The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-10-28
PROTECTION
FROM FIRES
In WHEELING
AFFORDED BY WELL EQUIPPED
AND EFFICIENT DE-
PARTMENT.
Present System Built Up From Vol
unteer Compsnies-Flrst Com
pany Organized In 1890.

tihaPS hp bEdhCu VI the city gov
eminent is so important as the fire
department. as within it's keeping
are the safety of the lives and the
property OF the citizens. The degree
of safety is measured by the eff
ficiency of the men employed. Since
the organization OF the first volunteer
companies, Wheeling has been noted
for its fire department. and the eff
ficiency of the fire fighters has in
creased with the years that have
passed until the present excellence
was attained.
While the department Is not by
any means perfect. IL is remarkably
effective AZ fires. and as Il is at pres
ent constituted. too much praise can
not be accorded IL. Considering the
equipment. the work OF the depart
ment is most efficient
In a recent report OF the national
board OF fire underwriters committee
on fire prevention, OF conditions in
Wheeling the fire department is de-
scribed in part. as follows: Full
paid. under fairly satisfactory super
vision. financial support inadequate:
discipline fairly good: engines in
adequate. chemical protection good:
department fairly we'll equipped for
handling OF large streams: hose reg
ularly tested: responses to alarms
prompt and fairly well arranged: fire
methods good for ordinary fires:
quarterly building inspections with
fair results"
Present Department.
The total force OF the department
al present is fifty-one men. including
the linemen for the fire alarm serv-
tee Three substitute firemen are
usually employed The department
is Differed "a follows: Chief. Ed
ward T. Rose. first assistant chief
and captain of Eleventh Street Hose
Company. Charles Schul. second as
sistant chief and captain OF hook and
ladder. William Marquis. third as
sistant chief and captain Of Fort
Henry Hose Company. Albert Laugh
lin. captain OF Alert Hose Company.
Island. James McClement: captain Of
Fort Kalbitzer. Frank Oberle: captain
OF Niagara Engine Company. James
Grogan. captain Eighth Ward Engine
Company. Charles Ferguson: captain
Atlantic Engine Company. Burley
Thompson: captain Vigilant Engine
Company. Richard Turner: captain
aerial truck. Charles Klaus.
Present Apparatus.
There IS in service at the present
time two third size. piston movement
engines with a capacity OF COO gallons
per minute. one first size. piston move
ment engine with capacity of 900
gallons per minute. one second size.
rotary movement engine with a ca
pacity Of 500 gallons per minute. and
one old single stroke. piston move
ment engine. purchased last Septem-
Der. TO be used as a reserve engine.
with rated capacity Of 400 gallons
per minute In addition. two auto
chemical and hose trucks. seven horse
drawn chemical and hose wagons. one
eighty-five foot aerial truck. one serv-
ice ladder truck. one chiefr auto. one
assistant chiefs buggy. one double
tank chemical In reserve All these
have been equipped with rubber tires
and friction brakes. There Is ore
exercise wagon loaded with hose az
Atlantic house. one exercise wagon
loaded with hose at Niagara house.
one exercise wagon loaded with coal
az Hook and Ladder house. one wag-
on loaded with coal ar Eighth ward
house. one exercise wagon loaded
with coal az Fort Kalhitzer house.
There are twenty-cight head Of
horses In the department. twenty-five
in service and three extra horses
There IS at present 1850 feet ~
two and onehalf inch hose en- service.
most OF which Is in good condition
goo feet OF one inch chemical hose
and 200 feet of thrcc-fourthInch
hose
According 10 The chiefs annual re-
port for tho fiscal year ending June
80. 1913. pa calls were answered dur
INK the past year. eighteen of which
were false alarms The valu, 81 prop
erfv endangered iotl'od stSSs.9f1.
while the total loss amounted 20
S2g2t2 The average loss por run
was s1iScs. which is considered an
excellent record.
During the year OF 1912 the depart
menf responded 'o more calls than In
amy year since 10 was established
gcl being recorded from January 60
December 81.
Early Volunteer Companies.
known a- tho "Oid Reds" the FIRST
volunteer fire company va. orrar.zsd
iu 1890 " was composed of Tho most
Influential business men of that Time.
and their engine house was located af
fh' corner off fha alley between
Twelfth and Fourteenth streets where
thn Victoria theatre now stands fts
equipment consisted OF only ono hose
-".' and small engine worked by
hand power
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