Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-26
To DANCER
;ity Constantly is Menaced
Through Absence Of Mod
ern Fire Alarm.
REPORT OF CHIEF HASTINGS
Purchase Of Fire Engines, and Con-
demnation of Old Buildings Rec
commended to Council.

When the facilities for fighting fires
n this city are considered, We should
be thankful that no fire up to the pres
ent time has assumed serious proper
tons" says Charles Hastings, chief of
The Rock Island fire department, in his
annual report to the city council. Il
feel safe in saying that should ever
such a thing occur, the fire department
of this city, while it would exert itself
to the utmost. would be unable 10 meet
the emergency 1t has been the eN
perience Of every administration that.
while not suffering losses by fire. it
neglects TO make proper provisions to
protect lives and property as it should.
At the present time this department
could not man and handle properly
more than five streams. This would
not be sufficient to control a fire of ser
iOus proportions. Besides, the ques-
ton of water supply must be consider
ed Should a large fire break out in
either our business or manufacturing
districts. we would have to depend al
together on our main pumping station
at Twenty-fOurth street. In the event
of this plant breaking down at a crit
ical time. this department would be
pOwerless, and its best efforts would
be of little use. The only reasonable
solution of this problem is the pur-
chase of a steam fire engine. and this
ha Srn in . riUhf IL
rection. not only from a protective
standpoint, but from a sanitary point
as well.
Need of Modern Alarm Urged.
You must understand that for this
department to give quick and efficient
service at fires, the first thing to be
considered must be the system of
alarm. If we get the location of the
fire properly there is no question but
that this department will respond as
promptly as circumstances will permit.
At present we have to depend on the
telephone. and experience has taught
that the telephone is not and never
can be used with any degree of GER
tainty. This department has been mis-
guided and called directly away from
fires by having people become cOnfus-
ed and give the wrong location The
telephone is an essential for business
purposes, but as a medium of trans
hitting fire alarms it has been a sad
| failure. A special effort should be
made at once to install an automatic
| system of fire alarm. 1t is most essen
tial for effective service when you con
slider that the entire city must depend
on this department for the saving of
| lives and property endangered by fire.
Most assuredly YOU can understand the
great disadvantage this department is
working under with the telephone as
| the medium of alarm | am strongly
in favor of an alarm system that will
be separate and distinct from all other
departments of the city. and it must
be that way 10 get results. Our sister
cities are thus equipped. and there is
no good reason why this city should
not have the same equipment"
Old Buildings "a Menace.
Have you even. in your travels
| about tie city. noticed the increasing
number of old and dilapidated build
| ings that are in fact i'm the very heart
of the city, acting as a menace TO life
and property? 1t seems a shame that
such 4 condition should be tolerated
| II should not make any difference to
what particular individuals these build
| ing belong. So long as they bring
revenue to their owners they will per
NIT them to stand regardless of the
wishes Of the citizens who desire TO
| see old and unsightly structures re
moved and replaced by ones that
would be a credit 10 the city There
is an ordinance To cover this particu-
lar point, and It should be strictly en-
forced. The matter of granting per
omission for the erection of frame build
| ings in the fire limits is one of the
most abused ordinances of the city
| would earnestly ask the council to
repeal the present ordinance and stop
further abuse of this privilege. It APP
pears that the council hesitates to
draw the line.
| An Electrical Inspector.
| While it is not my intention TO ere
ate the impression that all of the cleo
| trio wiring tina, has been done in the
| buildings OF the city is unsafe and
faulty, the public should be protected
| by the appointment of some one who
| is competent TO inspect and see that
! the people get just what they are pay
ing for. Some provision should be
made 10 have the wires removed from
out of the streets in the business part
Of the city. At present our streets
are mass of poles and a network of
wires This department has found IL
almost impossible to raise ladders and
fight fires from in front of buildings
facing Second avenue. In my opinion.
all wires in the district mentioned
should be placed under ground
The chief recommends the removal