enough for
fire fighting. He then went on to show
that the water pressure in the vicinity
of the Tenth ward engine house was
only thirty-five pounds, barely sufficient
to throw water to the second floor of I
any house in the district. Later in the !
session Commissioner Kegelmeyer said
that the water pressure on the outskirts /
- ~ 4
on Prospect Hill the pressure was as
low as ten pounds at some times. Cap
tain Doherty of No. 8 asked concerning +
this matter, said that the water press
ure should be from 80 to 120 pounds
without the use of an engine. Super
intendent Fancher said that the water
pressure was low and had been low for
some time and that good service could
not be done at fires with the present
hydrant pressure. The pressure on
Prospect Hill had been low and he had
found that this was caused by addi-
ional water connections being made at
The foot of the hill. When he COM
planned to the water company these
had been reduced and now
here was f1fty-pound pressure on the
ill. The fire commissioners stated that
hey would like to properly equip en-
CINE houses and 10, but that they
'ould not do so with the present ap-
The committee in execu-
i've session decided to request permits
don from the common council to con-
slider the equipment of an engine at
No. los house before making recon-
nendation ON the matter referred