Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-10
NEWARK OFFICIALS RESENT
REPORT OF FIRE EXPERTS
CONTINUED srora First Pase3

unfair that it could only have pro
4 ceeded from a feeling of pique over
Newark's refusal TO permit OF en-
gines THE report Is the WORK
of vindictive theorists he SAID
II am surprised that any repre-
sentative body of men should rem
der a report so unfair and that II
should be given extensive circulation
without adequate investigation OF the
/ department 1t criticises.
+ This city is rated a by the insur-
iance commissioner of this State and
by the men who fix insurance rates
for this community, so that Newark
has a lower fire insurance rate than
any city in the State and the best
rating possible in the United states.
[ do not know the National Board OF
Fire Underwriters nor what 1t rep
resents, but this sort of report does
not indicate that 1t is the kind OF
board fitted to exercise any influence
or to have authority in matters OF the
kind treated in this report.
The main part of the report has
this to say of the Newark fire depart
ment:
1.-THE fire department is under tho
supervision of bipartisan board OF
commissioners, with the unsatisfac-
tory management usual with such an
arrangement. Expenditures for main
tenance are lower than in many cities
of equal size and, while the expendi-
lures for permanent improvements
have been large in recent years, the
money has not been spent to the best
/ advantage. New stations have been
placed in sections where they were
not specially needed and other Sec
lions left unprotected.
Nf Hfs4fI n
bers is satisfactory, and suitable
age limit has been set for retirement
The strength of companies in the
closely built districts Is slightly mad
equate: the minimum force of five
men is sufficient for good fire service;
by curtailing details, such as to thea
tres, which should be required to fur.
nish their own firemen, the number of
additional men needed would be
small. Companies are generally we'll
distributed, but some outlying sec,
lions are poorly protected. Most OF
the hose wagons are equipped with
chemical tanks. but, as the wagons
are preceded by the engines In re-
spending to alarms, full benefit can
not be obtained from the chemicals
nor from the high pressure system.
Recommends Auto Service.
The loss per fire Is large, due part
ly, no doubt, to the slow response.
The more extensive use of automobile
apparatus In the department and the
sending of hose wagons ahead Of en-
gines would tend toward quicker re-
Spouse. The failure OF the department
to cooperate fully with the salvage
corps shows lack of appreciation OF
the value of this service In reducing
the fire loss.
LAS far the as the high-pressure
system is concerned, that is not q
matter that we determine. That is
up to the Board of Works. However,
the fire commissioners foretold us just
what has happened-that the high
pressure would be cut down by the
consumers using the water"
The recommendations included In
the report run to the length of about
? 1000 words. Besides advocating the
severe pumping test for engines,
which Commissioner Stratton repro
bates. and the abolition of gasoline
lighting systems in stores. the follow
ing suggestions are made:
THAT changes In companies and
apparatus be made as follows: (a)
Provide a station and establish an
engine and ladder company in the
vicinity of Custer avenue and Bergen
street, equipped with an automobile
combination pumping engine and hose
wagon and the present ladder truck
of Ladder Company 4. AS the COM
panies installed in the station recent
~ built at Avon avenue and South
Thirteenth street is not needed for local
protection, it is recommended that
they be established as given above,
pending such time as finances justify
the equipping of both stations. OBJ
Provide station at Sanford and
South Orange avenues, and establish
an engine company equipped with au-
tomobile apparatus carrying chemical
tanks. (c) Equip Engine Cmpany 10
with the automobile combination
pumping engine and hose wagon now
with Engine Company "a. and
with an automobile combination
chemical and hose wagon Cd Equip
Ladder Company 4 with one of the
authorized automobile aerial trucks
(e) Change Engine Company "a
to high pressure hose COM
an automobile combination wagon,
carrying 200 feet of three-inch hose
and turret pipe. Cd Provide bat
TALON chiefs with automobiles. (g)
Provide fire boat of 5000 gallons
per minute capacity, when delivering
water at $50 pounds pressure; boat to
be OF steel and able TO make a speed
of twelve knots per hour. (h.) Sta
ton a reserve wagon loaded with L.,
200 feet of 3-inch hose at the Academy
street house. % Provide automo-
bile tractors for Ladder Trucks and
Z, and the water tower.
The Alarm system.
That the reliability of the fire alarm
system be increased by: Ia Arrang-
ing box circuits so that not more
than thirty boxes will be connected
to each. Cb.) Operating gong cir
cults as closed circuits and removing
all unnecessary gongs from the cir
cults"
THE semi monthly tests of engines
by the department are of little value
as conducted: experience in other
cities shows that efficient crews and
good condition Of apparatus can be
assured only by conducting more ex-
haustive tests, operating at capacity