Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-27

properly equip tne department WittHn thC
present appropriation of $4,000 He says
horses are selling for $50 per head more
than last year. and as result he Will have
to have $4,000 for this purpose. 1t Is
will cost S22OCO instead of the present
$4,000. Contingent expenses jump from
S15 COO to $1,000. In reference to this Chief
Belt says:
ut is respectfully requested that this ap-
preparation be changed to read as follows:
For horseshOeing. furniture. fixtures.
washing, Oil. medical and stable suppl es.
harness, blacksmtthing, labor, gas and
electric lighting. flags and halyards and
other necessary and miscellaneous items
The term contingent in this connection
Is somewhat misleading. for the reason that
the amounts expended from ii are in no
sense unexpected or unforeseen On the
other hand. they are, indeed. regular. The
hOrseshOeing. lighting and laundry alone
consume nearly all of the amount appro-
prtated. and the department has been nott-
fed that the hOrseshoers' union have in
creased their price 80 per cent. The de-
partment will have about $50 horses which
have to be shOd twice a month. Taking
an estimate from the increased charges by
the shoers the approximate amount alone
to shoe the horses will amount to about
$1,000 The laundry and lighting are cor
respondingly large. and deducting this
amount from the appropriation 1t can be
readily seen that there is hardly anything
left"
New Engine Houses.
Seven new engine houses are requested.
at an aggregate estimated cost of S2l1 .0t0.
For the fire-boat house $4,000 Is asked.
Two combinat ton chemical engine and hose
wagons are requested. to cost $1,000 each.
Two 65-fOot aerial hook and ladder trucks
are wanted. to cost $3.50 each. Two sec
ond size steam fire engines are wanted, TO
cost 5000 each; two third size steam fire
engines are wanted. to cost $500 each.
and one fourth size steam fire engine is re-
quested, to cost $4,000.
This gives a grand total. estimated for
the next fiscal year for the conduct of the
fire department. of S731 10. This year
Congress allowed S4SO.7SO making total
net increase requested of S2jO, 40.
In reference to the new engine houses,
their need and proposed locations. the re-
port says:
For site. house and furniture for an en-
CINE company to be located in the north
western section of the city. south of Penn
sylvania avenue and west of 18th street.
including cost of connecting said house
with fire alarm headquarters. S35,NO.
This house Is recommended on account
of the many valuable buildings in that VI
entity, including the executive mansion.
State. War and Navy building, CorcOran
Art Gallery. Treasury Department build
ing the Y. NJ c. A. building. the Continen
tai Hall of the Daughters, of American
Revolution. and several annexes of the
War Department and many large apart
ment houses. The nearest two companies
should a fire occur in any one of these
large and valuable buildings it would no
doubt gain great Roadway before the ar
rival of the remote companies. The house
is absolutely essential for the better pro-
lection of life and property in the District
of Columbia.
For house and furniture for a chemical
engine company to be located at Benning
ID. c.. including cost of connecting said
house with fire alarm headquarters SlS OOO
The site for this house will be donated if
Congress will provide for the house and fur
niture. By providing for this company 1t
will give great protection at Benning and
its vicinity and will relieve the nearest en-
CINE company to that locality of many long
runs.
For site. house and furniture for a COM
bination house, engine and truck, to be To-
Gated north of Florida avenue, west of 18th
street and east Of Rock Creek including
cost of connecting said house with fire
alarm headquarters, $4,000.
The installation of this house will afford
protection to the many valuable residences
and apartment houses located at Washing
ton Heights
The nearest engine company to this To-
cality is No. g. located on L street between
18th and nth, and should fire occur in the
vicinity of Washington Heights this engine
would have to travel great distance before
1t would reach the scene. The distance
would not only be long but very billy The
next nearest engine companies are great
distance away and before they could reach
the scene the fire would have no doubt
gained such Roadway that great damage
would have been incurred to the building or
buildings. to say nothing of the danger of
loss of life and limb The company would
not only afford protection to Washington
Heights. but also to The suburbs near by,
including Cleveland Park Columbia Heights
and Mount Plea SAINT.
This company. If allowed will consist of
an engine and truck company and it is re-
spectfully submitted that the efficiency of
the department will be greatly promoted by
its installation.
Washington Heights.
Suppose that the engine companies due
first at fire at Washington Heights were
serving an alarm for fire. and another
alarm should come in from their district
The companies due next at this vicinity
would have to respond to fill in their places
requiring them to travel a distance OF two
miles more. 1t can be readily seen that
by the time these companies due on the
second alarm arrived on the scene the fire
would have incurred great deal of dam
age. II it had not entirely consumed the
building and adjoining property.
For site, house and furniture for truck
company to be located in Southwest Wash
iEgton in the vicinity of ~. and K streets.
including cost of connecting said house
with fire alarm headquarters, 10000
There is truck company located in
the southwestern section of the city, and
X is very essential for public safety that
there should Truck companies A and
G now cover this territory, and when they
respond for alarms for fire in that section
the center of the city Is left unprotected by
truck companies. Should this company
be allowed. then these companies would be
retained in the center of the city.
The proposed truck company will not
only protect the different private residences
and buildings in that vicinity. but thirty or
more newly constructed buildings within
the arsenal including officers quarters
troopers quarters hospitals and war coll
leges, which are entirely inadequately pro-
tected far truck companies are con-
cerned. the others being too remote to
reach the scene while the fire is in it's IN
cipiency.
For ste, house and furniture for a truck
company to be located in the northeastern
section of the city. including cost of con-
Meeting said house with fire alarm head
quarters. 10000
There is no truck company in this sec
ton of the city and the companies that fill
in this territory are required to travel a
long distance-from two to three miles.
Truck companies should be the first to
reach the scene of fire. in order that per-
sons who may be on the upper floors of
the building could be rescued.
Should this truck be allowed 1t would
be of great benefit to the department. in
the matter of protecting this section of the
city especially in the near future. when
the new union depot and several hotels
are erected there.