The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-15
MORE men NEEDED
Fire Department Not in Keeping
With Growth of City.
Chief Wilmarth Will Make Many
Recommendations.
TWELVE.NEW FIREMEN
A Man Necessary to Help Each
Company in the City.
The Office OF Fire Marshal Is
Overloaded With Work.

Gradually Topeka is throwing aside
her reputation as being an "over-
grown country city, and the cosmo-
politan life is entering into everything
even down to the new system of
catching dogs.
There is nothing more important TO
city than fire departm ent-noth-
ing that should act as a thermometer
to the growth and a meter to the pros
per1ty- Topeka has been very for
tunate in having a man at the head
of the fire department who has been
city official ever since the city was
smuggling closely around Seventh and
Kansas avenue. Chief Wilmarth has
spent practically all of his active ca
reer in Topeka-growing up with the
city in every way. He is able to tell
the date of construction, the mater
ial used and the danger of every
building in the city of Topeka today.
There is not another fire marshal
in the country who is more compe-
tent, more informed and better able
to carry out the work of the fire COM
panies and the duties of the office in
general. But during all of this time
Topeka has placed every ounce of re-
lance upon the fire chief. The fire
department is under such stringent
rules that a man must pass every ex-
animation imaginable and prove him
self fire fighter before he is admit
ted to the ranks. Topeka has placed
too much confidence in the present
fire department because this depart
ment has made such a brilliant rec
ord-their standing being first of any
city in the United States today-the
size of Topeka.
During all of the late growth of the
city-over 10000 in the last ten years
the fire department has gradually TAX
en- on more work-with the same pay
and the same number of men-ex-
cept when new station was added
and then the old company specifica-
tions were used. The territory COW
cred and the number of men who
gather at all big fires should make the
average Topekan shudder for fear
but instead they place their well
founded confidence upon Chief Will
marth and his men-and they always
live up to the expectations.
However, nothing lasts forever.
The Hutchinson, Kan, fire depart
ment could not come to Topeka at
this period of its growth and answer
the alarmS-they would fall hopeless
ly by the wayside This is but COM
parison freely drawn to show the
needs of the present department
Fire Marshall Wilmarth will re-
commend a number of things for the
improvement of the fire department
at the next council meeting Monday
night He has postponed this list of
recommendations time and time again
council would realize the present
condition of the department. 1t must
be remembered that the fire depart
ment is not in poor shape-far from
this-but the equipment. the help
and the service must be augmented.
Wilmarth's Recommendations.
In speaking of the recommends
lions to the city council Chief Will
marth refused to give a, full state
ment today. But he did give out the
following hint:
1.-THE rapid growth of the city, the
increasing values, and the increasing
fire risks Of every kind together with
the new state fire escape and fire in
spection laws, makes it necessary that
the outside inspection work be main
tanned thoroughly. In order to ham
die this work properly and to meet
the demands upon us by reason of
the increasing size of our city, it be-
comes absolutely necessary that we
have the additional help in the office
of one clerk at not to exceed $50 per
and to assist US in the general work
of the office; also one typewriter ma
| chine, $50; also an addition of one
man to each fire company in the city,
and two men additional for head
quarters to enable US to detail at least
two men for outside inspection work,
making two additional fremen."
1t can be seen that one of the most
important sections is the request for
an additional man to each company
| in the city. There are ten fire COM
panies in Topeka under Chief Will
marth. One man for each company
with an additional two men at the
headquarters station will give the fire
department twelve new men. They
are absolutely necessary. In some
cases while the shifts are being made
at certain times captain or lieuten-
ant is only able ~ muster three men
| to help him in a call. This was very
good service a number of years ago
| but Topeka is in need of better. One
captain and his small crew are not
able to make the proper response TO
| sJmc alarms.
New Laws Make More Work.
| Another reason for these additional
men is the fact that the new state laws