The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-03
RAILROAD NEWS.
Santa Fe Fire Fighting system
to Be Inspected.
Chief Young Of Albuquerque to
Go Over All Lines.
TOPEKA DEPARTMENT.
How It is Organized and What
It Does.
DEPARTMENT.
Frequent Test Drills Keep the
Men on the Alert.

C. o. Young, foreman of the Santa
Fe pattern department in the shops Oh
the company at Albuquerque, N. M,
and chief of the fire department there,
has been chosen to go over the entire
Santa Fee system, including the "A T.
upon the means which the company mas
fer protecting itself against fire. MI
Young expects to begin his duties the
early part of this month.
He will go from place to place ana
make thorough examination of the
equipment at all the points, both as to
apparatus and regarding the working
force, the discipline Of the men and the
handle calls. It is believed that in tins
way the service generally can be inn
proved. Mr.. Young, it is Stated, has
had wide experience at fire-hghting,
having been a member of the St LOUIS
and Chicago departments.
At all the leading division points or
the Santa Fe these departments are Or
ganized and kept in operation by men
from the ranks of the company'S en-
ployes, actually in service. These are
carefully picked for the service they are
expected to perform to the company IN
time of great emergencies when much
loss of property is imminent. They are
furnished the apparatus with which to
work, and at the larger places the force
has its headquarters fitted up with beds
and rooms to which the men can re-
tire when not actively on duty. Among
the latest of the to1nts to organize
department is Emporla, which two or
three months ago was without protec-
ton aside from that which the city gave,
but which now has a force Of eight or
ten men drilled and ready to respond
at given signal.
| topeka naturally leads all the other
| points on the Santa Fe in size and eff
| f1ciency of it's railroad fire department.
| Twelve regular men and one extra pro-
| tect the company property from the
ravages of the consuming element. ="
| Throughout the working day of the shops
| the members are at their places in the
| various buildings, ready at any given
number of blasts from the big shop
whistle to jump to the call To guard
/ against the possibility of those employed
| around machines that are particularly
noisy not hearing the alarm, as soon as
| the man nearest such a place is notified
he immediately rushes to the foreman in
| that building and appriseS him of the
| signal Then both hurry to the loca-
| ton of the blaze. Every member is SO
| drilled that he knows instantly where
ne should run at the sound of any of the
| eight or nine blasts of the whistle In
| every case. however, it is understood
| with the members of the switching crew
near the shops that as soon as the fire
engine and hasten with all possible speed
| to the north end of the storehouse, the
| nearest point to which they can ap.
| proach the department headquarters
/
| from the fire chief or those under him
| In case the blaze be one which can be
| reached quicker by the use Of the
| switch engine than any other way, that
| is used; otherwise the switching crew
| is dismissed and returns to its place.
| During the time when the shops are
closed provision is always made where.
| by there shall be at least four men on
| the watch. Thus if you pass through the
buildings at any time on a holiday you
will mot go far without seeing m embet
of the fire department on guard duty.
| For this service the men receive COM
penSatiOn of seventeen-and-a-half cents
an hour; and at the end of each month
| every member is also given by the COM
| pany additional payment for one ten
| hour day at the regular price given in
| the shops. When the weather is pleas
| ant it has become the custom for the
| firemen to get excused from their reg
ular labors half of Saturday afternoon
| and put in the time practicing the drills
| Many times they are called out by the
| regulation alarms and respond with the
| same skill and precision as though a
| fire really existed, never knowing other
1 wise until they have reached the water
! plug to which the number of blasts
| summons them. The work of the de-
1 partment here has been much improved
| William Snyder along with the Coop
| Grafton of the twelve men under him.
/ Several thousand feet of new hose has
| been bought, tested and put in sha pc
| for instant use All the plugs and lines
| are frequently tested in order that moth
| ing may intervene to prevent the fire.
| fighters getting the necessary water
| supply when the time comes. With the