The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-03
Two Special Committees Of
The Commercial Club Have
Submttet' Reports on I'm.
portant Subject.
ADMINISTRATION Is
URGED TO TAKE ACJloo0 :
In One Of the Reports It Is
Stated That There Is Gen.
eraI Desire for City Owning
Water Works Plant.

At the meeting OF the directors OF
the Commercial Club. this evening.
two committees reports ON fire pro-
lection will be submitted for considera-
tion. Both Of the reports are of the
greatest Importance. IL is believed. a
in one, the question of better fire fight
ing equipment is touched upon and in
the other. not only is the municipali-
zation of the water works plant re-
ferred to. but also the new admins.
tratiOn is urged to do something which
will compel the water works company
to make the contemplated 100000 inn.
provements this year.
What the Sentiment 10.
In the latter report the committee
says there is a sentiment for the mu-
Of the plant but as no
definite plans have been worked out
this may be accomplished. Il
does not feel that II should make any
along that line The
promises to use its influ-
ence in accomplishing whatever may be
possible in securing the additions to
the plant. which fire insurance COM
panies are demanding. II their sche-
dulles are to be lowered. and which
Daubney II. Maury. expert hydraulic
engineer. recommends as essential.
The reports 90 before the directors
this evening and the club members .
week later. 1t is expected that the re-
ports will be adopted as drawn mp, as
the committee members have spent
considerable time In their investiga.
tions.
The subcommittee on fire fighting
apparatus submitted its report to the
general fire protection committee
which Was approved and is rs fol-
lows:
For New Apparatus.
Your special committee on Fire
Fighting Apparatus submits the follow
ing report for your consideration:
The Fire Department OF the City Of
Richmond is made up at the present
OF one Chief. one assistant Chief and
nineteen men divided into one hook
and ladder company and four hose
The equipment consists OF one hook
and ladder truck in fair condition. ono
steam fire engine. five two-hOrse
wagons. three of which arc combina-
tion hose and chemical. one Chiefs
wagon. about $500 feet Of hose with
nozzles and sundry other equipment.
All this equipment is reported In good
repair with the exception Of the steam
fire engine.
Inspection Bureau.
The Indiana Inspection Burean just
prior to the application Of the Dean
Schedules to the City OF Richmond.
submitted a list of improvements ne
cessary to advance the city from class
three to class two. Along with other
of q combination chemical and hose
company with six men on the West
Side and an additional modern aerial
ladder truck for use in the factory and
business districts to be manned by sew
en- men. Provision has already been
made by the City Council for the
erection of q hose house on the West
Side. We recommend that this hose
house be equipped with . modern COM
bination chemical and hose company
The present ladder equipment. in ad-
dition to the roof ladders and small
ladders carried by the hose wagons,
consist Of one good G5-foor extenfioa
ladder and one 4Ofoot extention ladder.
This ladder equipment is insufficient.
Would csst esyooo.
The purchase Of 75-foot aerial lad
der truck would however mean IN OUT
lay Of about $500. would require three
horses to pull it and seven men to man
age it, and unless the present or auxl-
liary ladder were in commission. Il
would be necessary to haul this heavy
truck to every fire though the serial
ladder itself would be rarely used. Un-
til such q time as the city can keep two
ladder companies in commission. we
suggest that the better plan will be to
improve the equipment Of the present
truck by the addition Of another %
foot ladder which can be carried On
the present truck.
The steam fire engine has not haA
a good oyerhanling- ~ the COMMITTEES
is informed. since 1881: the pumps aEo
old and the boiler is probably In neo0
of repairs. The engine has been kepe
in reserve In the event Of the failuru
of the water main. Il has not beon
used At any fire in the CITY o( R1eh-
mond for moro than twenty yeaa1 Ne
would recommend that Il b exa0dno1
BY . boiler and engine expegt . -
that It b in safe condition 1pr sorvlcp
II required
We would also recommend 0hat -