Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-10
Prominent Public Men Declare Los Angeles NUT
Have Protection Against Needless Loss by
Water-Will Investigate Methods
Used in Eastern Cities.
FIRE CHIEF WALTER LIPS

save property from water damage.
The extinguishing of the fire comes
first. then my men turn and give what
assistance they. can to merchants in
saving their goods" he says.
Los Angeles is without this form of
protection which San Francisco had
long before 1t was the size of this city.
Eastern municipalities of a size that is
of any consequence have their pro-
tective corps. 1t is felt that in this
regard LOS Angeles has now outgrown
its swadding clothes and should take
its place among other cities with the
possession of a well equipped, perfectly
drilled corps. The lack of efficient fa-
cilities under which the Los Angeles
department now works has made it
self apparent many times.
Recalls Blackstone Fire
In going over the more recent fires
in which the property loss might have
been greatly reduced members of the
fire board and Chief Lips remembered
that of the Douglass, block last Jan
uary. Here the fire was similar to that
in the Chamber of Comerce building.
1t caught in the top floor and a large
amount of water was required to ex-
tinguish it. The property loss was ap-
proximately $4,000. OF this as shown
by the settlements of the fire under
writer's the damage by fire was 10000.
The rest was by water. The flames
never got below the ceiling of the top
story but the loss of the Blackstone
drygoods company on the ground floor
cost the insurance companies more than
$24, 900. Other losses were proportion
ately heavy.
The Harris & Frank clothing store
was another in which Chief Lips says
that With a salvage corps the larger
part of the loss which resulted could
have been prevented. The same thing
Is true, says Fire Commissioner Martin
Betouski Of the Holbrook, Merrill &
Stetson Hardware eompany's fire last
August. These, with the fire in the
Chamber of Commerce building have
impressed themselves forcibly upon the
minds Of the fire board, the merchants
and local representatives of the in
surance companies.
Chief Lips Favors Plan
Fire Chief Walter Lips, in discussing
the need of a protection department,
says that he has long been in favor of
one in Los Angeles. do we need it d?
/ should say we dor he exclaimed
when he was asked the question. 1--WE
| have needed 1t for years. 1t Is the
proper thing for Los Angeles to have
and it should be procured as soon as
the city can get it, After the big fires
of last winter 1 recommended to the
fire board the urgent need of a salvage
corps. We didn't have the money.
Much of the loss in the fire yesterday
could have been prevented If we had a
protection department..
EVERY city of any consequence in
the east has one of these departments.
Los Angeles has gotten beyond the
country village stage. We have big
risks in Los Angeles, and these large
fires are likely to occur at any time.
There is hardly a fire of any conse-
quence but that property could be
saved. In the fire in the Douglass
about four-hfths. Then there is the
Harris fire and a lot of others.
Would Save Thousands
II have scarcely enough men to take
care of putting out fires. That is their
first duty The fire must be kept within
the four walls in which 1t originates,
and then extinguished If 1t is possible.
My men during the time they are doing
this have no time to cover up protect
or carry out the property in order to
save it. That's where we feel the need
OF a protective crew. After the fire is
out my department is willing to do
all that 1t can to protect goods from
" ater damage. In the chamber of
commerce nre, atter IL was over, Sei.t
to the store house, got scoop shoVels
and set my men to work shoyeling the
water off the floors and out onto the
street. We did all we could
The fire was similar to that In the
Douglass block, where the damage from
water ran very high. These kind OF
fires are exceedingly difficult TO reach
and they must be ''pinched out" by the
use OF water And all the water that
Continued ON page two.