The evening times., 1900-09-17

The estimate of the amount required for
the conduct and support of the District of
Columbia Fire Department was submitted
to the Commissioners this morning by the
Chief Engineer, Joseph Paris. Mr.. Paris
calls for an increase OF $3.50, ,634 over the
appropriation for the current fiscal year,
which is $306. .220 The items Of increase are
as follows:
In salary, $31. .S5S; two assistant chief en-
gineers, at 81, $50 each, 81, zee; one foreman,
81, $50; one hostler. 1866; fifty-four pri-
Yates, at $500 each, S49, $50; sixteen watch
men, at $3.50 each, S11.046; one laborer,
$3.50; repairs to engine houses, $500; re-
pairs to apparatus and new appliances,
$500; hose. $4,000; fuel, s1,00e; horses,
$500; forage. $1,000; contingent expenses,
So. Geo; fuor engines, at 81, 200 each, SIG, 500;
four hose carriages, at s1,100 each, 81, 400;
two trucks, ~at $4,000 each, $1,000; house.
lot, and furniture for an engine company
TO be located in Southwest Washington,
SO Geo; house, lot, and furniture for an
engine company TO be located in the north
ern part of West Washington, go, coo;
house, lot, and furniture for an engine
company to be located in the vicinity OF
Twentieth and T Streets northwest, $780,
coo; house, lot, and furniture for All engine
company to be located in the section
| bounded by Thirteenth, Fifteenth, n, and
p Streets northwest, $40 900: house, lot,
! and furniture for a truck company to be
located in Southwest Washington. S25 600;
House, lot IND furniture for truck COM
! Pany to be located in Southeast Washing
| ton, $50, eco; house, lot, and furniture, 10
| be located in the section bounded by
| Fourth, Seventh, H, and K Streets north
west, to accommodate Engine Company No.
! s. now located on Massachusetts, Avenue,
! between Fourth and Fifth Streets north
/ west $50 900: additional stable, 10 be erect
: ed in the rear of No ? engine house, North
Carolina Avenue between Sixth and Sew
( enth Streets southeast, 50, eco. Total, S321.-
! 634; less total decrease, S+1, 0G0; net in
/ crease, $3.50, 634.
/ Chief Paris says. in part: While the
| increase. as above shown. amounts to
| $221, 634 the actual increase over the
! appropriation for the current ear IS
/ $-S0,6S4. after an allowance is meSIe OF
( LOCO, appropriated by the last session
| of Congress.
/ The Importance of this subject has
! been clearly explained in previous re-
| ports, and il has been repeatedly rec
! commended TO the Board of CCmm.ss
! ers, aad approved by them, but without
! success 1t is earnestly hoped that the
/ services rendered by the members OF
/ this department will be appreciated by
| an advance in pay.
The salary of the highest-paid mem
/ ber of company is but s., 900 per an
! mum, which avera ges SS4 per month
| This is the poorest paid department un-
| der the District Government. and / can
! not conceive why such should he the
| case. The salary does not compensate
! man for the great risk of life and
,. t,,1..
| vice at FIRE.
Should the demands for this increase
/ be ignored it will be only a question OF
| time when il Will be a matter OF serious
/ thought how to obtain and retain good
| reliable. ablebodied men. The increase
amounts to only $31,Soss aud IL -io-nay
J earnest plea that every 'endeayor viii be
I used TO obtain same.
There should certainly be better pro-
+ lection given property IN Southwest
! Washington In this section are located
! storehouses. shops of all kinds, school
I houses, railroad and freight houses
! warehouses, and steamboat wharves. The
! nearest engine company in this section OF
| the city is located on Virginia Avenue, be
tween Four -and-a-haIf and Sixth Streets
/ southwest An engine and a truck com
pany both. should be located in this part
of the city
An engine company should also be cs-
. tablished in the northern part of West
Washington. This company should be
located near Thirty-fourth and Q Streets
which would afford better protection IC
/ Georgetown College, Georgetown Convent
and that entire section of the city.
4 again recommend that the present
/ law providing for the payments of pen
sions granted for deaths or disease con
/ tracted in the line OF duty be amended 81
! as to authorize payment of such money
as may be required to supply any def
/ cheney which may occur in this fund cut
of the revenues of the District of Column
bia, instead of Police Court fines In (
short time the fines collected in the Po-
lice Court viii be insufficient to meet tht
demands that will be made upon it,
Z am also of the opinion that the Law
providing for the 1remens relief funC
should be amended as follows:
THAT the Chief Engineer. Assistant
Chief Engineer. foremen, engineers, fl e.
men hostlers. and priyates of the Fire
| Department when incapacitated BY age
or so disabled by injury received Cr dis
ease contracted in line of duty, as men
toned in said provision, shall be entitled
to receive benefits OF the fremens re
lief fund. as follows:
''Chief Engineer, S100 per month: AS
sistant Chief Engineer, S75 per month
foremen. $50 per month; engineers, 81
per month; fremen. $50 per month: hos
tiers $50 per month; pTivates, S55 Pc
month; but nothing in this amendmen
shall be ContTued to prevent the al
lowance now authorized for funeral ex
penses.
| There were. 393 alarms for fire. an
2i6 local or still alarms, which wer
. answered by the department, making
total of $50 calls during the year. Com
pared with the prec1aIing year, the tel
alarms were the same and the Icca
10 ca1 hu