Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-29
FOR A REPAIR SHOP
REASONS FOR THE FIRE DE-
PARTMENT's ESTIMATE.

commissioners may be persuaded to retain
the item of ST, 900 in our estimates for the
ensuing fiscal year for a repair shop ana
Its equipment" said Machinist Robinson to
a Star reporter, "and that Congress will
grant the appropriation.
"All large cities have found that repair
shop is a necessity. the new plant in New
York costing $4,000 and working about
100 men.
''Whle It may seem that the initial cost
IA considerable yet 1t is only apparent. for
after the first year of the working of To-
cal plant here the saving would be so great
that our citizens would wonder why 1t was
not Installed many years ago.
THE District already owns sufncient land
ON the lot occupied by engine company No.
8 on North Carolina avenue between 9TH
and 18th streets southeast. we now nave
temporary shop there in which l work, as
sisted by man from the department VINO
may be detailed from time to time Of
course our machinery and appliances are
but makeshifts compared with up-to-date
fire engine repair shops We have to turn
our lathes and use our drills with loot ana
hand power. whereas. if we had little mo-
tor could turn out much more Work III
half the time.
eff Congress would only give a small
er appropriation for this and other minor
purposes it would assist us, but we can
make real progress in this city along
modern lines adopted by other cities until
we have a suitably equipped plant. Such
building is proposed could also be used
for the storage of reserve apparatus. which
now encumbers several engine houses. We
make own drawings now and thus save
the expense of a craftsman
Great Saving Effected.
Our citizens. who see the fire apparatus
turn out to fires in such good shape. do not
realize the great amount of repairs con-
stantly necessary to maintain it so, nor that
there are but two men who are spared for
this purpose. We have eighteen steamers,
three chemicals eight trucks, lot of hose
wagons. a water tower and the machinery
on the harbor fire boat to look after The
machinery in the latter is very heavy.
''All of this fire apparatus being In daily
service means that more or less of 1t IS
constantly breaking down and requiring i'm
mediate attention and repairs The instance
of engine No. 3. which upset last winter at
II and eth streets northeast. will serve as
an Illustration. 1t was badly smashed, yet
we got it in service again inside of two
weeks at a cost of only $50. whereas had 1t
been sent to local repair shop it would
probably have been out of service for
month. and it's repairs would have cost
5000. Our department, as regards steamers,
is so limited that we cannot afford to have
even one out of commission
From an experience OF many years IN
the service of our fire apartment l can say
that l believe that after the first year we
can cut down our general repair expendi-
ture 30 per cent. Thus the brass suctio0
sleeves which make hydrant connection
with the engine cost about $50 to buy, but
we can make them ourselves for S12oO. and
so these items may be enumerated without
number but these will afford the public an
opportunity of seeing just how we can cut
these expenditures. which yearly aggregate
a large sum- in half and even less.
Sometimes two or three of our steamers
will break down in a single day. and a
short time ago engines Nos. and both
broke their springs in responding to an
alarm. but we succeeded in getting them
back in service the same day. With. the
facilities for repairing at our disposal we
only make minor repairs throughout
the entire department, though with our
steamers we make all repairs required. as
we cannot allow them to suffer any delay
which might result in local shop with
the new shop fully equipped we can also
save the District money in many ways IN
the larger items of departmental expendi-
ture. Certain of the hose wagons, which
cost approximately $1,000, we could turn
out for about 81 800, very material saw
ng.
Fire Department Handicapped.
'These few illustrations. however, should
convince our citizens that the contention of
the department that the new shop and
equipment would pay for itself In few
years and then pay the District a handsome
rate of interest on the amount invested for
all time thereafter Is correct. The depart
ment is seriously handicapped for the LACE
of such an adjunct. for which we have pa
tently waited for many years, and II Con-
greSS at the ensuing session would only
give us a moderate initial start toward
what the city. with its rapid and great
growth actually demands at this time. we
would feel encouraged to these increas-
ed facilities to prove and to show what we
are capable Of To maintain city fire de-
partment to its highest efficiency. and 10
such an efficiency expected by the public,
the facilities for immediate and complete
repairs to its apparatus should not be neg
lected nor trusted to other hands than its
own men whose experience and familiarity
with fire apparatus is such an important
asset in such matters. affecting as they do
the life and property of all concerned.