The Washington times., 1901-09-25
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT.
A Communication on the Fire De-
partment of Manila.
A Batch of Information Sent to Chief
J. Il. Dodge in the PhiIippines-Is-
sue of Insurance Licenses to BrOk-
ers Pro Rata to December 81.

of the Fire Department is in receipt of
a communication from J. r. Dodge. Chief
OF the Manila fire department, in which
he greets the authorities here and re-
quests them to send him rbcent reports
and such information as may be available
with reference to the organization and
equipment of the District Fire Depart
mcnt
Mr.. Dodge briefly describes the fire
department of Manila. He says that the
facilities provided do not amqunt 60 much
in the way of fire protection. lie states
that all the apparatus is secondhand
stock. left over from the Spanish admin
istration. There is one steam fire engine
of 500 gallons capacity. bunt by the
Shand Mason Company in England. II
second steam fire engine Of i50 gallons en-
pacity built by Merriwcther n Co. in
England: n third steam fire ,nGint Of 800
| gallons capacity, built by Shand. Mason
x Co. in England: two hand pumping en-
sines built by Merriwether & o,os. tn Eng
land, each of $50 gallons capacity: two
hose carts. carrying 800 feet each six
hose carts carrying 5000 feet OF 2is-
inch cotton canvas hose. This
hose. says Chief Dodge, is not rubber
lined. and is of a cheap grade and quality,
and has been In use for about five years.
Mr.. Dodge states that all the apparatus.
except hand engines and hose reels. are
drawn by native ponies. The hand en-
gines and reels are drawn by hand. The
department has three fire stations, and is
manned by ~ Filipinos. With reference
to the water supply and the efficiency of
the department. Mr.. Dodge says:
THE water supply and service consists
of the Pasig River and tidewater canals
throughout the different districts of the
city; also hydrants from the city reser-
voir. The pressure obtained from this
latter source is very inadequate to the
city's needs, not only for the purpose of
fire protection, but also for ordinary
household use. Having only a 45-foot
gravity fall from the reservoir and en-
tering the city through a 26-inch main.
and then radiating through the city in
Il, 10. s, and inch mains. no pressure to
speak of can be obtained From a per-
sonal test ! found that the highest pres
sure that could be obtained ranges from
IS pounds maximum to IA pounds mini
mum.
THE department, as at present const:-
tuted, is very poorly equipped. The sys-
TEN in vogue in the past was based upon
the English and the Spanish systems per-
tanning to fire stations and equipment, and
from an American point Of view Is anti
quated and faulty.
tants About 235,0 900 are Chinese and Fiji
pinos the remaining 5000 being Ameri-
cans and Europeans. The city Is nat, with
no hills. The River Pasig runs through
the centre and is a little wider than the
Chicago River, but with a current very
swift especially through the rainy sea-
son. when the river overfows its low
banks and immediate sections of the city
81 rfr ant of W
are then in order. The city is sith@ted
upon the shore OF Manila Bay and at the
mouth of the Pasig River
THE houses in the main business ana
resident sections are generally two stories
high, the upper of wood, the lower OF
stone, with massive doors and iron-barred
windows. Very few strgc&res are three
stories in height, and none are four
stories, on account of darigfr from earth
quakes, which shake US, up in mild
way"
Mia became a municipality September !,
with five municipal departments OF which
the department of fire and building m
spection is one. He states that extensive
improvements are under way in the city,
and that one of these is the establish
nient of an enlarged water service, after
which there will be Introduced adequate
hydrant pressure for fire protection. An
other improvement is the reorganization
of the fire department upon an American
basis, and with the latesuapparatus and
appliances. He says that tne. personnel
of the department will be changed so
that there will be thirty-two Americans
and sixty-thTee Filipinos, a total of nine
ty-five.
Mr.. Dodge states that bffs for the rev
fire apparatus were opened July p last,
and that contracts TO furnish Will soon
be awarded by the municipal board.
There is also to be installed a fire alarm
system. which will consist of fifty boxes
now. and will be increased as occasion de
mands Mr.. Dodge says that arrange
ments have been completed for the es-
tablshment of six fire stations. and that
In addition to the apparatus now on hand
there will be two steam fire engines of 200
gallons capacity two hook and ladder
trucks. three chemical double of eighty
gallons capacity, and four hose wagons.
About ZOO feet of new hose will be added.
American horses will be used to draw
the engines. Mr.. Dodge states that he
hopes to have an efficient department,
such as may be seen in American city
of the same size.
To this end Mr.. Dodge is accumuat-
ing information from the leading Ameri-
can cities for use in the organization of
the department in Manila.
Forwarding the report to the Commits
sioners, Chief Dutton stated that he had
despatched to Mr.. Dodge all the informa-
ton available relative to the District Fire
Department.
The Attorney for the District. Andrew
3. Duvall has submitted to the Com
missioners an opinion relative to the au-
thority of the Assessor TO issue insurance
licenses for the coming fiscal year. The
question was called uT by a letter from
the Assessor calling the attention of the
Commissioners to the fact that a new in
surance law is to go into effect on Janu-
ary next, and H. wished to be informed
in regard to his authority in the premises
to issue licenses to insurance companies
pro rata until December 81 of the present
year.
THE act of Congress- says the At
torney, Ito establish code of law for
the District of Columbia. appro, ed March
3, 1901. provides, in sub-chapter 6. for the
establishment of a Department of In
surance, and for the issue of liceuses to
insurance companies and insurance agents
and brokers. The District code is to go
into effect and operation from and after
January /, 1902, and its provisions re-
specting insurance companies and insrIr-
ance agents or brokers are totally ire
concilable with. and therefore operate TO
repeal, existing law upon the subject
from and after January /, 1892.
Il am Of the opinion that these proVis-
ions of the code are to be read as curtail-
ing the authority TO issue licenses to in
surance companies and insurance agents,
or brokers. for the ordinary license year,
and limiting the authority to issue such
licenses to December 81 1891. and that the
Assessor should accordingly issue tn, IL
cense for the period indicated and col
lect pro rata license fees therefor"
The Superintendent of the Water De-
partment recently received letter from
a Baltimore firm asking that the spccih-
cations for the water gates for the Trum-
bull Street pumping station be changed
so as to admit OF the use Of parable! face
Tha la{, Sc 70, ,1,.