Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-01-25
THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1917.
NEEDED, 4 FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Brownsville property owners pay insur-
ance policies on a higher valuation Of per
ishable property than they pay taxes on.
The fire insurance carried IN this city
amounts TO more than $4,000, 900, put con
servatively, and the annual policies paid
by Brownsville residents amount TO about
$40, ZOO. For the past several years the
state commissioner OF insurance has been
making a "good fire record entry in con
nection with the Brownsville fire hazard
standing and recently has announced that
the fifteen per cent rebate viii again be
Forthcoming on the policies for this year.
This rebate last year amounted to a return
to policy payers of about $4,000 on their
policies.
The city of Brownsville spends only
about 1894 per month on its fire depart
intnt. or about $1,000 this year. The fire
deep rtment cost the city about one third,
ihi- ,ar. the amount spent on police pro-
t,1,ioa. This expenditure. however, IN
cla IN amount paid for additional hose
ans p~aratus. The fire department com
piss one combination chemical, hose and
ladder truck and one alarm bell. These, in
the hands of a few men working for small
salaries are all the fire protection afforded
by the city for its $4,000 population.
The present, so called, fire department
is practically without a chief. The off
cial fire chief holds about a half dozen dis
tinct city jobs, including those of sanitary
Inspector, strtci and bridge inspector and
some Others. With those mal.ifaTous dut-
iCs - attend 60 u u clear llat the oifirc
of fire chef becomes amos. pLrciy per
frhctory. Tie logic n giving - little con-
siltraiion 10 = puG..e lntercs; ihat the citi
zcns are paying shout $4,000, iadcpend-
emily, to protect, Il obscure.
IL il clear thAt the city good fire rec
o-l' IS dac 10 o.he- cause than that Of
any CONSIDERABLE degree OF preparedness
in the way of an efficient fire department.
The majority of the residences in the city
are of n frame construction. Roofs are
practically all Shiagle and 4 good start on
a windy night with one lone hose truck
company ana one bell-the latter, now
ever, working full capacity-to fight the
fire, the city would stand a fair chance to
b. swept by a disastrous conilagration.
There i no really good reason why
Brownsville should continue just to try to
snake out with a fire deartment. The
American population is rapidly increasing
and American methods of handling fire in
their homes are VIGOROUSLY conducive To
fire losses. The good fire record OF the
past may and can easily be wiped out by
the worl; of one nights fire.
There j. no use in refusing To look a
square fact squarely in the face.
AT about $4,000 each, Brownsville could
this year very wisely add to its fire fight
ing equipment two very tine and elIicicn.
motor-driven fire trucks. These could
combine chemical apparatus and water
hose. With the excellent water pressure
now afforded by the city's plant and the
contemplated improvements in that depart
ment, Ii pumper might still be dispensed
with.
With $25, 600, $4,000 of which spent on
a fire station ad the remainder on motor
driven trucks, the city of Brownsville could
make a good start this year towards cor
recting an evil that is calculated to cause
prospective new residents to hesitate be
fore selectiro this CITY as a home