The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-16

flciency of its fire department The ex-
pert, who was from Kansas City, came
and studied local conditions and his re-
port was that you cannot fight fire with
nothing to fight 1t with" and recommend
ed that the city government buy apparat-
us and increase the number of firemen
lncidently the expert recommended A. "
Bennett to boss the job of reorganizing
the department.
Since that time Chief Bennett has been
doing yeoman service. In every possible
way he has secured appropriations from
the city to buy apparatus and to increase
his fire force. He now has a department
that costs approximately s215.00O year to
operate. And Chief Bennett admits that
the department has not reached the eff
ilciency desired.
Has Twenty five Stations
The Birmingham fire department now
has 20 fire stations but only Is of these
are in active service. The other two
which have only recently been completed
are situated at Fairview and East Bir-
mingham. They are not in service because
of the obvious fact that the city treas
ury is in such depleted. condition that
apparatus and the additional men to place
the new stations at Fairview and East
Birmingham in service. These two sta
tions represent an investment of about
$4,000 on the part of the city. and as Gov
error O'Neal has refused to call an ex-
ira session to come to the aid of Birming-
hams financial condition, it will be an
Idle Investment for some time TO come.
In the IS stations that are In active SER
vice in Greater Birmingham 165 men find
employment. OF these men one is chief
one is assistant chief. 90 are captains, one
is secretary to the chief. one is fire
alarm superintendent and one is fire in
spector There are also several fire en-
Eineers.
The apparatus of the Birmingham de-
partinent has been largely motorized
thanks to the progressive policy of Chief
Bennett, who has gained countrywide
reputation as the exponent of motor ap-
paratus in fire fighting. In the brief
space OF two years Chief Bennett has re-
duced the number of horses in the service
of the department from GO to 25. and there
are only seven horse drawn fire wagons
in the department. These consist of four
fire engines. two aerial trucks and one
hose wagon.
OF the motor apparatus there are IS
Seabrave combination hose and chemical
wagons. There are two triple combina-
ton motor driven and motor fire engines,
and there is one motor driven steam fire
engine, which was the first ordered
fn the United States. And If the policies
of Chief Bennett are followed out by his
successor all the apparatus In the city
will be motor driven as soon the
finances of the city can withstand the
appropriations.
Four Signal Stations
The department is also equipped with
four separate electric signal systems
There is a system in Pratt City which has
IL boxes, one in North Birmingham which
has 20 boxes, one in Ensley which has 10
boxes and in Birmingham proper there
are 65 signal alarm boxes. The next chief
OF the department will have to worry the
city commissioners for money to improve
the fire alarm system, as it is admittedly
inadequate. Conditions at present show
that 80 per cent of the fire alarms are
telephoned In.
The above facts and figures are shown
to give an idea to the general public that
the job of running the Birmingham fire
department is not the cinch 1t was In the
olden days when the chief went to fires on
horseback with a merry yell and fired his
pistol at stray dogs who barked at the
flying hoofs of his steed. 1t is now a
Inan-sized job, and to fill 1t adequately
1t needs first of all an able tacticion, a
strict disciplinarian. and an experienced
fire fighter. To be chief man must also
be good executive and know how to use
the appropriations given by the city for
the benefit of the fire department to do
the most good. Financing the department
80 that the utmost efficiency can be de-
rived from II will be one of the most
serious problems Of the next fire chief.
Conditions for Chief
As to the candidates for the position of
head of the fire department they are few
i'm number. Careful investigation has
shown that thus far only five men are be-
ing seriously considered to succeed Chief
Bennett These men are Senior Captain
Sidney p. Middleton and Junior Captain
X r. Johnson of No. 1 station: o. III.
Albertson, secretary to Chief Bennett;
Captain w. A. Allen of No. station and
Captain L. c. Fitzpatrick, engineer Of
No. station.
OF these candidates, Captain Sid MIDI
dleton is understood to be in especially
strong position to be given q trial. He Is
a years of age, married and has six chill
dren. His home is at 1923 North Nine
teenth street. Mr.. Middleton has been
with the department 15 years and has been
captain II years, having been promoted
ON March 3, 1902. He has always been
stationed at the central station on Fourth
avenue.
Captain Middleton is well known and
faVOraDlY tnOuR1L o. Ills DfOtuet Oni-
GERS and the men under him all respect
him for his ability as fire fighter and
his uuiet and unassurning personality. III
is said of him that it Is almost impossible
TO disturb his placid temperament. When
Abe fire is burning at it's fiercest Captain
ssSid" is In the thickest OF it, working
with herculean efforts. but always smil-
ing his quiet, whimsical smile and giving
orders as calmly as he would order shin
ing the brass work on the fire engine. He
has never been known to get excited ex-
cent over his favorite game of checkers.
And In his is years as a fireman Mr.. Mid
dleton has never missed day by illness
or other reasons with the exception of
taking his allotted vacation every sum-
nner.
Capt. X r. Anderson, although not a
very active candidate personally, is be-
ing boosted by his friends to succeed
Chief Bennett. Captain Johnson is the
head of the Flying squadron" and has
made that particular branch of the de-
partment very effective. He Is considered
one of the best fire fighters in the city
Mr.. Johnson is 81 years of age, married
and resides at Marshall avenue and Nine
teenth street, north. He has been a men,
Der of the fire department. about seven
years and captain three years. He has
been stationed as junior captain at CEN
trail headquarters since last April when