Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
NEW TRAINING SCHOOL
FIRE DEPARTMENT BUILDING
: DRILL TOWER FOR ITS MEN.
Supplies of Hose Couplings for Use in
Emergencies on Engines From
Other Cities.

There is now in process Of construction
on the lot in the rear of the stables at No.
8 engine house, on North Carolina avenue
near 9Th street southeast. new drill tower
for the use Of the men comprising the fire.
fighting force Of Washington and the sub
urban villages around it within the Dis
trict of Columbia. AS yet nothing can be
seen of the tower, except a number Of
heavy pieces of timber which the mechan-
les are engaged in shaping up for the places
in which they are to be used, but within
the next two or three days the work of rails
ing these timbers in place will be started,
and it will then be only question of a
few days before 1t will be completed and
ready for use.
The tower will be thirteen feet on each
of its four sides at the base and will be
seventy five feet in height to the cornice
work and eighty feet to the peak OF the
roof, which will be surmounted by flag
star thirty or forty feet higher. From
base to peak the tower will taper slightly.
and 1t Is to be braced on all four sides by
heavy steel rods to enable 1t to Withstand
the force Of the winter storms.
1t will be divided into a series Of COM
partments resembling the exterior of a
house, one above the other, and ladders
will run up Its entire length. When the
tower is completed 1t Is understood it Is the
purpose of the fire department officials to
have all the men In the department put In
a number Of hours there each week doing
all kinds Of stunts that they might be
called upon to do In fighting q fire. They
will be taught the proper method of raising
ladders against burning building; the way
a line Of hose should be carried up the lad
ders: the use of scaling ladders to go from
one story to another by raising and lower
ing the ladders from the different window
levels. and how to carry person down a
ladder from a burning building; in fact
the best. easiest and quickest method of
doing the many things the fireman Is called
upon to do in the line of his duty will be
demonstrated at the new tower.
When recruit joins the department he
will be sent to the drill tower for his first
lessons in the art of fire-hghting. and when
he graduates from the school he will have
and how to do 1t, and can apply the theo-
retical lessons he has been taught.
Modern Equipment.
These drill towers are a portion OF the
equipment of the modern fire departments
in the larger cities Of the country, and the
lessons the men learn at these schools are
invaluable to them in their work. The
training the men receive Is said to make
them more self-reliant and quick OF
thought, and in this way their efficiency as
firenghters Is greatly improved.
The new drill tower will be completed. II
Is expected, about the middle or latter part
OF this month and It will be in use early In
October. The scaling ladders, hose pipes
and other apparatus that will be used In
the equipment of the tower are already In
the store room Of Chief Machinist Robin
son at the No. station, and can be placed
In position In very short time after the
drill tower y completed.