Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-10

NEW YORK, Aug. 5.-The recent national en-
N barge exports has thrown New York har-
Dor into unkempt disorder. Long rows OIL
tramp steamers, freighters and ocean liners crowd
the docks and block the channel. The wharves are
piled with idle cargoes; the city warehouses are
bullying with merchandise that was TO nave gone
to Europe, and every hour or two another line OF
freight arrives bringing many more tons OF
goods.
This crowding of the harbor has increased the
city's fire risk about IS per cent. Much OF the
cargo is extremely infammabe stuff, some OF 1t is
munitions and shipments are arriving so fast that
there is no time to sort the goods. Furthernore,
several small fires have occurred the upper river
the result of collisions, it being difficult to naVi
gate through the of craft.
The city has nine fire boats for the control or
fires in the harbor, but these now inadequate,
and the railroad and steamship companies have had
to form their own fire brigades along the wharVes'
as we'll as to appropriate l 43 tug boats to guard
their cargoes. New York itself, of course, also
shares this new fire risk. Its safety depends more
less upon the wind. If a large fire broke OUT
upon the wharves and the wind happened to be
blowing landward, the hazard would he great es-
pecally since numerous munition plants and high
explosive factories would lie in it's path.
In normal times New York is one of the greatest
fire risks in the world. On an average OF thirty
five fires a day. or 100 fires year, occur the
greatest accumulation of wealth in the world must
be protected the highest skyscrapers and the low
est slums. Hence. the New York fire department
is of the most efficient, in spite OF being the
most overworked fire department in existence.
There are 80 fire companies, employing o:OOO
men. They are distributed through thirteen nre
charge of the whole organization. Fire-nghtlng
is different problem in each district, some OF
which lie in suburbs of clean detached houses,
others in crowded business districts and congested
foreign quarters. The new physically mt recruit
after sufficient training, is placed in company In
the worst section of the city, for here the work is
so strenuous that only the men in best physical
trim and with the greatest enthusiasm for their
work can make good. And even these cannot
stand the pace very long. After three or four
wears they have to be removed easier districts.
New York has recently made some important
improvements in its fire equipment 1t is replacing
its horses with motor apparatus, for one th1ng-a
change that has brought benefit not only to the
city but to the fremen themselves Housing con-
ditions are much better. The fireman no longer
has to live in stable and spend the greater part
of his time in performing the duties of a groom.
A garage does not require nearly so much ROOM
and in all the stations having the new apparatus
the extra space has been used for handoall court
Firemen are required to do a certain amount OF
gymnasium work every day.
Handball is extremely popular. The men do
not have to be coaxed into playing it, and 1t APP
pears to do them more physical good than anything
else.
From the city's standpoint the upkeep OF
horses is financial loss. In these days of high
food prices it costs 81 500 year to maintain the
horses of one station while the maintenance or
motor apparatus for the same station costs just
$500 There does not seem to be any difference
in regard to and tear. The fire department
thinks that horse-drawn apparatus breaks down
on it's to fire often as II not oftener, imam
the motor-drawn.
The motor-drawn apparatus typifes the fire de-
partment of today. 1t is thoroughly modern and
up-to-date in every respect. Moreover, the fire.
man himself has changed. No longer do you ind
him. Iarge-waisted and double-chinned lounging
on the outdoor benches playing pinochle in the
upstairs corridor in blue atmosphere of cigarette
smoke At least, not in New York. Instead he is
usually to be found bending over set of maps and
a wad of white paper laborOusly marking various
facts and directions with a blue pencil. For the
modern fireman is not only nre-ighter-he is a
fire preventer.
Every day certain firemen are relieved of their
duty in answering fire calls to make fire inspec-
tions; that is, they make the rounds OF all the