New Britain herald., 1918-02-05

tion of the board and for this an ap- propriation of s2,208.24 was asked With only 29 men patrolling the streets at night, F.. N. Hum phrey contended that the city is not prop erly protected and he favored in- creasing the personnel of the de- partment.
 Fire Department Hearing.
 Representing the fire department Chairman A. E. Magnell explained that a special appropriation for the pension fund, which is not included in the departmental budget, should be $1,200 instead of $1,00O. The payroll estimates of $6S,SS7 allow for an increase of fifty cents per day which has not yet been granted by the common council. Other rec l ommendations for the betterment of | the fire department were discussed at l length by Chairman Magnell and he 1 called attention to the great need of | 8 motor aerial truck, for which $12,- 1 25O is asked. MT. Humphrey re- | marked that the city needs new fire 1 fighting apparatus so as to be more l independent, but he thought an aerial l truck would be used very infrequent- l 1y. In this respect Chairman Mag 1 nell explained that while the aerial | apparatus of the proposed truck ] might be used only seldom the nu- l merous ladders with which it would l be equipped can be used at all l times. A report from Captain E. F. 1 Barnes showed that there are g I buildings in the center of the city, 1 housing 372 people, where ladders 1 would be necessary in case of fire. l ''These buildings have fire escapes" 1 remarked MT. Humphrey.
 1 "They have not" replied Mr. Mag { nell.
 l .'We1l, it's up to you to see that | fire escapes are installed" Mr. Hum phrey declared, to which the fire 1 board chairman answered that he ] do with that work.
 ! Judge Gaffney then asked if it was l not possible for the fire department | chief to recommend fire escapes and was told that he could make the rec | concentrations, but that was as far as 1 he could go in the matter. Judge | Gaffney then said he thought that the l work of the fire board dealt with prac- | tical affairs rather than theoretical l matters and he agreed with MT. Hum 1 phrey that more men and more fire | fighting apparatus is the citys great l est need. MT. Humphrey also added that the city is not any better off with five conn panies today than it was a
 dozen years ago and he insisted that | more apparatus and additional men
 are needed much more than is an aerial truck.
 Chairman Magnell explained that
 one reason why the department has
 not sought a, new fire house is be
 cause of the increased cost of build 1 ing. and in connection with the talk
 about an aerial truck hc explained
 that the people are misled into be lieving that they have a good aeria,
 ladder now, when a, matter of fac
 the one owned by the city is too ole
 to be of any great value. MT. Hum
 phrey suggested a tractor for the
 present aerial, but was told that sucl
 an addition would cost $5,000 and stl
 leave the city with an old piece O.
 apparatus. MT. Magne11 added tha
 the fire underwriters had recommend
 ed an aerial ladder as the most need
 ed piece of apparatus for the city. MT
 Humphrey thought tractor capabl
 of hauling seven tons could be bOugh
 for $2,200, but MT. Magnell said h.
 had received no figures aS low as that Whether an aerial truck is given O
 not, five new firemen are needed, tn | chairman said
 Charity Department Criticized. Representing the charity depart ment. Chairman Frank Riley spok for it's budget of $19,000, which i s2,oOo more than was granted las year. He said that if the war con
 tinues conditions will grow steadil
 worse and the charity department vii
 be called upon more and more, espe
 ciallv at the town home. MT. Hum
 phrev then remarked that to his wa
 of thinking the outside poor are no 1 given proper care. He said that Whe 1 the charity department begins to cur 1 t11 ifs CXpcpScS ii begins on tho out