The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-09
FIGHTING new Y0RK'S FIRES
THE TorEkA STATE JOURNAL
IMPORTATION BUREAU
By Frederic j. Haskin, Director.
Washington. ID. G.

order Long rows of tramp steamers,
freighters and ocean liners crowd the
docks and block the channel. The
wharves are piled with idle cargoes,
the city warehouses are bulging with
merchandise that was to have gone to
Europe. and every hour or two an
other line of freight cars arrives
bringing many more tons of goods.
This crowding of the harbor has in
creased the city's fire risk about I5
per cent. Much of the cargo is ex-
tremely inflammable stuff, some of it
is munitions, and shipments are arriv-
ing so fast that there is no time to
sort the goods Furthermore. several
small fires have occurred on the upper
river as the result of collisions, it be-
ing difficult to navigate thru the mass
of craft.
The city has nine fire boats for the
control of fires in the harbor. but
these are now inadequate, and the
railroad and steamship companies
have had to form their own fire bri-
to appropriate 143 tug boats to guard
their cargoes. New York itself. of
course, also shares this new fire risk.
Its safety depends more or less upon
the wind. If a large fire broke out
upon the wharves and the wind hap
pened to be blowing landward. the
hazard would be great, especially since
numerous munition plants and high
explosive factories would lie in its
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 1900 fires year occur. The
| greatest accumulation of wealth in
| the world must be protected the high
est sky-scrapers and the lowest slums.
| Hence, the New York fire department
| is one of the most efficient, in spite
of being the most overworked fire de-
| partment in existence.
There are three hundred and ten
fire companies, employing five thou
sand men. They are distributed thru
| thirteen fire districts, with chief at
| the head of each district, who is re-
| spons1ble to one chief executive in
charge of the whole organization
| Fire-fighting is a different problem in
each district, some of which lie in
| suburbs CT clean detached houses
| others in crowded business districts
| and congested foreign quarters. The
new physically fit recruit after suffi-
| cient training, is placed in a 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 lorg. At
| ter three or four years they have to
| be removed to easier districts
| New York has recently made some
| important Improvements in it's fire
| equipment. 1t is replacing its horses
| with motor apparatus, for one thing
| a change that has brough. benefit not
only to the city but to the firemen
| themselves. Housing conditions are
much better. The fireman no longer
| has to live in a 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 APP
paratus, the extra space has been used
for handball court. Firemen are re-
! quired to do certain amount of gym
nasium work every day.
Handball is extremely popular. The
men do not have to be coaxed into
playing it, and it appears to do them
more physical good than anything
| else
From the city's standpoint the up
| keep of horses is a financial loss. In
these days of high food prices. it costs
| $1,000 year to maintain the horses
| of one station while the maintenance
| of motor apparatus for the same sta
| ton costs just $500. There does not
to wear and tear. The fire department
thinks that horse drawn apparatus
| breaks down on its way to a fire as
often as, if not oftener, than the mo-
tor-drawn.
The motor-drawn apparatus typifies
the fire department of today. 1t is
thoroly modern and up to date in
every respect. Moreover, the fireman
himself has changed. No longer dc
| you find him, large-waisted and dou-
ble-chinned, lounging on the outdoor
| benches or playing pinochle in the
upstairs corridor in blue atmosphere
| of cigaret smoke. At least, not in
New York. Instead he is usually te
be found bending over a set of map:
and a wad of white paper, laboriousl.
1 ar-l<i in orin of nd Ira nT7s
with a blue pencil. For the modern
fireman is not only a fire-fighter-hs
I is a fire-preventer.
: Every day certain firemen are re
lieved of their duty in answering fir
calls to make fire inspections; that is
they make the rounds of all the stores
' theaters, CARA ges, factories and publi
. buildings in their district to inspec
. their qualifications for resisting fire
There are certain laws concerning fir
: escapes, doors leading to the outsid
Z and the storing of inflammable goods
as well as very stringent regulation
> regarding smoking in CARA gees and fac
tories, and 1T is up to the firemen L
= see that they are complied with. Thi
inspection serves a double purpose. i
not only educates the fireman wit
2 respect to the city's requirements. bu
y it makes him familiar with the phys
: ical features of his district He know
the exits trapdoors and stairways o
every build1ng-prlVate residences ex
| cepted, of course-he knows wher
}, there are pitfalls that would prov
q dangerous at a night fire; he know
how many occupants are in eac
y building. and where the chemica
e tsprinklers and other fire apparatus ar
f located.
All of this is very important, 70
fire-fighting is not an unskilled pro
fession, but very scientific one.
= fire is a disa ster which requires JUS
l. x11I - LII.
age and executive ability a battle
: and perhaps even more technieu
d For example, there is a fire in tene
= ment house. The first response t
= the alarm is a hook and-ladder com
pany which finds the building file
II with smoke from a fire which is ra e
: ing in the cellar. Now the first or lie
= of the chief of this company, befor