The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-02
REPORT OF THE BOARD.
Iti--- C.;+,- Hail

REPORT OH 1ti1 io
7,ichmond, Va, Jan. !. 1850
To the Honorable. the Mayor 49,
Council of Richmond. y a.
c.n+larocn-In obedience TO the Ia" Iae
,,<.ar1 If Fire Commissioners submit
heir twelfth annual report Tor the In
md Fire Alarm Departments LOT '"e
,.ear ending December 81 1889.
The wear ending has been hlsh.S su.
,,cssfrl from 4 fire point Oh Nts"' 80
,riile the losses throughout me stare 10
been phenomenal our CITY mas pes.' -, r..
md -hc-e has been neither loss OF lie W
-;-o,crtv to any extent. There were .,
lawns of FIRE received and trans!nltleu
IN the Fire Department with a to'"i l'ss
,rnroxi,nafing $4,000. which Is moons !oe!
able for our city and Is an aoni'-oi' ",
commentator 10 Chief w u. iu,!et 'n'
hia command. Their continued a.e'
caryacity and interest in tAelr oul'es "a.
made the duties Of the boaFo "
commissioners comparatively easy
The year Just past was hnsoe"!' -.
e,,c- in noint of detail, as certain M
,rn,anents We're necessary, without Sl'o.-
iai appropriation. and III order |" co'ht'is.e
our plans within the amount SCI 'p".
,i,,s economy had to be exercised anu
.he small demand for the service enaoied
Tho f;c,,artmcnt 10 successfully l'i'sii up
without embarrassment
Tao sn7erdid quarters Of No. i.i!s,lie
.c.o,,,nauy were finished at a cost OF s'.'"o
and that model of perfection III me "aS
os fire quarters not only ADDS 10 lhe
,,ss,,1v IF the city. but fills a necessity
NO was Ions recognized That parucu-
1sr district is rapidly becoming me tSn.
M large factories and commercial Pian,s
and requires the very best ire ploteG'' ~
me luildirc vacated VIII be u.iii"e' ~
GENERAL purposes. such az Veterinary n"s
,,i,a1 rn1ai~ shop and storehouse. q iohs
needed building.
In Wow of the rapidly increasing work
and the erection of large establishments
Of ,1l kinds it is important that the eil-
,ire dapart,nent should be placed on
f,,ll-paisi basis. so when the ue-'ai '.'''1',
reaches n fire ii should be fully equipped
With men TO handle the apparatus. anu
j., cases to crush out the IRE an us ~
.ci,,ietry; with this object IN view '"t
bo.,crahle body are again urged TO make i
sufficient appropriation to MAKE LIS i"i
portant department full PAID.
M. most urgently request that our PAY
,,,I1 accounts be increased FOR reasons
stated above also as we thlnh t'al W,
-I-h:nr Engineer Assistant Engineer anu
Superintendent Of Tlne-Aiarn, as leaoS
Of their departments and capable ollleers'
are inadequateiy pald anu Shouio NC ii'ot
generously recognized.
The most notable fires were the LAWS
lime warehouse. Angle chcroot factory
md the Watt Piow Company. All o.
ybicb were restricted to the premises. sun
the loss was considerable.
orr board desires To extend 10 your non
4orab1e body their sincere thanks ior ihc
ordinances concerning ShinE!e roofs anu
1Ire-escapes, which We're amended al theiF
suggestion and approval. and while these
Nd 81;
sen the danger to life and properly from
fire.
There has been no serious attractions OF
,o1i,. laws and with some few exceptions,
The discipline has been well-niSh perfect.
You are referred to the Chief Engineer
report for detailed statements
The physicians report will give You IN
terest.nG details concerning MS duues',
and Is well worthy of perusaL
FIRE-ALARM DEPARTMENT.
The Fire-Alar1n Department. under the
care of oar efficient superintendent, w
IL Thompson. and his corps OF capable
assistants. Is kept up TO n high standard.
and /; IS q Very rare thing that an alarm
goes wrong.
Our city is fast outsrowins the instru-
uncnts now used in this department.
In addition to the regular work of this
department, 1t is made the duty of orr
by ordinances adopted by
your honorable body. to supervise al
overhead and underground electric con-
structinn and care for all electrical appa-
ratus owned and onerated by the City.
we briefly mention the following: Annun-,
ciators. call bells and clocks of the City
Hall. signalling apparatus at the City
Hcsp,tal, the police patrol signal service.
local electric light plant at the new pump
works OF the City Water Works: in fact.
this department has become the electri-
cad branch Of the city government.
The thanks of the board are due TO HIS
Honor, the Mayor. and to your honorable
bodies for the patient and generous con-
alteration always granted 10 the depart
1nent. and our thanks are especially due
10 the honorable Committee on Water
Committee on Light and the Board of
Police Commissioners, whose kindly CO.
operation has been of such great assist
ance. Respectfully submitted,
]. II. FRISCHKORN.
President Board of Fire Commissioners.