The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-08-12

Taro to the mayor and board of fire and
police commission the 1st INST is well
worthy the careful attention of the
people and particularly that portion of
them who are voters. 1t is probable
that they will be asked within a short
time to vote upon a bond election to
raise money to further man and equip
the department to meet the needs of
to deny that more ample fire protec
tion is needed, yet there is very evi-
dent indisposition on the part of many
citizens to shoulder the increased bur
den of taxation. The present force has
done splendid work considering their
lack of equipment, Good work on the
part of the men has made up in part for
poor equipment and insufficient water
supply and is probably the reason why
the average citizen does not realize the
handicaps under which they have had
to work. Chief Taro's report shows a
condition of affairs that should be
remedied. Whether the people will do
it or not remains to be seen but the
chief is to be commended for his cour-
age in putting squarely up to the people
the present status of affairs.
Quotations from his report will be of
interest:
'The only equipment added to the de-
partment in the past few years is a
one third size engine and hose wagon,
" Headquarters No. 2, Wetmore
Avenue, is in my judgment poorly To-
Gated for headquarters. Being in the
center of the block it would be impos
sible to install any more equipment
owing to lack of room, as at present we
are running an engine behind the hose
wagon. Also the horses are placed one
behind the other which is not only un
sanitary, but makes a slow hitch. /
also wish to call your attention to the
settling of the building Owing to the
poor foundation we are compelled to-
remove the stable noo'- every few
weeks and plane them off, as they have
failed to open on several occasions. The
walls are also cracking from the same
cause | think it would be useless to
spend any money repairing this build
ing as it would require a new founda
ton.
Il also recommend we buy two lois
and erect a two story frame building
in the vicinity of Goth and Summit and
hose company of four men be installed
there, as the Delta, Smelter, Capitol
Hall and Mob Hill districts are fast
building up and have poor fire pro
faction
GAS the water pressure is very low in
the southern part of the city and es-
pecially in the vicinity of the jackson
school-the water pressure at this point
is about twenty pounds which is in
adequate, recommend a two story
frame building be erected, and a com
bination hose and chemical installed
| WIFI lOuI
81 aHo recommend the Third Sue
engine now at headquarters be trans
ferred to Hose Co. No. 8, 18th and
Grand to protect the milling districts
and eight men to man the same. In
recommending apparatus it will be ne
cessary to purchase about 10000 feet
tna onltr hau
about 5000 feet of first class hose in
the department. To care for hose
properly, after being in use, it should
be thoroughly dried and aired. Owing
to the shortage of hose and having so
many fires lately, we have been com
PEELED to leave wet hose IN the wagons
for three or four days before changing
same, which is very injurious to the
hose also in case of a large eonflagra-
tion we might burn up a thousand feet
or so of hose which often happens.
"We have at present 161 hydrants
10 stand pipes, the city is paying
$66S per month, 4inch hydrants cost
$4 per month. Hydrants cost the city
about $50 each and $35 to install same
think the water rates are somewhat
high As the city is growing fast it is
only question of time when we will
have to install great many more by,
drants for the residence districts. This
is a matter that ought to be looked
into, as to getting cheaper rates or the
city putting in its own water system.
I'm recommending the above appara
tus and two more stations, desire t.
bring before your notice the large IN,
area that it is necessary for us t
cover. Vancouver, B. c., with a popu
lation of 100000, has a fire area o
eight and three quarters square miles
Everett has fire area of 10 squar
miles.
''There is another matter I wish t.
} call your attention to in regards to tn
salaries firemen receive. As the pres
ent scale has stood for several year
and the cost of living has increase