The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-08-15
CHIEF COOK AFTER
The FIRE BUGS
SEVERAL ARRESTS UxPEerEo TO FOLLOW A rHoRoUeH IN
vGsroArleN ~ FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS

nrc tryiug 90 find a man who haa
recently been turning in a number
Of false firc alarms. causing the fire
department a great deal II trouble
thereby II the guilty person ~
caught he will be fined $50 or inn
prisoncd 80 days, or both fined aud
imprisoned a. provided by city or
dinancc
The festive Individual who has
been causing chief Cooks men so
much trouhle. has been In the habit
Of telephoninE from different points
in the city Last Friday night he
sent an alarming message e. head
quarters from FIRTH avenue and
Main street Saturday night M = 80
O'Clock he sent In an alarm from
Box us, az uaylaton avenue aud
Pine street. and IS minutes later
be turned iu an alarm az box rs.
three blocks away.
Chief Cook Is also after the scalps
81 the ineendiarics. last week two
fires Of lndisputably iueondlary or
tEin occurred in the double blaek
bounded by seventh and Eighth av-
enuee and Union and University
streets. Both these fires we're ex-
tinguished aud extensive damage
prevented only BY the prompt re-
Spouse Of the fire department The
residents ~ the nelghharhood have
been kert I'm continual fear BY the
depre3atiena 81 a number of iueor.
rigible boys. and the fircs are laid
at the deer % two members 81 this
sFane
We are ihying FOR these fellows. 70
said Chief Cook this morning. and
n Ne catch them. they will not set
much mercy We have our eyes on
two BID boys. II years cid and -
also have IN mind one or twe adult
lncen1iarles
They wlil set the full extent q
the Law II we set held q them We
vii also make an example % any
false alarm man that ne get hold
Of. There Is = good round penalty
for tsmpeFinE With the fire boxes
and Ne have a chance. within a DAY
or two. Of sending one or two u
these fellows 20 jail"
Chief Cook also had something 60
say In regard T. the careiesaness %
the ordinary property owner.
We have had forty or fifty runs
IN the past month said be.
Through the neglect Of people 20
Keep the moss or their roofs The
uaoss collects on Seattle roofs quick
er than most anywhere else. be
cause % the damp climate. and u
it Is not frequently scraped of. Il
T. a menace 10 the safety % all the
surrounding property. A spark
from a stove pipe wiil start a fire
IN the moss. and a fire once started
On a dry roof Is a dangerous thing
Chief Cook stated that every run
caused BY a false alarm costs the
city about SIS for wear and tear %
the machinery. in addition to the
danger of accidents. Another rad
feature Of = false alarm Il the dan-
ger Of A real fire In the same dis
trict at the same time. Both calls
have 60 be answered and the de-
par,ment IL unable 20 respond IN
fun force
Fire Chief Cook win ask the coun-
ell shortly 90 pass an ordinances
compelling the owners 81 buildinEs
On the roofs Of which mo@a has
crown. % clean them During the
present warm weather. when the
moss has become dry. u has been a
great danger.
sparks from chimneys allght %
TIE moss on the roof and gradually
burn down through the shingles
The progress of the bl4re IL 80 grad
nal that the fire often II not noticed
until q big hole has been burned
through the roof On account Of
Geattls's damp climate an unusual
" large number of buildings that
have been standing lonE. particular
L. in the vicinity Of Pike street.
have become moss grown and the
chief thinks II Imperative that they
Be cleaned In order 10 prevent
constant danger 70 surrounding
buildings.
Chief Cook IL also anxious 10
abolish a practice that has become
prevalent 81 starting brush fires all
over the city without his permits
sI0n. He has already taken steps
a. arrest Henry Briee and have I'm
posed upon him the fine provided
Tor the offanae 81 violating thia pro
vision Of the Law The city ordi-
nance proaeribes that no fires for
clearing land. etc. can D. started
without the written consent Of the
chief OF the fire department who
then prescribsa how Il shall Be con
frolled
ia fire Of this kind f. started
without the required permission and
then gets beyond control neceasitat-
ing a run q the department % ex-
flnGuish Il. the person lighting the
fire IL required 10 pay the eity.a
erpensea for doing the work. bries
wss clearing land BY fire al For
tleth and Burke avenues. without
the chiefs permission. and he VIII
now be compelled 70 pay the ex-
panaa entailsd b. the department IN
putting out the blaze.
ON account ~ these small Tires,
tneeudlary blzzes and false alarms
a. which the fire department has
teen Obliged 20 respond. the depart
msnt has already this year made
more runs than during the whole OF
last year Tho number Of runs up