Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-14
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
Lesson Taught by Fire On
River Front.
LACK OF FACILITIES
MR.. MCFARLAND BELIEVES
THEY SHOULD BE INCREASED.
Statement of Comparisons With Fire
Departments in Other Cities-Re-
garding Burned Property.
LACK OF FACILITIES

or the water front is regarded by the Dis
trict Commissioners and the fire depart
ment officials striking evidence of the
need of a largely increased department in
the District of Columbia. Commissioner
MacfarIand, who has supervision of the
fire department, today declared the fire
fighting service has been neglected in the
advance of the capital city. lie said the
department is finely efficient as to its per-
sonnet. but woefully Inadequate in regard
To apparatus and size of working force
Compared to other cities CT nearly similar
or smaller size, the Washington depart
ment shows up as decidedly weak this
too despite the fact that in other cities the
departments simply have to cover d city
area. while here the department is called
upon to protect a dozen or more villages
in the outlying sections of the District OF
Columbia.
The Commissioners are in a uuandary
as to the status of the wharf property
which was occupied by the Dutldins IS burned
Saturday They are aware, of course, of
the fact that the title to the property is
vested in the United states and IS I'M
der its control. The question of paying for
the improvements on the property, bow
ever. is stin pending in the courts. The
occupants of the river front land applied
u the court for the value of he buildings
erected on the land and the matter is under
consideration. Pending the decision Of the
court in that regard .he question arises
as to whether or not the buildings burned
may be reconstructed. Later they could
be paid for by the United States and then
rented to the occupants. The matter IS
one for the courts and lawyers to deter
mine. the Commissioners declare.
What the Court Decided.
Under the decision of the Supreme Court
OF the United States in the cause of the
United States against Morris and others,
commonly known as the Potomac flats case,
the court decided that the United States
government is the owner of the river front
property, and remanded the case to the
Supreme Court Of the District for the pur-
pose of ascertaininS the value of the i'm
movements put upon the property by the
occupants so that they might be compen-
stated therefor. The Improvements destroyed
by fire were owned by those who con-
structed them, but under the decision in
the Potomac flats case the land belongs
TO the government. 1t is held by lawyers
familiar with the situation that the owners
cannot rebuild the structures without the
Consent of the Commissioners of the Dis
triCt Of Columbia and without entering into
an arrangement with the Commissioners for
the proper rental value of the same. 1t
IS understood, however. that they will have
NJ difficulty in making satisfactory ar
ranGements with the Commissioners SO as
TO rebuild the structures destroyed by fire
and continue in the occupation of the same.
ne ST. uCIIItS OESjIOStu were those III
cluded in the Potomac flats case. and they
lad all been examined by the experts and
their value ascertained. and 1t would not
have been very long before the court would
have decided the amount to which the
owners were each entitled, after which
Congress would have made the necessary
appropriations to pay for the same. The
loss now falls entirely on the owners.
Need of Increased Service.
In speaking of the need of an increased
fire department Mr.. Macfarland said today
that the Commissioners last week urged
upon the House appropriations committee
the urgent necessity for more fire stations
more men and modern apparatus The
Commissioners also urged that Congress
allow the 100000 estimated for to provide
a high pressure water service in the down
town section of the city. Drawing the
water from the Reno reservoir by separate
mains and having separate street plugs a
pressure by gravity can be secured which
will throw a fire stream over the highest
buildings in the section. This would mean
a very effective and cheap means of fight
ing a fire. and would not require the en-
Tloyment of every engine In the District as
was the case Saturday afternoon.
Requires No Argument
The District fire department" said Mr..
Macfarland. lis so manifestly INADEQUATE
it ought not to require any argument
whatever TO secure for 1t the much-needed
increase which the Commissioners have
recommended. The fire on the water front
Saturday afternoon was an expensive OBJ
Ject lesson of the need of a larger fire fight
ing force here at the capital All of the
fourteen engine companies and all of the
six truck companies In the DISTRICT depart
meut were employed at the fire.
If a cOnfagratiOn had broken out in any
other section Of the city at that time the
results would have been most disastrous
II would have been from a half TO three
quarters Of an hour before apparatus could
be UrcOup!ed and hose wound up and taken
u the new scene Of action In the mean
time the decrease in the force at the origi-
nal fire might result in the department los
Ing control Of both conflagra tons and the
result would be beyond description.
Suppose. for instance a fire should have
broken out Saturday afternoon in one of
the northwest hotels, apartment houses or
institutions. There was no apparatus in
the city that was not employed at the wa
ter front except two or three chemical en-
eines. which would be unavaiIing in a fire
Of any size. Think of the run the appa-
ratus would have to make from the foot OF
9TH street southwest 10 the top Of the 18th
street hill IN the northwest even If a sim
Ele engine could be spared. 4 fire in this
time might easily spread beyond control
and lives might be lost. 1t is easy to say
that Washington has never suffered from
two serious CONGREGATIONS at the same
time. But what is to prevent such an oc-
10 luck II the double ConfiagratiOn should
come the loss would be many times great
er in that one Instance than would be the
cost OF increasing the department to the
size desired by the Commissioners and COM
menSurate with the size of the District
What Might Have Happened.
III the wind had been higher Saturday
afternoon. or If the men in the department
had not been so active. prompt and eff
Client. there would have been no means of
saving the entire water front property of
the city The personnel of the department,
the chiefs. the engineers, the foremen the
drivers the stOkers. the privates and all,
are as fine a lot Of men as any in the
United States The trouble is We have not
enough fire stations, not enough apparatus
'Two-thirds of the apparatus we have in
service is not up To date, and some of the
engines are twenty years old. We have not
IN the District single fire engine of the
highest modern type. The best We have
Is the third-class. There is not an engine
here that throw 800 gallons Of water
minute. do the first-class engines in
other cities. We have no reserve apparatus
There are two engines nominaliy in reserve
but neither is In good condition and both