The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-15

make it necessary for. the CHER To de-
tail a number of inspectors for build
ing work at all times. 1t is impos-
sible for the chief himself to make all
world could attend to this mammoth
amount of business. In short time
the fire marshal will direct a thorough
cleaning up of all buildings in the city
this means all immense amount OF
time and work.
Fire Marshal's Duties.
A short list of the duties of the fire
marshal at this time will give a good
idea of the great heap OF Work under
which he is now buried. Here they
are:
Chief of the fire service and the
supervision over all details, and the
discipline Of the fire department.
The purchasing of all machinery
and all supplies.
Maintenance of equipment, and sta
ton buildings, and the supervision OF
all repairs.
Supervision of department expenses,
accounts. and all department details.
Building inspection; with the gen.
buildings, and alteration to same
throughout the city; the examination
and approval of plans for same, etc.
Inspection of the location of powder,
and other explosives and combust1bies,
and of fire hazards of every kind,
throughout the city
INSPECTION of all fire escapes, which
the new state laws require upon prac-
tically every building in the city, three
stories or more in height, and the eX-
animation and approval of the plans
and details for same; and under the
new law that applies to hotels ana a
certain class of boarding and lodging
houses. the fire marshal is required TO
inspect all these, under the direction
of the rules and regulations estaDllsh-
ed by the state board Of health, and
the secretary of said board.
Responds to all alarms OF hre 10
every part of the city, during the day
and night. (while one hose company,
and one truck company, have been
added to the fire fighting force in the
ten wears lust passed, these companies
are small and this has given me no
additional men for outside inspection
For all the headquarters Office
work and the outside inspection duty,
they have had no additional assistance
more than we had in 1S8e-twenty
years ago. The building department
alone, has increased many times over
during this period; and the number
of buildings erected during the past
fiscal year was three times greater
than the number of fifteen years ago.
While talking with the fire marshal
this morning the State Journal report
er asked him concerning the number OF
records kepts by the office under ms
superviSion-and only one man III tne
office. Chief Wilmarth' looked at the
reporter a minute as if to inquire into
the number of days he wished to stay
around and look into the matter ana
then slowly rising from his desk, piled
with papers of all descriptions. ne o wen 4o
case No 2 right next door. Each case
was filled with books containing rec
ords and maps of every sort. After
about half hour the reporter gave a
sigh and slipped out of the, side door
into the hall-and only one-fifth OF
the records had been peeked into IL
would take two solid typewriter pages
to give in short the number of records
kept by Chief Wilmarth. If the city
council would take the trouble to look
into this office they would throw up
their hands in horror and vote bonds
at once.
ress is doubling-but the excellent IRE
service is overworked. With lew
thousand dollars this could be remedied
and the city could sleep at n1ght-also
the fire marshal once in awhile