Evening star., 1911-08-12

Of a member from each company was ap-
pointed to memorialize Congress on the
subject.
Got Water From Tiber.
The Inteligencer in February. $780, re-
ports fire February II. Of which 1t says:
Fortunately it was in daylight, for the
wind was high and the supply of water
scarce until the suctions and hose brought
in the brick dwelling OF Mr.. Shepherd.
hairdresser. on the south side OF Penn
sylvania avenue between l4th and 15ta
streets. The house was entirely de-
the Rev. DIR. James Laurie of the F
Street Presbyterian Church. The paper
says great eXertions were made by the
fire companies and individuals on the
roofs of the houses. but want OF organiza-
ton was felt. Upon the whole the fire
was got under control with less de-
struction Of property than they hope! on
arrival. In communication writer
says that the high wind in some de.
gree may have prevented the spread OF
the alarm: that the church bells were
not rung. which is considered highly culpa-
BILE. The bell Of the Franklin was. how
evey. necessarily rung, but. being small
and owing to the high wind. was heard
0ut three or four squares. and he sug-
gests that the sections OF st. Johns AMI
the Unitarian churches should have per-
emptory orders to ring their bells for
fires.
The firemen's memorial to Congress to
Incorporate a fire department and exempt
the firemen from militia duty was pre-
sented In February. but nothing was then
accomplished The Columbian was not
Union and Phoenix OF the first ward
were represented by Mr.. Duncanson ami
the Georgetown companies by o. NJ Lin
thicum of the Vigilant. John Myers OF
The Anacosua Company that year elect
ed Edward w. Clark. president: Jonathan
Prout, vice president; William Speiden.
secretary; Mathew Wright. treasurer.
March /. the Union Company held meet
ing at the West Market Hall.
In March. 1880. plan for watering
the city was presented to Congress by
George Cameron. He said spring af
fording four hogsheads of water could
be obtained within five or six hundred
yards of the Capitol and raised By
steam or other power to q reservoir on the
hill. and that that portion Of water not
wanted for the Capitol could be carried to
other parts OF the city. and 1t was refer
red to the committee on public grounds.
About the time Isaac L. Skinner me-
morialized Congress on the subject of q
great water basin in connection with the
Chesapeake and Ohio and Washington
canals.
Basin Through Mall.
This basin he proposed to locate near
the foot of the Botanic Garden through
the Mall, which would contain about thirty
acres. and the excavation would be one
foot below low water mark. In connec-
tion Herewith he proposed a building for
hydraulic purposes, by which the water in
fhe 70
so that water could be conveyed to the
lobby of the House of Representatives
and to the tops of other public buildings.
He claimed that the public offices being
thus supplied. if they had hose, any fire
m ght be extinguished before the arrival
of fire engines. He estimated the cost Of
his plan at $216,oO0 Robert Mills, archi-
tect. also proposed a plan for giving a
supply of water to the public buildings
and grounds. He said OF the Tiber that
the head springs would give seven three
and four and a half gallons per minute.
which could be conveye ed to the Capitol at
a cost of S4,I1O. and recommended the
construction of a reservoir etc. He also
discussed a plan to br.ng the water from
Rock creek down the Avenue.
The Washington Company met May 26
1880, to experiment with a new engine at
the post Office engine house. The Phoenix
reorganize September Is. $780, at Browns.
now the Metropolitan Hotel. The Colum-
bia Company held several meetings at
Burdick's schoolroom on East Capitol
street. in consequence of the Columbian
Company, of which Gen. Weightman was
the president, being in possession of the
engine house and apparatus. It appears
that the old company regained possession
and held special meeting there January
Il, 1881.
On the morning of May I. 1881. de-
structive fire took place on 10Th street
above y street in a cabinet makers shop
in the rear of Col. Peter Forces resi-
dence. The wcrkmen were at breakfast
at the time. and the shop being filled with
shavinEs ard other combustibles. by the
time the alarm had reached two squares
distance the workshop and other nearby
wooden buildings were mass of flames
Fortunately there was little wind. or all
the houses west of the fire on 10th street
and Varnums S row on the Aveiue would
have been consumed. The fire reached d
street, consuming the cabinet shop Of
Samuel Kirby. and was then fortunately
arrested. The Intelligencer says: Our city
is extremely well supplned with water
for every purpose but the important one
of eXtinguishing fires. and for the want Of
Judicious arrangement 1t is very badly
off in this respect
The law in relation TO fire buckets was
in force and it was the duty of ward COM
missienerS and constaEles to collect the
same after each fire.
Urges Sinking of Wells.
In a communication in the Intelligencer
of June ~. 1891, the scarcity of water in
the neighborhood of the City Hall. with
the Masonic Hall and churches nearby
is cited, and the absence OF pumps is
alluded to. and the sinking of wells is
advocated
November 30. 1881, John Cox, the mayor
of Georgetown. in behalf Of the citizens,
tenders thanks to the Washingtonfans
for their services at great fire two days
before : This destroyed nearly all the
property on the west side of High street
tnow Wisconsin avenue) between Pros
pect avenue and 1st street now street
1t originated i'm White & Mumby's bake
house. December .. Public Good urges
saying if the men could be relieved of
dragging the engines more persons would
join the companies and on an alarm make
for the fire.
In December a meeting was called to
take charge of the Star engine, etc,
located at the Treasury.
In January, 1892 the Washington Fire
bia, on Capitol Hill: the New Phoenix.
near the Center Market: the Franklin, at
14th and Z streets. and others were in
commission. writer notes that at re-
cent fires the citizens served coffee to the
firemen. In that year Jacob Janney was
the president of the Franklin Company,
J. A. NJ Duncanson vice president Jonn
urer, George Lamb captain of engineers,
C. l.. Coltman captain of hose. Anthony
Preston captain OF iaddermen and Reb-
ert P. Anderson captain of propertymen
About l. O'Clock. Sunday night August
26. 1882. there was another run OF the