Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-15
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MA
CHIMES IN THIS CITY.
A Pittsburger Who Saw the Work of
the Men Saturday Night Gives
His Views.

"If the city of Washington could be
taken up an entirety, with its smooth,
clean, tree-shaded streets; it's sunshine,
green parks and fresh, pure atmosphere,
and transported bodily to Pittsburg, de-
posted there for three days, and then re-
| transported to its original foundations, the
inhabitants of the smoky city would be
given such a shock that the undertakers
couldn't gather up those who had died from
heart failure. or paralysis, fast enough to
keep tie thoroughfares unincumbered by
their bodies remarked ]. NJ. Martin of
Pittsburg at an uptown hotel this morning
to a Star man.
''Pittsburg can't keep it's streets clean,
and doesn't pretend to. When organza-
lions of weary and disguised ladies', who are
the main sufferers by reason of the bad
condition of our streets. wait upon the high
ways bureau, what do You think the Off
Gals stand Item off with? Why, they ask
the ladies to be patient, look happy if they
are not, and to wait a few weeks for pleas
ant weather. Am 1 joking? Not much;
this is fact. We are waiting for good
weather, before we can expect to get our
streets fit to walk upon. Ard it is just as
pad as to the removal of our garbage,
which. l understand, is settled question
in Washington; l haven't seen ash
garbage can or a wagon, Tor that matter,
since l have been in the capital. In Pitts
burg. pay customers have their garbage
removed; others don
More Machines Needed
''M nile there are many features of the
municipality of Washington which make
Pittsburgers blush for their town beneath
our coating of smoke and CRIME we have
features which should make the residents
of the capital feel correspondngly uncom-
Portable. and one is. the most important of
All. to my mind, that of fire protection.
What there is of the fire department of
Washington appeared to me at the big fire
along the water front on Saturday to be
well organized and in good condition. But
when | was informed that by reason of the
insufficient number of apparatus the entire
length and breadth of the capital was prac-
tically at the mercy of fire should confiagra-
tons break out in different portions of the
city, l felt proud of own fire depart
ment, as fires and their origin and losses
are a matter of business interest to me-
Il observed that the Washington firemen
worked with intelligence and skill but the
heaNy handicap under which they did their
well-performed duty was so apparent that
/ marveled that they succeeded in stoppine
the flames at all. What would have been
the result had one of your big department
buildings taken fire in one part of the city.
and If large planning mill were burning at
another. as is likely to occur In any large
city at any hour of the day or night, can
pest be left matter of local conjecture.
1t Is my personal belief. however, that had
such lamentable but not improbable
calamity occurred the few thousand dollars
required for the purchase of an adequate
number of machines, and increased water
pressure. would have been voted by Con-
gress within twenty-four hours But it
would have been then too late. | cannot
understand why it is that Congress does
not double the size of your fire department.
Tor II would be then none too large. While
1t cannot be expected that men whose oc-
equations are not along the lines of fires
ana their results. as is the, case of members
OF Congress, it ought to be apparent to all
those either permanently or temporarily in
washington thai in the event of one of the
government buildings taking fire. the flames
gaining Roadway. that all the fire depart-
ment could do would be to attempt to save
surrounding sur property. and allow the build
ing TO burn; if, indeed. they could check the
flames in the surrounding structures in the
event of a high wind or insufficient water
pressure.
Appropriation Usually Too Late.
1t Is a singular, but nevertheless true
fact, which can be vouched for by all who
nave to do with municipalities. and the
handling in one way another of fire.
lighting apparatus the adjustment of
fire losses, or the reconstruction of build
ings, that it is usually only after some
dreadful confagration, or the wiping out of
an entire town, section of a CITY, that
those who have the final say as to expeu-
dltures for the maintenance of the fire de-
partment will consent to give heed to the
business interests of the place, and vote the
required sums. For some reason which 7
am not pr red to explain, these business
interests, to say nothing of the possible
loss Of life, are ignored. 1t may be the
entertaining of false views of economy on
the part of municipal governing bodies. or
that the element of reimbursement by in
surance is felt sufficient to recoup in the
event of a fire. These views are erroneous
ana may be almost criminal in their en-
torcement- The insurance money paid sell
dom approaches the actual losses on build
lnSs and stocks, while the loss by reason
or the loss Of trade is never taken into ac-
count, but which often exceeds the actual
money loss by reason of the fire
however, people are lucky to live in sucb
beautiful city as Washington, and Wash
lnston may be considered lucky CITY as
regards losses by fire Luck is a poor thing
10 bank or bet on, as it often changes and
those who may depend upon it find them
selves in trouble. This fact Congress should
not lose sight of when 1t comes to fires
Burnetts Vanilla Extract is the fxed
standard of excellence 1t has outlived criti.
clSm. 1t is the finest and unrest vapf1la az