The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-22
CITY HALL NEWS.
Chief Wilmarth Explains Use
of New Fire Engine.
Would Send the Ahrens Steamer
to North Topeka.
n ANY BUILDINGS HERE
Big Mills on North Side Long
Distance From Engines.
Other Items of Interest From
City Building.

If the city council performs its duty
and grants Chief Wilmarth what he is
asking for the betterment of the fire
department it will mean a great thing
for the fire protection of Topeka. The
plans of the fire chief cover every
weakness in the present department.
rather it should be called shortcom-
ing, a lack of equipment for the fight
ing of fires which will make itself clear
to the citizens and the city officials as
soon as a combination of circum-
stances cause one or two big fires-and
the department is unable to furnish
men and equipment to take care of
confagration.
Chief Wilmarth proposes to give an
extra man to each company in the city,
two extra at the headquarters station,
put a number of additional fire alarm
boxes over the city, and buy a new
fire engine with the, necessary equip
ment to average the settlement of each.
This would practically give Topeka
what is necessary in the fire protection
line.
There has been a wrong impression
given out concerning the disposal of
the older steamer-and it is an injus-
tice to the people on the North side
who have the benefit of the use of the
engine. If the plans of the fire marshal
meet with the approval of the city
in service at the headquarters which
was built over a few years ago will be
transferred to the North side station.
This steamer is simply an extra. There
is not company of men assigned to it
and the equipment is purloined from
the other steamer. If taken over to the
North side is would be assigned a COM
pany, an engineer, hose and all And it
is badly needed over there. There are
n number of large flour mills, planning
i 49,
lection from this station. 1t takes a
number of minutes for the teams from
the headquarters station to haul big
engine over to North Topeka and dur
ing this time fire can do considerable
damage and gain big Roadway.
The Metropolitan engine is fully
equipped and is under the care of a
good company-Enginee Robinson,
Assistant clearinghouse, Driver Cawker
and Fireman Higbee. It is the first en-
CINE to respond to down town alarms
and is one of the best steamers on the
market today. 1t is second size Met
Nropolitan. Chief Wilmarth wishes for
his new steamer an extra first size ma
chine. This is similar to the one in
use at Wichita. This steamer will be
city and used for the down town
alarms. 1t will be in the hands of a
competent company.
At the present time when a down
town call comes in everything on
wheels leaves the headquarters station.
Nothing is left there to respond to
alarms. Naturally a company comes
to "fill up" but there is such case as
the second alarm coming in at almost
the same time. 1t is not uncommon for
two fires at the same time. In Topeka
with the present equipment and COM
panies two big fires at the same time
would bring very disastrous results.
Three fires at the same time would be
a mighty question.
Chief Wilmarth is not trying to drain
the city treasury with his recommen-
dations but he is making it plain to
the city just what is needed to put the
fire department in good form. The fire
department at this time is costing the
city less than the cost per capita of
any city of this size in the country.
The city has grown rapidly in the last
ten years but the fire department has
grown very little. There is consider
able fear expressed at the city hall