The Washington times., 1903-05-15
WASHINGTON NEEDS
A FIRE BOAT BADLY
HarbOrmasterSuttOnP Points
to Recent Fire as Proof.
BURNING OF COLUMBIA CITED
Should Fire Again Break Out in the
Night Loss of Property Would
Be Very Heavy.

Had that blaze occurred early this
morning, with no fire boat 10 fight it,
the loss would have gone up to the
hundred thousands said Harbor Master
Sutton, speaking of Wednesday nights
con1agration that destroyed the ferry
boat Columbia.
This opinion expresses the general
sentiment among those who daily see
the urgent necessity of river fire boat
The need of such an apparatus was am
ply demonstrated by the threatened de-
struction Wednesday night of properly
along the river front.
Now, just SUPPOSE" said Mr. Sutton,
''the Columbia had not caught until af-
ter midnight. when the Potomac was
slumbering. Naturally, the fire would
have spread to the wharyes, and made
great Roadway before any effort could
have been made to battle with it
"0f course, a FIRE lis. just as likely to
break out III the early morning as any
other time. That is not the point. What
we all contend is that there would have
been no way of overcoming it on ac-
count of the difficulty of fire engines to
fight a river confiagration.
Tugs Did Good Service.
Indeed, I think the damage would
have been a great deal heavier If the
nearby tugs had not come 10 Is our
rescue. The crews worked liked expert
enced fremen, and did everything in
their power to prevent the spread OF
II off he
Steamer Manchester and Newport News
were not destroyed.
The nearest engine company TO the
scene of Wednesday nights fire was at
Fourth Street and Virginia Avenue. while
the next is way off at Eighth and d
Streets. Now, at the best they can't
travel that distance in less than ten or
twelve minutes. and any amount of de-
struction could be wrought IN that time.
The question of buying a fire boat
for the District has been agitated for
many years. a long time ago. I tried
my best to get one. and was sustained
by the Commissioners. But no one else
seemed to take any interest.
THE trouble appears to lie in the ex-
pense. A fire boat would cost about
S75, coo or $500 and the city has never
signifed its Willingness to stand the ex-
pense. Moreover. crew of twenty-five
men would have to be paid, and that
would necessarily cause another big ex-
penditure.
Safeguard for River Front.
"A drst class fire. boat .can fight
q blaze at a distance of two blocks 1t
in motion. and the stream is many times
as powerful as that of an ordinary en-
gine. 1t would be Just such a safeguard
as the river front requires
Nearly every other city in the coun-
try with a population as large as ours,
has been supplied with at least one.
When the subject was so much dis
cussed some years ago, learned that
one community. Boosting population
of less than 125, 600, has been thoroughly
equipped with the necessary river ap-
paratEs.
Some time ago I saw fire boat in
Baltimore fight a blaze in a factory on
the river and put it out in short order
That's the kind of system Washington
should have, under the direction of the
fire department"
Temporary Ferry Service.
There is a slight Improvement in the
mode of travel by water between Alex
andria and Washington today. Begin
ming yesterday evening at $50 the
steamer Estelle Randall was put into
service as a temporary Ierryboat be-
tween the two cities. -
She will until further notice run on
the following schedule: From Wash
ington, 6:1O and $3.50 a m and $50 p. m.
From Alexandria, 1880 a. m. 3:15 and
$50 p. M
She will carry both freight and pass
engers, but teams viii not be allowed
on the boat.
A GREAT CLEARANCE SALE.