The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-05
HAS MODERN EQUIPMENT
AND GLORIOUS RECORD

eli cult with 50 ore alarm. h1xes in the
city. now there afe Ger twenty cir
CUTS and 23s Are alarm t'oNvs. with
over zoo signal ZONES lii fgrUu 1rr {
feHses, ana edca On gas hIase aud
off GERS house - equippaG W3th rri-
s,tte department teirphore llHe:
everything ING connected With The
ccr tral fire alarm office iu the city
hall. where thsre T. always, gay and
night, an alert eperntor "a ddty.
The fire deplrt-n II. IS now equip
PEG with thirtatl eaSin1 trsnp;tt les.
eacn having i"i supply of hote aud
Gle neceSs ary C1uii'nl'i.i. ana four
hook and iadJe.' t"u * cn.tPtnies,
Us ing SIS horsed. with Que moi. 'r ct:a-
bination pumping ensi'... chemical
ara hose wagon. ana have oro' ~
ahd erpett snor . II haVA tnolitcr
r ter engine ri .hr ,e II star ,ars
fol the use of tac otl,c'rs.
There are now isS men In the de-
partment, with a pay roll of $4,000
per year, yet the expense account for
maintenance Is held down To So h41-
The number OF alarms responded 10
last year was nearly 500. and In 1883
1t was thought that 100 alarms was 4
large number.
In 1883 the department consisted Of
only so station men and 11i call men.
making total OF 1874 men. In those
days all the captains were catt etp-
tains; now there are only 80 call men
ana ISL station. or full paid men.
with total of 1873.
The department Is considered first
class in every respect, and II rated
as such by the fns 1rance undcrwrit-
ers. and while 1t is practically the
only city of It's size In the country thai
still has call men, they are gradually
being replaced by station men, and
within another year 1t is hoped to
have a full stationed department.
All OF the fire fighting apparatus
and appliances are OF the best and
most modern and are kept In perfect
condition and always ready for In
slant use.
Inc ire horse has always been
most sectacular animal and the
horses are all loved and petted. espe-
ciaiiy ty their lady friends living In
he neigh borhood Of the engine
houses. In many cases these lady
friends bring them sugar and apples
--4-. tr,t-.i4l -4.--.a,-Ys.As bee
treat. but it is just a matter Of time
t,tfore our suod friends. thg fT0rsns
will tie obsolete in fire servlce. as the
n:oter is ranidIy taking their laees,
srd only Rotor ire apparatus 3 NOW
being sold Tho horses will be
missed bat for efficiency and economy
the motor IS far superior in the fire.
fighting business,
Cost of An Ai1rm.
YOU have doubtie IS often heard the
question asked, How much does il
cost the city for an alarm OF fire tu
he turned in and have the fire anna
ratus run OUT" The writer has made
y4fe kaE nj
article. and VIII give Won the answer.
Well" said an Official, that is
common Questio and Is hard to an
swer. but I would state that ordinarily
there is no special cost 10 any one
alarm unless WE have al 4Ceia@nj
and break something up or kill
orae, or something of that kind; bu,
the only real accurate way or esti-
mating the cost If each charm is TO
take the total cost of maintain the
entire Department - divide that by
the number OF alarms We responI TO.
and that will give you the actual cost.
so TO speak. of each alarm responded
to. but that is HARD fair, as that cost
would be there even il we did not
respond 10 airy alarms, So yon San
see that III is not ea@y or p~ae*.cat ~
answer your question gently.
Sometimes II is benefit to the
department 10 have run, MS Ii keeps
he men and horses In better condi-
ion. ! have often heard the flremcn
wishing that an alarm would come In
srd this Is very natural as their lives
are often very dull ard monotonous
and any change Ia welcomed. even -
fierce FIRE. In viii h they viii risk
their lives. Is consdere diversion
to these men; and 1t is remarkable
that they get afcnw 80 we'll when .uu
consider the strict dis line and
close confinement they are necessarily
under"
The fremen are required to stay In
their quarters twe-4v-four hours
every day. with the execution OF time
for meals, II they live within a rea-
sonabIe distance Of their quarters
They are allowed four days off each
month. and ten days furlou~- each