The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-12

rDeT OF men 70 cope With
the water supply was
luats Tor the number of
that we're ir use. Some
before the men could get
s to do -e1fective work but
thing WAS gotten into readi-
work Of the firemen was hero
M ~ N, 'e.lf work in checking the 1-ayages
sese,l :. names !. in the Central block was
ca considering the handicaps I'M
.gi,t INC" .-.,Clh they worked and the rapidity
Il hui. which the fire spread through the
II r.. None the less heroic were
r ~, successful efforts to save the II.
lion. y .ss,lAer block, which seemed for a
TX tine to be doomed
ne alarm WAS teiephoned to the ire
Seon as Just 2:25 o'cioclz.. and the
g n 80 'rlent was on the scene in less
80 eWo minutes after the gong
~ The delay came after the
h - reached the scene. While the
ft new engine was being connected to
So hydrant in front Of Harris cigar
49, Two lines OF hose We're connected
81 So pug In the rear OF Dinwoodey's
and these were run promptly to
-''s rear Of the burning building.
Life Saving First.
mhen the hremen were ready to turn
r,aeer upon the building from that
lace, they discovered people climbing
tfto"h the fire escape and heard that
IRE were others in the building. Ac-
wrong to their statements, they con-
ttts1ered saving life their first duty. and
- nose lines We're dropped while the
men got ladders to rescue the persons
~ the IRE escape and look for others
"no were said to be in the building.
~ took some minutes to get these
persons down and the hose lines had
. lie idle during that time because
mere we're no other men there to ham
"a Ulp them
saed the hose lines were turned on and
NO streams were playing upon the
burning building
Up to this time not a drop of water
nad been turned upon the front There
The men were stringine a line of hose
over the top of the d. F. Walker build
ing and the Central block. both lines
coming from the engine. Although these
iihes were gotten on the building in
larry good time, the engine did not
ptsln 70 throw water until just thirty
minutes after u arrived on the scene.
MS time was noted by several per-
Sons who timed the engine with their
watches.
Was Frozen Up.
The engineer. when asked why the
delay. replied that everything was
frozen up and he couldn't set water
AT that time ne was engaged in build
rins ere in the engine box which only
scontained a few Goals. Aaplentiful sup
DIV of kjnding was thrown into the
fire box and few minutes later the
Steam dial began to indicate pressure.
Still the engine remained idle and the
two lines of hose running to the tops
% the D. +. Walker and Central blocks,
where action could have been gotten
upon the fire were empty. and the only
line OF hose playing on the building at
All was a single one from plug across
the street. and the gravity pressure
would only throw the water 10 the third
floor some distince below where the
fire was at that time
When the engineer was asked why
the engine did not start, he replied that
he was waiting for a signal for water.
This signal did not come until thirty
minutes had elapsed after the arrival
Of the engine
Shortly after this the second engine
arrived on the scene and two more
lines Of hose were laid out, one into
the Salt Lake Hardware company's
store and the other into the alley be-
tween the Atlas block and the Cen
tral block. In about an hour after the
alarm both engines were at work and
4 four streams from the engines were
(" playing on the fire. -Four more hose
lires from-isl5lgs were in use
Tower Ladder Raised.
Then the tower ladder was raised
and a line of hose dfSectly- from the
large engine was run to thei top Of this
and kept playing on the bu4ning build
ing for two hours. BY thd time both
engines were in good working order
tine Atlas block was pract cally gone
u and the attention Of the Aremen was
~ given mostly 20 the Central block and
the u. +. Walker building With the
pressure given by the engines the fire
was finally gotten under c4ntrol.
The delay in getting the engines
rnfuf1cra hLp comment
and the department was harshly crit
fcised on every hand for slOwness-
some of the insurance men were
Especially strong in their criticism Il.
=. futile said.
I'VE represent over $1,000, 900 worth
Of resident propertJ in the city, all
of which is liable TO fire. and the
s owners OF this property deserve ade-
Quate protection against IRE Ihe
lropertv holders are entitled to a fire
DEPARTMENT that is fully competent to
cope with any condition that may arise.
There shouldn't be any delays or any
raachinery out of gear. The people pay
for protection and they should have
IL
Chief Devine's Statement.
It was rumored that this disastrous
FIRE ard the inability Of the fire de-
partnleni TO cope with it may cause
the insurance neen 20 meet again and
make another advance in the insurance
rates The Insurance men stated that
as set thcy have not had time to con
slider the matter and are not prepared
10 state vhctbc. such action may be
81 fakeu or COl.
In regard ,o tle work of the fire de-
II ,&rtment. Chief Deviue stated yester-
daA afternoon that the deDartment
nevar did better work in its history.
The engines were III sNcenent work
fnr order" said ne. and they Wer,
rotten ID work as soon as possible
aster their arrival II takes some time
~ lay tines 1f hose over the tops OF
buildings. ana naturally some delay
.vas causcd i'm Uhat way Especially
Is this So III you have p shortage OF
men. as we have. There are not enough
men IN the department. 10 do the work
that has to be done at a fire % that
kind The mer are but human anc