The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-05
FIRE DEL TINENT
IN GOOD SHAPE
Commissioner Frischkon Speaks
in Praise Of It.
NEED TWO MORE MACHINES
At Present Could Hold Dowa One Fire, But
Could Not Cope With Two Big
Ones at the Same
Time.
NEED TWO MORE MACHINES

President John H. FriSchkorn. OF the
Board of Fire Commissioners, stated be-
fore tho Council Committee on Fire
Losses last night that he believed the
Richmond Fire Department was equal
10 any in the country Of Its size.
The department IS not as strong as
we would like 1t to be-" he said, FOR the
reason that with two big fires on our
LANDS we would be deficient But we
have been able to handle all the big
tires that have occurred here within the
)sast two years without allowing them
10 spread beyond the buildings in which
ihcy have originated.
For the size of our department the
results have been wonderful. We can
cope with any one fire that may start
but we cannot handle two big ones, and
i will say that there is not a section OF
the city, except possibly the extreme END
OF Seventeenth Street and some isolated
portions of Marshall Ward, that an en-
CINE cannot reach within the fire alarm
district within three minutes from the
tine the alarm is sounded.
NOT LARGE ENOUGH
Chief Fuller felt that the department
was not large enough to take care of any
big fire properly, and thought that to
make It more effective the force Should
be increased by at least twenty-five men.
Tho committee did not meet until five
minutes to g An alarm of fire, coming
from q stable on Seventh Street shortly
after S. caused a stampede OF the COM
1nittec and at ten minutes to Messrs
fIobson, Gibson and Shea being no quo
rum. adjourned. They had scarcely done
80 when Messrs. Minor, Allen and Cor
don came in and the committee settled
down to business, with President Frisch-
korH as first to address them.
we plead guilty to the term def
ciency,'" lie said. for we are not as
strong as we would like to be- The city
has done all it can, however. and we
have managed, with all difficulties to get
together a fine department. and it is now
much hetter than it was when the present
commissioners took charge of it in 1888.
Il don't think we can have a fire here
that the department can't handle The
only one that gave us much trouble was
that of the Grace Street Church. from
which twenty-seven distinct fires were
killed in their incipiency But there is
one trouble IT, while our department is
working on fire and another should
start up in a mother part Of the city. we
would display our weakness and great
ruin would be the inevitable result. We
are isolated and can get no assistance
from nearby cities. The endurance and
ability of the department has been tested
during the past two wears. The Jefferson.
>.
Tires We're the separate tests
NEEDED INCREASE.
in the fist year OF the existence of
this Board there were siXtv-nine alarms
Alre-dy in this year there have been 105.
With the addition of two engine comna-
MES and twenty-five men we would feel
able to take care of several fires at the
same time"
He spoke OF the improvements in the
Department, and said that at no time
had single eneine failed at a fire. "They
have ALWAYS stood up to the test he
.sad. the cord'ton of the Department is
excellent: the diScip,ine is as perfect as
that in a vest1y m ng. ne men carry
The rreat test respect for The officers. and
the most cordial and pleasant relations
exist.
One of the great troubles the frcmen
have to conte d with is the self-csteened
critic, who always turns up at a fire
with hints and SUGGESTIONS as to how
:iic Department should proceed
NO fires fave Spr ad beyond the oriei-
3al place. We have the best of material
our, hose is of the best quality, ami we
get 1t cheaper than they do in other eli
lies. Any machne is ready to go to
worn when it reaches the fire.
The fire losses in 1889 were fixed at
SS4 Goa in 1897, s105.0nn: in 1881. S196 zoo. l.
LAS, seS,ooo; in 1929. si7 900: in 1900 $4,000
The Department had the number
of ng'nes-ten-that ii had in 1855 bu-
they were greatly improved and of higher
ST., dard.''
In reply TO question from Major Al
Am. the speaker said the Department
MAS strong enough to suppress a con-
ilagration. but would be unable to han
die fires in different sections at the same
time.
Th. speaker felt sure that with two
additional engines the department would
be OF sufficient strength to handle more
nan one fire. There were eight alarms
Of the three sizes last year. Up to that
time such an alarm was a rarity.
Manchester can handle FIRE better
than @e cam said Mr.. Frischkcrn, .'be-
caase their water pressure is different
from ours
tIe said he would like the committee
To demonstrate the promptness With which
The department gets to a fire.
TROUBLED BY WIRES.
In reply TO a question from Mr.. Miner,
Mr.. Frischkorn said that the department
was frequently hampered with overhead
wires. and that frequently ladders could
lot be used from that cause.
The Fire Commissioners had year after
Year recommended the appointment Of a
building inspector
The cost of the Two engine houses would
he $4,000: the pay roll of twenty-five men,
sl2.7o0 a year.
about the water mains, except to say
that in the manufacturing districts the
mains should be larger.
with more hydrants,'' he said, Eve
can handle fires much better. and we are
to have those hydrants within the next
few months. The Water Department and
The Fire Department are working in har-
mony. and it is up TO the city to help
us both.
In reference TO the construction OF
frame buildings, the speaker said that
permission should always be obtained
from the chief The bridge in the rear
of e. B. Taylors. he said. had been con-
st,ucted without the consent of the chief.
who stated before it was built that he
would oppose it.
cniei Fuller followed President Irisch-
korn- lie said that when he entered the
service thirty years ago forty fires year
was good business.
NEED LARGER FORCE.