El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-22

" HE convention Of the International
Association Of Fire Engineers.
which closes Its sessions todny
in Milwaukee. has been the most
important gathering devoted to fire
protection ever held in the world. one
Of the most important speakers was eX-
chief Edward A. Croker, who resigned
his position as head of the New York
fire department shortly after the great
Triangle Shirt Waist factory fire last
spring. EX-chief Croker believes that
every development for fire fighting
will be inadequate unless more strin-
gent efforts are made towards fire pro-
York City paid $4,000 600 IN support Of
its fire department, but less than $lb,-
900 was expended in fire protection
Horse Must Go.
The general cOncensus of opinion Of
the firemen gathered in Milwaukee is
that the brave old fire horse must go.
His place has been taken by the motor
fire apparatus which has been perfect
ed to a degree Of efficiency greatly SUI
periOr to the best horse propelled ma
chinery ever produced The economic
advantage Of motor machinery has been
satisfactorily demonstrated. 1T has
been shown that the cost OF matnten-
auce for motor machinery is at least 40
percent less than that propelled by
horses. The cost Of installation Is
greater, but the saving in maintenance
soon makes up for this. An ordinary
three horse fire engine. such as is used
in most cities costs from $4,000 to $4,000.
The horses average at least $500 each,
making the value OF the outfit $1,000
With the best care the average life OF
a fire horse does not exceed five years
The motor propelled engine of similar
size viii cost nearly $4,000, but It
viii be more durable and there viii be
no expense for feeding horses and keep
ing them shOd.
In large cities. where fires occur fire.
quently. the greatest advantage OF
motor fire engine is its speed The
st. Louis Motor fire company last year
made a run of nine miles outside Of the
city in time to save a country villa
During the first Is months use Of this
machinery the company responded to
over 1000 calls, covering $500 miles in
all kinds Of weather, including snow
ana sleet which 80 greatly hlnders the
progress Of the fire horse. New York
has practically horseless fire de-
partment. 1t includes motor driven
hose wagons, pumping engines. ladder
trucks and passenger cars for convey
ing the fremen.
Autos Are In Vogue.
The motor fire engine is rapidly be-
ing adopted by cities throughout the
country Among the advocates Of mo-
tor machinery at this convention were
chief W. H. Dagget OF Springfield,
Mass, who has found electrically pro
PEELED machinery most efficient, and
Savannah, Georgia, who have had sat
isfactOry experience with gas engines
All Of the large manufactures Of fire
fighting MACHINERY. were represented IN
the huge exposition which was an I'M
pOrtanr feature Of the contention The
newest ideas in engines hose, fire lad
ders and other apparatus were demon
strated 10 the men best fitted 10 appre-
clate their merits. The development
OF the motor machinery viii likely Gre
ate an increased demand for the chem
zeal tank which heretofore has not been
largely used at big fires because OF the
difficulty OF transportatlo Machines
are now shown capable Of carrying
tanks containing 40 to 20 gallons Of ex-
r1nguishing liquid with the apparatus
for applying 10, ana the increased speed
makes il possible frequently TO eXtin-
guish the fire in its early stages by
means OF this chemical liquid.
Fire Waste OF Country.
The fire waste In the United States
is 10 times that OF Wesern Europe 1t
averages $3.50, 200, 600 yearly, with
$3.50 000 900 for protective measures i'm
pera lively demanded by this great con-
tinuing and increasing loss. The 1910
fire destruction in the United States
would pay the interest bearing debt Of
the country in four years or build the
Panama canal In two years. 1t exceeds
the combined cost OF the United States
army and navy and the interest on the
national debt. It more than equals the
the United States and the pOstoffice re-
eeipts.
If all the buildings burned last year
in the United States were placed to-
gether they would form an avenue OF
desOlation reaching from Chicago to
New York, and even If one severely in
jured person were rescued at every 1000
feet, there would still be a man, woman
or child killed for every three quarters
of a mile. The fire loss in the United
States averages 50 annually per capita
against so cents In Europe. Those who
have made a study Of this matter agree
that at least tWO-thirds OF this awful
waste Of life and property could be pre-
vented by means similar to those taken
in Europe.
After the Triangle Shirt Waist factO-
~ fire in New York last spring, in
which IA lives were lost q meeting Of
was called for the purpose Of
taking some steps towards preventing
the repetition Of such horror. 1t was
decided that a commission Of safety
should be provided. A bill for this pur-
pose Is to be presented to the New
Y Ork legislature by February 10, 1872.
This commission, as now planned, shall
have full power for official investiga-
ton and compUlsiOn Of proper precau-
lions on the part Of property owners
II viii include two senators, three as
semblymen and four citizens to be ap-