The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-03-30
BETTER ALARM NEEDED
Wei Know Fireman Tells What He
Believes Should Be Done for Bet
ter Protection-Praise for
Z For Chief Kuhn.
Plymouth. Ind. March 20. 1911.

~. L.
= az hepublican,
Dear Sir:-In your issue of March
Ii, | notice an article relative to eff
1orts OF the City Council to get re-
duetlon of insurance rates for our
City. This is a very good thing, and
every enc should "push it along"
notc what you say further regarding
the water pressure being excellent.
presume that TIE pressure developed
according to the figure given, must
be the tank pressure, under ordinary
eFdi lens.
Low granting tat there is pres
sure of 80 pounds developed at a
vibrant in the business district, where
We have the largest water main, and
that shown at the hydrant, | wonder
what would be shown at the end of
one-half to three-quarters of mile
OF the smaller water mains and with
say 1000 feet of hose run off from
that? Besides does the expert :"
that was here pretend to say that 80
pounds is a good fire pressure? /
never saw a practical fireman who
thought so. If / remember right the
usual pressure maintained for ordi-
nary sprinkling under the old steam
pump system used to be 40 pounds
and many at the outskirts complained
then of the lack of water they were
able to get.
Again 1 note that you say there
are changes contemplated In the fire
department that it may be made more
defective. This is likewise a move In
the right direction and should be done
as soon as possible not only that in
surance rates may be reduced but
: hat the property of our citizens may
be protected properly. Now Mr..
Editor / live only short distance
from the Engine house and have been
where / could note the workings of
The Fire Fighters for many years and
4 have recollection of only a very few
times when the men have had to wait
or the team to pull their wagon to
ires The question comes then, Why
he frequent delay In getting to fires?
as I observe from my near position
20 the starting place | find that the
3elav is caused by the man not know
nc the location of the fire. Frequent
n the phone there is out of order and
& nrelialle. Again the operators at
he telephone station frequently do
ot know where the fire is, or are too
xcited to tell properly, and 1T often
happens that the fremen are sent to
part of the City directly away
rom the trouble. On last Sunday
sorning when the alarm of fire was
fven. / personally know that three
sfferent persons went TO the phone
nd all got the same reply as to the
) ,eation of the fire, and yet the fire
EN- we're sent directly away from
lie fire.
Now. Mr.. Editor, this is matter
at is of really serious consequence
the taxpayer and householder OF
r CITY. The City government at
hmpt to have the City divided into
5 lstricts, and numbers given them,
Ia If the numbers were correctly
ken. and if correctly counted. and
the firemen had map of the City
loperly marked so they could see
a glance the location of the fire,
f. might work all right. But, there
too many "ifs" about it to make
cafe, and so it belongs with the
lntiouated equipment" that your
ticle mentions.
Df course, there should be a
+ Ioedv for all this, and while City
,ncils come, and City Councils go,
fire department should move on
[bout interruption. Our City has
h very fortunate in that the pres
- Chief has been retained In Office
long. He is veteran, tried and
= No City of our size, and many
(nbering us over many times, do not
cess such an efficient fire fighter
NO have at the head of our De-
ltmeut of firemen. The ordinary
zen would think that his Judgment
10 the needs of the department
lid be good and worth consldera-
!, Over year go he made re-
<mendation to the City Council, at
q request, showing what his de-
tmeut most needed. If / remem-
lightly he advocated the establish
h Of q suitable fire alarm system
60 that the firemen would know
nitelv and Instantly the location
no fire. His next recommendation
some first class fire hose, as ne
knew that this City does not