Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-02-20

sarily have but little to spend
salaried fremen and the class froi
which it would be necessary to selet
would not be of the class which no
respond so readily as volunteers
Alexandria, he said, has three steal
fire engines, a truck, reels, wagons
etc. The engines are practically new
Three paid men are daily in the thre
houses both night and day.
+, In case of fire between fifty an
/ one hundred citizens generall
come forward as volunteers, Will
the city might be able to emplo.
about ten were a paid system adopt
ed.
Mr.. Waller insisted that voiun
teer system was inefficient for
city the size of Alexandria, and tn
engineers had so reported.
Councilman Albert Bryan suggest
| ed that the present system copet
with any emergency.
Mr.. Waller suggested that Alex
andria had at times called upor
Washington for aid during fires.
Councilmen Bryan and Leadbeatel
answered simultaneously that Wash
ington had been compelled to call
upon Alexandria at certain times,
also that the afct that this city was in
a position to invoke assistance from
the capital city was important.
Mr.. Waller reiterated that he had
nothing to recommend.
He and the other members OF the
board had merely come here TO as
certain if start could not be made
upon lines recommended by, the in
surance companies engineers.
Councilman R. D. Brumback said
that when the engineers came to this
city on the first occasion they said
that certain mains were inadequate
for the use of the fire department.
In other parts they were regarded
as satisfactory The speaker called
attention to the fact that in order
to get larger mains, if such were
deemed necessary, application would:
according to the laws Of the state,
be made by the proper persons to
the State Corporation Commission.
This had been decided in cases con
corning such matters which had come
before the State Court of Appeals
in recent years. The commission
would take up the matter with the
water company if the insurance com.
panies consider the mains made
ouate. Mr.. Brumback said that tho
first time he had heard the effici-
ency of the Alexandria Fire Depart.
ment questioned was when insurance
engineers. made their report. He be-
lieved it was one of the best in the
state of Virginia, and was at pre-
sent better than ever; before. The
speaker earnestly defended our sys.
tenn. and said it's members were en-
thusiastic and one in particular,
every night when he .retires places
his clothes in such a position as tc
be able almost to leap into them al
the sound of an alarm. He kept a
telephone contiguous to him and his
enthusiasm was regarded as an an
noyance by members Of his family.
After further assertion upon the
part of Mr.. Waller and divers quer-
les had been put to him by Messrs
Bryan and Burke. Mr.. Leadbeater
said one man sent here by the in
surance. companies had stated that
one of Alexandria, fire companies
could not be relied upon. He suggest
ed that he be sent here again to make
make an inspection.
This suggestion caused some
laughter, and it was recommended
that he bring his flowers with him
l.. R. Warren was the next speaker.
He said Alexandria hadn't experienc-
ed any real destructive fires. 1t might
however. The speaker sustained the
engineers report and insisted upon
paid fire department for the city
While conditions in Alexandria might
prove satisfactory at present, it woutc
he an exception to the general rule
The speaker referred to the eXper'
ience OF the Board of Underwriters
in Petersburg, where Council commit
tees had been appointed to work i,
conjunction with other organization:
to devise ways and means Of carrying
out the recommendation Of the in.
Surance companies engineers. Mr.
Warren alleged that the interest O.
citizens and those of the insurance.