The Washington times., 1902-09-22
Present Force Declared
Efficient, But Entirely
Inadequate,
CALL FOR NEW COMPANIES
Chief Engineer and Assistants Agree in
Their Reports-Show Necessity for
an Increased Body and Better Ap-
paratus.

The recent inspection of the District
Fire Department suggests several in.
teresting reflections relative to the pro-
lection afforded property and life in the
National Capital. According to the re-
port of the Chief Engineer, the depart
ment is considerably smaller and less
efficient in the way of high-grade ap-
paratus than other cities of the size OF
Washington.
Both the Chief Engineer and his as
sistants agree in their reports that
the department as whole is incapable
from sheer lack of numbers, to contend
with big fires. They have united in a
strenuous call for more companies. and
for better apparatus. some of which is
to be furnished during the next year or
two through appropriations made FOR
the current fiscal year.
There are at present fourteen engine
companies in the department. six truck
companies. and four chemical engine
companies, with one building on Con-
gress Heights. The department numbers
28S men. including the Chief Engineer,
his four assistants, the fire marshal,
the Office force, "a foremen. "a assistant
foremen, IA engineers, Il firemen, 25
drivers, and tillermen. There are 251
horses and about 40 vehicles other than
fire engines and apparatus wagons.
Numerical Force.
c1a ha oa1
force of the department. but give no in
timation of its efficiency in the way of
fire fighting OF of the discipline of the
men. The inspection showed that the
men are in excellent health. the ma
jority being men in the prime of life.
rugged and active. At the call to duty
they respond with alacrity and show
that they know how to act and to act
quickly.
Their general appearance is such as to
stir feelings of admiration. They are
intelligent and evidently capable of all
that would be required of them in any
emergency. The officers are uniformly
courteous and polite. In few instances
there is to be seen, perhaps, tend
ency to gruffness, but that may be at
tributed to the results of stern disci-
pline rather than to any fault of char
acter or breeding.
There is one point upon which all ac
Quainted with the facts will agree, and
that is that the Fire Department In
number of instances is very badly
housed. In at least three cases this
amounts to disgrace TO the city. to
the authorities, TO Congress. and to all
concerned in maintaining such quarters
60 t,n r-ioe,
The houses TO which reference is
made are old, and no amount of re-
pairs would put them in proper condi-
ton. They are 100 small. the result
being that the machinery, the men, and
the horses are crowded together in such
a manner as not only to impair the eff
ficiency of the company, but 70 en-
danger the health of the men.
In Center of the City.
These houses are also in the center
of the city, and house the companies
which have The greatest amount of work
to perform. The companies which should
be regarded as the star organizations
of the department-upon whom the
brunt of the fire fighting rests-are
those which are provided with the poor
est quarters, in the instances to which
reference is made.
Some Of the houses in the center of
the city and all of those in the outly
ing districts are new. and these are
modern structures. well lighted. we'll
ventilated. and are big enough and so
well arranged that the men not only
have space for their apparatus, but
have opportunity for some of the COM
forts of life.
But this is impossible in the old fire
houses. such as those occupied by en-
CINE company No. 4, chemical COM
pany No. !. engine company No. 6. and
engine company No. Z. One or two of
these houses are unfit for any purpose,
let alone that of housing the fire COM
panies of the Capital of the Nation.
These houses should be Immediately
replaced by new buildings. either on
the same sites. enlarged. or on new
sites. 1t is useless to talk of repairs.
unless they should be such as TO amount
to practical rebuilding
Suburbs Fare Best.
The Engineer Commissioner, in speak |
ing of the matter. said recently that the |
chief reason why so much better fire |
houses had been erected in the suburbs |
was that the inhabitants of those sec
tions of the District interested them |
selves in getting the appropriations |
through Congress. and were successful
In getting money sufficient to build |
houses architecturally beautiful and ar
ranged with comfort to the men.
He thought ii was time attention
should be given to the innerurban
houses. with a view to building ever
Or erecting entirely new structures, and
he said that the Commissioners would
favor anything in reason
TO better equip the hardworking COM
Danies downtown.
The matter having been called TO the
attention Of the Chief Engineer and the
it is thought likely that
steps Will be taken in the near future
70 supply what is now considered the
greatest defect of the Fire Department.
Caveat Filed to Will