The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-11

OF the city as would throw an overwhelm-
Ing stream, or many such streams, on
any fire that might originate in that
neighborhood
A CRYING NEED.
To aid this scheme In Richmond, there
+ Is crying necessity for a water tower
Of at least 100 feet elevation in the imme-
diate vicinity of the new reservoir. THIS
tower could be erected and the necessary
pumps Installed for eco. and this alone
would insure a bounuful supply OF water
for the higher sections Of the city, and
would D.. ar invaluable adjunct to the
system OF stationary pumps which nave
described above.
The question OF establishing these
pumping stations Of sufficient force to
substitute enormous pressure aud volume
CT water at all the fire hydrants, for the
weak efforts Of the fire engine, staggers
the people Of Richmond, beca, Sc OF (,vhat
they imagine would be) the enormous
cost; but in great cities like New York,
where 50 many millions of dollars are
subject to constant hazard, the cost
should not for single day be consid-
cred The great insurance companies Of
New York, life and fire, have countless
millions Of dollars in store, which they
are always anxious to invest; and
where could they more safely and
securely invest their money than in bonds
for the establishment of these plants.
where they would receive moro regularly
their interest, and at the same time pro-
vide the most efficient protection against
the enormous losses which are sweeping
the country from end to end The les
sons Of the past few days in Norfolk.
in Petersburg, in Richmond, in New
York, in Waterbury, and the awful con-
hagrations of past years in Chicago and
in Boston, all cause a thoughtful man
to wonder that the educated, scientific
and public-spirited citizens Of the United
States have not evolved some scientific
and safe protection against this awful
demon, which seems determined to de-
stroy the fair and helpless cities of this
country. Why should railways, canals.
banks, stock companies, shipyards, loco
motive plants, and other great enterprises
absorb all the capital Of the country, and
this great and crying necessity be neg
lected, ignored, and left to the care OF
the most ordinary. incapable and unscieu-
tiflc men in every community. With this
mere suggestion of the great possibilities
in the way of Improvement, l pass to
| another, and I think, q vital suggestion
USE OF EXPLOSIVES
",The suppression of fire by the simple
application of water, SO Ineffective UP to
| this time. should be aided and made ell
| cient by the addition to every fire depart
n:ent OF a corps of trained, efficient and
! intelligent men, authorized to use the
| most powerful explosives known for the
| immediate destruction of buildings which
seem to invite and aid the extension OF
| CONGREGATIONS, l am satisfied that WIZ
| the aid of an accomplished and eSpe
| rienced engineer. gigantic graphing irons
| might be made, with sufficient power to
! tear down and hatten out u million dol
| lar structure, so as to crush and smother
! the fire in the ruins Of the building in
| which it originates. It would be q novel
| and delightful treat to see q great fire
| in a great city like New York attacked
| and overcome, say, by the 20-inch guns
| of q battleShip, in the service Of the fire
| department, as a substitute for the Zee.
| lie. inefficient and useless one and one
| t.alf-inch toy squirts of the ordinary fire
! engine If millions can be spent, 14o OF
! them each year, for the pension roll. and
! other hundred OF millions to crowd the
! seas with our navy, why could not the
great fire companies of New York IN
| stall, in the business district. at least on.
| engine as powerful as the engines of
| first class battleship. and have 1t ready
! at a moments notice to deluGe with
| three or four-inch streams any building
| within radius of one-half mile.
SIT is absolutely necessary that every
community should organize commits
! sion, or board, Of eminent engineers
scientists, inventors, men OF affairs
| whose sole work should be TO devise
recommend and put In effect some mod
| crn. complete and effective means FOR th
| suppression Of great and threatening con-
! fsgrations in our cities. In addition to
| these precautions it is all important that
| the fire departments Of the country, es-
pecially in the large cities. should be
under the command of some intelligent.
intrepid, well educated engineer; prefer
ably some young, gallant. prominent
graduate from West Point, who has hat
some experience in the training and dis
ciplining of men, or if not a West Pointer
perhaps a graduate Of the Naval 4Acade
my well up in the scientific part Of his
profession. To illustrate, would it no
ray Boston, Chicago, New York, or ST
Louis to employ brave. spirited and
bright man. with a splendid physique
such as Richmond Pearson Hobson, 70
instance to be the head Of their fire de-
partment. to plan. to organize. to direct
md to lead the gallant fellows who mus
protect us and our cities from destruc
ton by this awful element.
THE FIREMEN.
''The time has come when the large
cities of this country should recogniz,
The fact that the plain, uneducated, gal
tant and faithful. practical man, who
has spent his life in the fire department
may not be, and is not necessarily, th'
light man to be entrusted with the enor
nous interests represented by the grea
ire departments of such cities. The mel
hey need must be brave and faithful
and. IL possible, experienced, but they
must also be the most accomplished
reliable men, intelligent, with experience
and training, that can be found at an!
price. In my opinion, as long as tn
present system is continued the cities
OF the country should search out ant
mploy at once. as chief of their depart
ments the most able and intellectual
men they can induce to accept the posi-
ton by the largest salaries compatib'
with reason. The engine-houses ough
to be SO increased III size and altered
construction as to constitute in the uppe
part practically apartment houses.
which the flremen, with their wives
and children, may reside, so as to com
bine, with the presence of the firemei
1T the post OF duty. that comfort an
rest which a man can obtain when sur
rounded by his wife and children, an
Nowhere else. OF course, the plan mus
include immediate and direct access fron
the apartment to the ground floor an.
angine-room. The firemen of the presen
system ought to be as certain OF promo
ton, distinction and reward for gallan
ny as the soldier on the field of battl
under the eye Of his commander-in-chief