The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-21
New Quarters Will Be Best in
West.
to Facilitate the Work
Is Overlooked.
OCCUPY TWO FLOORS.
Sleeping Rooms Directly Over
the Apparatus.
Provision Made For an Aerial
Ladder Truck.

When the fire department IS moved
into the new building at Seventh and
Quincy streets, Topeka will have one of
the best equipped, modern fire stations
in the country.
In speaking of the new quarters Chief
Wilmarth said: IT consider our part of
the building to be modern and up to
date in every particular. Economy has
been studied but everything necessary
to quick work and the comfort of the
men and horses has been incorporated
1t will be a credit to the city. The
building is well lighted, well ventilated
and convenient for the men and public
1t is planned the best way possible for
the space. Everything to reduce time
to the last second has been used. 1t will
be as fine house as there is anywhere
in the country
The department will occupy two floors
of the building. The ground floor is 109
by 81 feet and the second floor the same
width and IS feet deep. The ground floor
VIII have two main exits opening on
Seventh street to be used by the fire APP
paratuS. There is a third exit on Quln-
cy street to be used for the chiefs bug
gy. The three exits are 10 feet and will
be equipped with Scotch patent doors.
Instead of the old style, heavy swinging
doors such as are now in use, the Scotch
doors open at the center and each half
instead of swinging in or out, folds
back quickly and takes up but very
fitted with panels of Opaque glass.
The chemical engine will stand on the
west side and the hose wagon on the
east side, each about Is feet back from
the doors. There will be a small door
between the two large doors on Seventh
street to be used as the main entrance
to the department The door is IA feet
directly in front of a stairway leading
to the second floor. Beneath the stairs
is a passageWay leading to the rear of
the first floor where people can pass and
not be in the way of the apparatus. The
floor will be of white cement with a
drive way on each side for the appar-
atus made of cedar blocks set in tar on
a cement foundation. The runways
from the stalls to the places for the
horses under the harness will be cedar
blocks and will be noiseless.
In the northwest corner will be the
floor watchman's stand enclosed by a
nickled railing. On the wall will be the
alarm gong, indicator, telephone and
switches for lights. A man will be on
duty there night and day. There will
also be a water pressure gauge showing
exactly the amount of water pressure on
mains any time during the day or night.
Half way back on the east side of the
building will be the grain receiving
boxes. The grain will come through
chutes from the feed room above. The
oats will all pass through an improved
cleaner which removes all dirt auto
matically-
Provision has been made at the rear
of the hose wagon on the east side for a,
60 foot, three horse. aerial truck The
department has needed such a truck for
several years but heretofore there has
been no place where one could be sta
toned as none of the other stations have
sufficient room Chief Wilmarth hopes
to have such a truck soon.
In the rear of the room is a box stall
for sick and injured horses and a stall
for an extra horse. Nearby is a small
room to be used for the storage of acids
and chemicals. In the southwest cor
a To Ia
ment. Just south of the Quincy street
exit and to the rear of the chemical en-
CINE VIII be the chiefs buggy. In the
center of the back part of the room will
be the steamer and reserve apparatus.
In the basement will be room 81 by
"a feet to be used as a dry room and
gymnasium. A system of racks so feet
long and 312 feet wide with steam pipes
running horizontally underneath will be
used for the drying of hose and will be
especially useful in winter when hose is
frozen.
The entire front of the second floor
facing on Seventh street and "a feet
deep is the sleeping quarters of the men,
1t is well lighted, thoroughly ventilated
room with windows on the east, north
and west sides and a large hall opening
on the south affording some southern
breeze. In the planning the second floor
the com fort of the men has been the
chief aim
Adjoining the sleeping room on the
east side; is the bath room with tub and
shower baths and a gas hot water heat
er to be used in weather when the steam
plant in the building is not running and
a gas radiator in the center of the room
to be used at night in chilly weather
Doors open into the bath room from the
hall and bed room. On two sides are
closets. one for each man.
Across the hall and on the west side
of the building is the sitting room 10
by p feet Back of the sitting room is
the chiefs office In this office will be
the circuit repeater. All alarms from
boxes come in to the repeater and are
sent out over the four different circuits
Adjoining the chiefs Office will be a pri-
vate office where small supplies will be
kept Back of the private office will be
the repair room for light work
Across the hall next to the bath room |
Will be the feed room for the storing of
grain and hay South of that and the
last room on the east side will be the