Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-04-01


BILE Ere department no one can gainsay
who has seen the promptness with
which the department responds to
alarms, and the good work and united
effort that the FIRE boys show while
fighting fires. The whole department
works in perfect harmony, like a well
balanced piece of machinery. Disci-
pline is shown in every branch of the
service. The present efficiency has large
ly been attained by the untiring eff
forts on the part of Chief D. w, Pugh,
who is serving his second term. He
and his men are in perfect accord, and
are constantly striving for means and
ways for the betterment Of the service
The fire record since the first of the
year is a gratifying one, and when
the fact is taken into consideration that
the residence buildings and number of
the business houses in the city are of
frame construction, the absence of any
serious fires during the past three
months is calculated to make the citi-
zens feel sense of security, and be
a cause of congratulation to the insur-
ance mem
The record of alarms turned in since
the first of the year, taken from the
record book at headquarters, are as
follows:
In January the department made six
runs, all chimney fires. No damage.
Eleven alarms were turned in in Feb
ruary. One was false alarm and
three were for chimney fires. The only
serious fire during the month occurred
on the 10th, the Joe Vincent house fi~e
at the coner of Rural avenue and Thir-
teenth street, about two miles from the
central fire house. The alarm for this
fire was turned in from the wooden mill
and in less than FIVE minutes the APP
paratus passed the mill on the way tc
the FIRE, about a mile run. The loss
claimed at this fire was $520.75. Nc
serious losses resulted from the balance
of the fires during the month.
March tied with January for number
of runs made-six. In that montl
there was one chimney fire. The onl!
fire in the month that resulted in ;
loss was on the 9th when the depart
ment was called out to a roof fire a
Charles Morris house. Damage abou
$3.50.
The department consists of 10 mel
besides the chief, stationed at head
quarters in the city hall building, an
a volunteer company at Yew Park. Tn
men drawing a regular salary and VIII
are on duty consantly at headqual
ters are Chief d. w. Pugh, Enginee
w. A. De Long, Engine Driver w. II
Phillips and Hose Wagon Driver T.. ID
Long.
Besides the above paid men there ar
10 call men who receive $40 montl
and are required to sleep at the engin
house. They report for duty wheneye
an alarm is turned in.
The equipment at headquarters, o
Central fire station, consists of tw
steamers, Silsby and a LaFrance en-
gine, one hose wagon with 1900 fee
of rubber hose, hand chemical exiting
uishers and few ladders. The council
recently authorized the chief to pur
chase 25O0 feet of cotton hose, and will
this additional hose the department will
be in much better condition to han
die large fire. Four horses are KEEP
for use on the engines and hose wagon
The horses are magnificent specimens
intelligent, well trained, and the prid,
and pets Of the boys.
There is fire station at Yew Parl
manned by volunteer company tina
is under the direction Of the chief
The equipment Of this company con
sists of hose reel with $50 feet Of
hose, and hand fire engine This en-
CINE is one Of the pioneers in the FIRE