The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-09
UNDERGROUND FOR
ALL STORM WIRES.
Superintendent Thompson Says
Recent Storm Taught Neces-
sity Of This.
NOT LARGE SUM is NEEDED
Fire Commissioners Send Recon-
nendation to Finance Com
mittce.

The Board Of Fire Commissioners met
In monthly session last night, with Pre-
sident John II. Frlschkorn presiding.
Chief Fuller reported that Mr. james
F. Rersey. Engineer of Engine Company
No. 10, died on Saturday, 9th inst, which
saw news was received by the Board
with sincere regrets; Mr.. Kersey having
made an efficient member of the de-
/ payment for the past fifteen years. dur
Ing which time he had won and retained
tho esteem OF every one connected with
the department.
( To fill the above noted vacancy. the
Board ordered the following promotions
| and changes, on motion of Capt. l.. G.
Jenkins, OF Lee Ward:
4 E. H. Goodman. from Helper to Engi-
neer in Engine Company No. 10; j. j.
| Williams from Truck Company No. 3,
! to Helper in Engine Company No. 10;
| George C.. Shepperson, from Grade "B"
to Grade "a" in Truck Company No. 81
w. P. Keys, from Grade b in Engihe
| Company No. 10. to the same Grade In
| Truck Company No. 8, and Chris. Wei
| mer. from Can Man to Stationed Man.
| Grade "B." in Engine Company No. TO-
| The vacancy OF Call Man in Engine Com
| pany No 10 was not filled, but WIN be
| filled by a substitute of the department.
Superintendent w. Fl. Thompson. of
| the Fire Alarm Department, submitted
very interesting report concerning the
damage to the fire alarm telegraph SER
| vice done by tho recent severe Eeet
storm, which the Board ordered sub
mitted to the Finance Committee with
their recommendation and approval; they
| also ordered that this report be given TO
| the press, az they deem 1t OF unusual I'M
| portance to the public.
Damage to Wire.
| Superintendent Thompson says in his
report referred to in connection with the
damage to the departments wires by
| the storm Just before Christmas:
Wires OF every description were re-
| ported to us by citizens and police off,
| GERS Engine companies /. 6. S. Q and 10
were absolutely cut Off from communica-
| ton with the central Office Public
| telephones were also thrown out of ser
| vice to the number OF about 5000, thus
making the situation more hazardous
| Our underground system was not al
| fected in the least.
| The situation was promptly reported to
| the chief of the fire department. with the
request that he detail one man from
| each house. TO report all wires down In
| their respective districts. This was of
great value, as showing the extent of the
storm. although it required experienced
men to tell one wire from another.
| Line crews were Immediately organ
| lied and sent out in charge of Messrs
Randolph, Gullett, Taylor and Umlauf
! Each crew was assigned to a certain
| district, and 1t was their duty to get the
| city's wires in working condition In their
| district at the earliest possible moment.
| All of the overhead circuits of this de-
| partment are made up of from six to ton
miles of wire each. Every foot of this
| wire in each circuit had to be gone over
carefully as both poles and wires were
| down in many places, and In numerous
| instances the wires were down for blocks
and blocks at time.
Underground Wires.
| desire to thank my men. through you,
for the self sacrificing manner In which
they performed their dangerous and ardu-
Gus tasks, replacing. temporarily. the
wires and fixtures from which so much
is expected. desire to report further
| that while all of our circuits are working
| temporarily, 1t will be necessary at once
| to thoroughly overhaul our overhead SER
vice. both poles, wires and fixtures. and
would recommend that a special appro-
prlation OF $4,000 be asked for this pur-
| pose, SO as to get our circuits back into
the condition they were in previous to
the storm. In lieu OF this, would rec
ommend that an appropriation of $4,000
be asked for to extend our present under
ground service through ducts of the
Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph
| Company, already reserved for the city,
to the following engine houses:
No. 6 Engine Houso.--From our pres
ent underground system at First and
Grace to laurel and Cary, thence through
ducts and man-holes to be built to the
house, at Laurel and Cumberland Streets,
$4,000.
Engine Company No. 1o.--From alley on
First Street. between Broad and Grace,
through alley running west. in ducts of
Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph
Company, already laid, to Engine Com
pany No. TO- $1,000.
Engine Company No. 9.-Lay ducts and
build man-holes from present underground
service at Third and Clay Streets out
Third to Duval, thence on DuNal to en-
CINE house at Duval and Fifth Streets.
s2.4Oo Total. $14,1oo.
If this appropriation for additional UNI
derground work is allowed and the work
done, we can use the wire, poles and
fixtures that we take down to
strengthen. replace poles. wires and fix
lures in other parts of the city, and
that We're damaged during the recent
storm. 1t is useless for me to go into
the details of the Importance Of the
Underground work, It only being neces-
sary for me to say that out of the thir-
teen fire houses in the department. seven
& OF these did not feel the effects of the
storm in the least and were never out
of service for an instant owing to the
fact that these companies are connected
With the central Office by wires absolute
aly underground.