The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-13
UP IN THE AIR.
Topeka to Have 75-fOot Aerial
Ladder Truck.
Fire Department Service viii
Also Be Increased.
RUNNING SHORT FORCE
Improvements Are Very Much
Needed at Once.
Estimated Added Expenses
About $4,000 Per Annum.
RUNNING SHORT FORCE

It is probable that before the end Of
the summer Topeka viii have a new IS
foot aerial truck, five new horses and
seven new men added to its fire de-
partment force.
AS was announced in the State Jour
nal some days ago. the committee on
fire department recommended to the
council last night that the following
additions be made in the fire depart
ment equipment:
A 75-foot latest improved aerial truck,
to cost not over 81. 200.
Two new horses to take the places of
two horses which have now reached re-
spectively the ages of q and 10 years.
Three new horses to draw the aerial
truck.
Six men to form the crew for the aerial
truck.
One additional man for the force at
fire station No. 4.
The cost of the horses viii be about
$3.50 apiece, or a total of $3.50 for the
five horses which are needed.
The employment of the seven addi
tional men on the fire department force
viii involve an outlay Of about $4,000
a year.
The recommendation of the fire de-
partment committee was adopted by
the council last night and it was de-
cided, owing to the large financial out
lay involved that the report should be
referred to the ways and means COM
mittee for further consideration.
At present the Topeka fire depart
ment is running on short force and
small expense The standard fire de-
partment force is one man to each
1000 people. This would en-itle Topeka
to a force of about 40 men, but the ac-
tual number is 26. The annual expense
of the fire department is supposed to
be about 81 per capita of population. In
! Eopeka it is about 81 cents per capita.
G. P. B0lmar. of Potwin, appeared be-
Er-hNrs
tested against the plan 20 spend so
much money on the fire department
without giving the people of PotWin
more fire alarm boxes.
He also charged the fire department
with gross incompetency in the man.
agement Of the StormOnt hospital FIRE
He said that the department allowed
the building to almost burn down be-
cause they did not know the location of
the fire plugs III the vicinity of the hra
The department went righ- past 8
fire plug a block from the fire. de-
clared Mr.. BOlmar, and laid 1. line OF
hose for half a mile. Their hUse was
not long enough, and of course the
building was burning all the time.
We all know that the present tele-
phone system. which is fixed SO that
dozen people are strung onto one
/ Inc, is useless in case of fire. It takes
/ from three to five minutes to even make
central answer a ring. What we need
are some IRE alarm boxes. The nearest
one to Potwin is at Seventh and Lane
streets. It does not do any good to
spend money on new equipment and
new horses unless we can have facili-
ties for getting in alarms of fire.
Of course the criticism of the tele-
phones applies only to the Bell system.
In spite of this vigorous roast, Mr..
Bolmar admitted that the Topeka de-
partment was doing generally good
work, and that it ought to have i'm
proved equipment. but he thought that
the equipment should be preceded by
an extension of the fire alarm system.
The full report of the committee on
fire depar trnent, which was read to
the council last night, is as follows:
We, your committee on fire depart
n ent respectfully report that we have
made a careful examination as to the
general condition. manual strength. ana
equipment of the FIRE department Of this
city. It goes without saying that the
economical and efficient management,
the personel Of the force from officers