Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-25
A Business View Of Our Needs.

If the recommendations of the local
authorities looking to the enlargement and
betterment of the Districts fire service need
reinforcement. it is surely given by the re-
port of the representative of the board or
national fire underwriters who was sent
here to investigate local conditions and to
state the needs of the capitals department.
1t ia more than a coincidence that virtually
all of his recommendations, certainly all
those of vital Importance, have been an
ticipated in the course of the reports filed
with the Commissioners by their subord-
mates. Both these subordinates and the
representative of the national board of I'M
derwrlters look at the question from the
same point of view, namely. that of de-
sire to reduce the fire risk to the lowest
possible point. The fighting of fires and
the establishment of equipment to the best
possible advantage can not be regarded as
subject to local whims or rules save so far
as the actual conditions of building and
space concerned SO highly developed
is the work of fighting and preventing fire
that the principles that govern in New
York or Detroit govern equally here, with
only the notifications due to local circum-
stances
The vital requirement of all is that there
should be a sufficient number of steamers
to enable any one to reach the point of
alarm within five minutes in the business
district and little more than that in the
residence section. There should be enough
alarm boxes to enable any citizen to turn
in an alarm within two or at the outside
five minutes after the discovery of the fire.
The business district should be over-equip-
ped with steamers, in point of the average
of need, so that in the event of a coinci-
dence of fires the city can be adequately
protected by the shifting Of companies.
There should be an abundance of water,
the fire-fighting supply being to a large ex-
tent If not wholly independent of that used
for the ordinary service of the city. Apply
Ing these considerations to Washington
the recommendations jointly made by the
officials and the representative of the ma
tional board of underwriters naturally
agree in general If not in specific terms.
1t has been difficult to persuade Congress
that these needs exist today From ses-
sion to session for some years additions
have been made to the local department
until 1t has begun to keep pace with the
growth of the city. But there has always
remained an arrears of improvements never
quite satisfied. The pending recommended
tons and estimates are based upon the
principle of catching up at last for once
and all with the accumulated needs of the
department. The grand total of the esti-
mates Is large, perhaps staggering to the
economists of Congress who do not know
the history of the case. But here comes one
who stands for the hundreds of millions of
dollars invested in the business OF fire in
surance who declares that the Washington
equipment Is deficient in certain particulars
which have already been pointed out Of
hciatly. This report involves the views of
many thousands of stockholders in the fire
insurance companies OF the various states,
as expressed by their expert representative.
1t puts the business view of the case SQUARE
iy up to Congress In a way which should
not be. but perhaps will be. more effect
I've than the bare recommended tons of the
municipal authorities. 1t is at least to be
hoped that with these two strong showings
of need before them the appropria tons
committees will see their way clear to
bringing the local fire department and all
Its appurtenances up to date for the first
time in the history of the capital