New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-02-08
FIRE PROTECTION
IS BADLY NEEDED
Southern Section Of City Has
Real Fire Hazard

| of the IRE STATION IN the SpuIlV''' VI
southwestern section Of the city Is
| based on the large number OF chill
dren in the schools in the portt"-' 81
| the city which the fire station Noul0
| serve promptly. There are 3,862 chill
| dren in the schools within 81 raoluS Oh
| half a mile of the locality where a
| station site is contemplated. There
are 1875 orphan children, an average
| Of 80 patients in the hospital and 3S
women practically all OF them ~
wears of age and older within the
| same ra dius No. , fire station on Film
/ street is the only station sure OF CIV
/ ing prompt service. The central sta
| ton company, being north of the rail
road tracks, is liable to hold-ups on
account of train travel
The schools and the attendance is
as follows: Monroe, 322; Lincoln,
353: Rockwell 591: Northend, 356;
Open Air, SO; St Joseph's, 31S; High
schools, 1922; trade, 1871; evening
school, 500.
The HOSPITAL has an average of 70
adult patients and 10 infants
There are usually 38 tenants in the
Erwia home.
At PAT Corbin avenue in one of the
children's homes, there are II chill
dren between the ages of one and five
years, and at SO Arch street there
are 20 children whose ages range
from three years upward. In the 9TH
or branches of the children's homes
the ages are between 5 and 10 years.
The number and location of the
houses are: 227 Corbn avenue, 81;
237 Corbin avenue, 80; 81 Hart street,
81: Rackliffe heights, 20.
The property Developments In the
| 4; t1,o
three years amounted to $465,434.
For twelve years the people of that
section Of New Britain have been ask
| ing for the appropriation for the
| erection of the fire station and the
| increases through new building con-
| struction since they began asking
! is more than sufficient to pay the in
! creased maintenance cost.
| The per capita fire loss of the city
| of New Britain was $3.50 last year
| and the per capita cost for the de-
partment was 1920. In Hartford the
per capita loss was $3.50 and the cost
| for the department was 1896: in New
| Bedford Mass, the loss per capita
was $3.50 and the cost sass; in Hol-
yoke, Mass, the per capita loss was
s1.O4 and the cost was S2.41. Hart
ford's fire force was 1865; New Bed
fora, los. E1OlFOhe 1Oo. ANc" ID IL
aims permanent force is Is men.
The fire comm issioners this year
are asking for additional permanent
fremen It is a further step toward
putting the department on a full paid
basis.
The fire commissioners are Of the
opinion that the fire prevention work
has contributed materially to the fact
| that there have been fewer fires and
| lower fire losses this year than in the
| corresponding period a year ago. In
! nine months a year ago the fire losses
amounted to s192,26S in 1873 fires.
| This year in 1852 fires the losses were
| S71,248. In the period of nine
months while this work has been &C
| lively carried on under the direction
! Of Captain Eugene Barnes, 1929
| properties were inspected and the
number Of persons living in the prop
critics was 1888. They found 1,005
| unsatisfa Glory conditions. The in
| spectors obtained improvemen i'm
| mediRte1y and through other channels
| better conditions were secured. The
| prevention Of fires Is regarded as one
| Of the most important features Of fire
| service In the larger cities and IN
| many Of the cities there are separ
| ated departments which are devoted
| exclusively to tho work, Fire experts
say that 80 per cent. Of the fires are
duo to carclessnoas. The fire COM
| migsoncrs would give employment to
| scldiers who have been gassed and
! will have to follow outside employ
nent or to 81 crippled soldier who
| would be fit to do the work required.
Now Britain Is facing the necessity
I of i'm proving itg fire alarm system md
as a stop in that direction Al appro-
! priation OF $4,000 hna boen asked for
| the Installation OF lead cable In the
| subway district The fire alarm Is the
! heart OF tho service. Through 1t the
! fire departrn ont La enabled to make a
| Quick response. Tho CITY Is divided
! into six fire alarm circuits and since
| there arc now so boxes IN the fire
| alarm systcm tho average la Is boxes
| on each limo. Tho breaka5e OF one
| Of tho lines means that Il section 10
| cut off from alarm service. Most of
| the city'e fro alarm troubles il in the
| subway section. The single wire. rub
| Der covered, becomes defective and
has to be roplnoed about every four
| years, With load cebio this renewal
| would be unnecessary for many years.
With the lead cable Installed il DC
| cordance with provision for future
! development Of tho system, the city
| would then take the noxt step, which
! Is the installation or central station
| equipment which would allow the re-
! duction Of tho number Of boxes on
| the circuits. Tho fire commissio ners
| plan q 1G circuit Cysten,
The fire alarm equipnn ent. located
| az 1t is in the top story OF the central
| station, iE IN q hazardous place and
| because Of It's importance should be
| in q fire. proof building.
| NEW TIitFSTT1T1S CHOSEN,