The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-10
IMPROVE !. RICHMOND | | ] !.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
MAYOR TO ADDRESS SPECIAL
MESSAGE TO COUNCIL AT
NEXT MEETING.
WATER SUPPLY LOW
IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS
TO APPARATUS NEEDED-BOARD
AND COUNCIL WILL ACT IN CON-
JUNCTION ON NATTER.

board Of aldermen next Tuesday night
q message. supplementing his mes
sage to council Of several weeks ago,
in reference to the IRE hazard in
Richmond. and its relationship to the
water supply.
1t has been demonstrated upon sew
eral occasions recently, that when fire
engines are busy extinguishing nres in
certain sections Of the city. people in
that section are deprived Of water.
The latest illustration OF the lack Of
water supply was that of July 4th,
when q IRE on North Ninth street de-
prived the citizens of that vicinity of
water for many hours.
Realizes the Situation.
Mayor Ainslie realizes tho situation,
and will endeavor to have council act
and act rs speedily as pissobie. He
would have better water facilities and
q greater fire department.
1t IL conceded that in most sections
OF the city the water mains need en-
largement. 1t IL also conceded that
in some districts the IRE department
Is not as much of an up-to-date az
fair as 1t should be.
In order to improve both these de-
partments Of the city government, the
mayor would suggest that a commit
tee from the city council be appointed
to act in conjunction with commit
tee from the fire department, with the
mayor as a member Of the joint COM
mittee. to look into the situation, to
confer with representatives OF the Ma
donal Board of Fire Underwriters. and
to recommend. II necessary a bond
Issue not only to enlarge and perfect
the fre department, but to increase
the possibility OF better flow of wa
ter.
The fire department according to
members OF that department, need
more motor engines and trucks. It has
been stated by members OF the fire
board that every time a motor ma
chine Is added to the department a
great percentage Of expense to the
city is cut Off
Commissioner Lecky has stated that
with the sum OF 500, 900 expended In
rehabilftating and strengthening the
nre department with motor engines
and trucks. the city may get its out
lay back in ten years. or at the rate
or $4,000 year. After the invested
sum is recovered by decrease in run
ming expenses. the cost OF maintaining
the department will be at a minimum.
Commissioner Cheatwood said that
In some sections 1t might be better
at this time to have horses. He meant
that where the streets were in bad
condition. horses might get around
excavations. dumps and mud better
than ar auto.
But" said Mr. Chestwood, when
the city has beer able to place is
streets in good condition. the only
thing to have woui5 be the motor
engine"
What Mayor Ainslie desires is to
give to the city the very best equip
ment, Doth as to water supply and
FIRE protection.
The administrative board has al-
ready anticipated this demand. so far
as the water pipes are concerned. and
Is now placing many connections. en-.
larginG mains and asking the fnan,e
committee for still larger ones.
To North of Broad.
There seems to be unanimous sem
timeat as to the fact that the north
side of Broad street is in need OF
larger watcr mains Other sections
OF the C ~ are fairly we'll supplied.
In some sectors. the East Cary
street and lower Main street sections.
for insta-fce. the supply Is large. but
at any time with a big fire raging
the local water supply may drop to
minimum.
There Is little use enlarging the
f1re department" said Mayor Ainslie.
unless we can give II the material
with which to do it's work when neces-
sary. II would be a useless PROPOSE
tior to ask for twenty-five engines,
with a. water supply sufficient to ac-
commodate ten. What we want is an
enlargement OF both departments.
The main thing is the water supply.
II you haven't the water. you can't
put out the Are"
The mayor said last night he hoped
to have his recommendation favor
ably considered by the board Of al
dermen next Tuesday night.