The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-02
s1,5oo,ooo Property Involved in Fire
During the Year, With Total
Losses $50 900. Andcr-
SON Reports.
NEED OF AUTO TRUCK
Cost to City Could Have Been Saved
Through Smaller Losses in
Fires, is Belief
Held.

Total losses of $4,000 on buildings
& and contents valued at over one and 4
are figures that stand out prominent
" in the annual report of John An
derson, chief Of the FIRE department,
to the city council. The report is one
Of the most favorable that he's been
submitted by the fire department
head in number OF years.
The three largest fires of the year
were those In which the two garages,
and the Harrison box factory were
burned. The damage in the Water
Power garage fire was more than dou.
Bile that OF any other. The total loss
here was q little over $4,000. In adj.
dition to the loss, one man, Peter Van
Ausdau, was seriously injured in the
explosion which caused the fire, This
nre occurred son October 90. The loss
+ in the burning OF the Gate City gar
! age amounted to $10,S2O, according to
the figures on which the fire chiefs
report are based. The date Of this
fire was August IL. The loss in the
box factory FIRE Ma 26. was 5000.
\ =
One Woman Burned.
j One woman was burned to death
\ and another very seriously injured in
i-res during the year. besides the in
jury to Peter Van AuAdall in the
Water Power garage fire. Mrs. E. A..
Day, at 118 South Tenth street, was
burned to death when a lamp ex-
ploded in her home, October IL. Mrs
John Lamering, 1924 Fulton street
was severely burned about the hands
and arms in a fire at her home, De.
cember 5.
The report shows that the number
OF alarms during the past year is
smaller than in many previous years,
there being but III. The preceding
year, the number Of alarms was 212.
While the financial conditions OF
the city's fire fund is probably bet
ter than 1t was a year ago, it will
soon be necessary to make some ex-
penditnres in the way OF further
equipment. At least two of the fire
department horses at. the Sixth street
station will have to be replaced eth
er by an automobile truck or by
young horses within 4 short time. A
great many of the runs made during
the year emphasized the necessity of
an automobile truck for the Sixth
street department. There is little
question but that the cost of such a
truck could have been saved curing
.he past year through decrease in
the loss OF fires.
The report Of Chief Anderson is
here given in full:
Fire Report.
TO the Honorable Mayor and Coun.
cilmen of the City of Keokuk:
Gentlemen:
In conformity. withz the city ordl- |
nances. ! have the lloRcr to herewith |
submit my annual renbrt as chief OF
the fire department. fo1 the year end
ing March 81. 1915.
The following is a. repcrs of the
property damaged by fre during the
PAST year, and the amount Of inslr- |
ance carried on said property:
Sound value of buildings
where fire originated IS 735,335 90
Sound value Of contents
where fires originated. 830.sS2 so |
insurance ON buildings
where fire originated. 491.125 90 |
insurance on contents
where fire originated 533,795 90 |
Damage to buildings
where fire originated 31,34o .95 /
damage to contents where
FIRE fire originated .y.. 24,77o. Go
lotal insurance on build
1ngs and contents -. 1,O24,920. 90 I
Sound value of buildings
contents 1,565,717 so
Loss on buildings and
and contents . So III go
There have been 1T alarms as fol-
lows: "a regular; Al general; Sc still,
6, false.
The fire department is composed I
as foHows: One chief, one assistant
chle1, thirteen regular station men;
one minute man, one engineer of
steamer Total. seventeen.
10 the assistant chief, Mr.. j. w. i
Nichols, and to each member of the
department., l desire to extend sincere
.hanks for the efficient service rem
ueFed. It is largely due to their effec- i
:, work that the fire losses during +
~, me past year have not been heavier.
iney have been faithful, prompt, in.
telilgent and loyal in the discharge
OF their duties 4
also desire to thank the Honorable
Mayor, DR.. S. w. Moorhead, and Coun-
elimen ]. A. M. Collins and F. T. F.
schmidt, for the interest and kindness
sney have shown III department af
Iairs and for assistance given me.
which is greatly appreciated. /,
Respectfully subr-.tted,
JOHN ANDERSON,
Chief Of the Fire Department
10 f--'