Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-07
MOVE CHEMICAL NO. ?
 TO THAMEsvILLE STATION.
One of Suggestions Made by Chief Stanton in Annual Repert-Good Time to Motorize Department.

Fire Chief Howard l.. Stanton,s an- nual report. submitted at the common council meeting Monday night. shows the unusual number of 243 fires during the year ending June 30. 1914. ss more than that last year, which was 174. Ten were, outside the city limits
 While the department is always willing to do the work when appealed to for help from small towns and vil-
 lages that have no fire protection of any kind, yet the danger of taking the
 apparatus from the city with a full
 crew to handle it is always considered
 dangerous by the officers of the de-
 partment as very great in case a fire
 breaks out at home.
 While there has been an unusual
 number of alarms and working fires in
 several localities throughout the city
 where the slightest delay would have
 resulted in very large losses, owing to
 the very quick response of the motor
 apparatus the fires were kept in check
 even in the very coldest weather with
 heavy snow on the ground. Even with
 the unusual number of fires the loss
 for the year is small in comparison
 with last year. The total fire loss for
 the year was s4s,37s.29. of which s21,-
 602.71 was on buildings and SPA, 4,755.58 on contents. The total value at risl-
 was $994.771.72
 Chief Stanton sSain recommends that the Than.csville station be repair : Co; v-=srs.z-Tring to it Chemical Co. No. ?, thereupon closing the West Main street station. The Thamesville sec ton is entirely unprotected until the automobile apparatus from the Cen tral station arrives. The distance fer the horse drawn apparatus to travel to fires at Thamesviile Is tee great to render efficient service.
 A small bungale type of station equipped with motor apparatus and located near West Main and Asylum streets or on any vacant lot within 1500 feet of this point would protect the hill section of the West Side and all of the Falls section assisted by the apparatus from the Central station. by adopting this plan the station at the Falls could be closed.
 With several wagons needing repairs and most of the horses too old for fire service, it would appear that the time had arrived to commence to motorize the entire department including the engine and trucks.
 Chief stanton comments on the growing sphere of duties of the fire marshal. His recommendations, with which his thirteenth annual report comes to a close, calling attention to the need or more motor driven ap- paratus to displace horses. Not only motor driven combination chemical machines, but combination motor | pump ana nose CdII SliOuIO D6 PQI- chased to care for the hill section of l the city.
 A tractor for No. engine and a new I motor driven aerial truck would dis place six horses and make the depart ment more up to date and efficient. In addition to the above recommendations l the chief advocates larger water 1 mains more fire alarm boxes, a I Thamasville station with permanent men and apparatus and the provision I of other apparatus for Greeneyille oth- CT than a hand drawn hose carriage entirely out of date and inadequate for I the protection of this important part fthe city.