Evening star., 1925-09-21
Facts About Capitals
Fire Department
To the Editor of The Star.

ment and the Police there was quite
display Of the Fire Department. In
the parade the Fire Department was
represented from Alpha to Omega;
heading the procession was the old
| bucket Brigade In their red shirts and
an old hand-power fire engine. In the
procession there were representatives
OF the Fire Departments from Alexan-
dria and Annapolis. One Of the fea.
lures was the old team Of grays, Bar
ME, Jim and Tom, who formerly be-
longed to engine No. 10, but were re-
Gently retired from active service with
pension. and they now reside in the
country in peace and comfort. Apro-
pos or this parade of the Fire Depart
| ment 1t may be we'll to give few
facts regarding the history Of our Fire
Department
The first steam fire engine to ap-
pear In Washington was in April, 1867.
The hrst response to fire alarm Of
| this engine was on April IA. 1868.
They were called to a fire on AnaIostan
| Island and after running to George
town and down to the river it was
found impractical for the engine to
cross the river on the old ferry scow,
land not being amphibious or being con-
structed like a hydroplane, they could
| go no further, much to the disgust
and disappointment Of the firemen and
a great flock Of the citizens who clus-
tered round the engine like the crowd
about The Star Building watching the
base ball returns. The gasoline motor
engine was introduced into the service
about 1911. The Fire Department to-
day consists Of % engines, IL trucks. a
number Of hose vans and other vehi-
cles of minor Importance. 1t is said
| that an airplane will soon be included
| in the District of Columbia Fire De-
partment. Just for what purpose is
not known. probably bombing plane.
carrying large bombs. containing
chemicals after the manner of the old
! hand grenade.
\ y
| Before the introduction of the still
alarm notice of a fire was given by
the ringing and the Changing of the
church bells. The telegraph fire alarm
was established in about 1880 and fire
alarm boxes were attached to the lamp
posts throughout the city.
| Truck No. 2. located near New
| Hampshire avenue and M street, new
er loses much time in getting away.
The last horse-drawn truck at this
house was drawn by three noble
horses. Niger, Big John and Abra.
ham. While the flremen at the houses
to an outsider appear to be having an
indolent time and Just sit around wait
ing for something to turn up, they are
much mistaken, for the men are re-
quired to do a lot Of studying, and
from time to time the truck goes out
and after going around few blocks
returns to the house. The ladders are
the building. The large telescope lad
der, or rather. extension ladder,
S5 feet long, being the first to
| go up. and Immediately the men
run up the ladder with additional
ladders. hooks. ropes. etc. All the
gang attached to the house take part
in turn of adjusting the ladders. etc,
and their actions are identical with
those which would take place at a
real conflagration.
| On a cold. frosty night 1t was thrill
ing to see engine No. 9 rush down
Eighteenth street with the horses
heads out. tails up, and the breath is.
suing from their nostrils like jets OF
steam; sparks flying from beneath the
hoofs. smoke issuing from the engine
and the gong changing. The horses
would remind one Of the chariot race
in "Ben-Hur." Tom. Dick and Harry
were the names Of another team in the
| Northwest section. Some time ago
they were put to work hauling about
the wagons and carts Of the Street De-
partment.
n + X r
| For a long time the City Of New
York had a system Of watch towers,
with a constant lookout. The Els
worth Zuaves, who figured SO conspic-
uously during the early part of the
war. were composed Of New York fire,
men. Probably Washington enables
the fire apparatus to encounter a fire
to better advantage than most cities,
there being no overhead wires, but the
trees often present a great obstacle.
In Baltimore they have an organiza.
ton known as the Fire Patrol, the OBJ.
tect Of which is for the protection OF
the fire insurance companies, and they
are supposed to salvage goods and ar.
ticles from a burning building. which
have been removed to place OF safety
and covered with a tarpaulin.
! It may have been noticed that the
| fireman's hat has undergone but little
change in the last hundred years. par
ticularly as to shape. Formerly it was
made of reinforced leather, but Is now
generally made of aluminium. This is
supposed to protect the head Of the
fireman from falling debris. The brirn
Of this hat extends pretty we'll over
the back, which sheds the water to the
rear In former times all the fire com
panies were equipped with a freman's
trumpet, which was on the order of q
| megaphone and was sometimes COM
posed of solid silver, being donated to
the company by the citizens, and some.
times received by the company as q
prize for some contest.
| X y
| Much could be said of the foreign
service of the flre companies. For in.
tailed, being soldiers stationed at near.
by barracks. Their uniform for the
time being Is laid aside and they are
rugged out with the equipment of the
fireman, consisting Of a jacket, blue
trousers and boots, with g. surcingle
belt, to which Is attached either a
| coupling wrench or AK. They wear q
large brass helmet, suggestive Of a
coal scuttle. When called to a. fire
they march away like a corporal s
guard, being thoroughly under disci
pline. The engine is drawn by three
black stations. and when going to a
fire a horn on the engine emits a blast
| which sounds very much Like the word
pupa, pupa, pupa. Paris has an am.
pie supply of water; that used In case
of fire is separate and apart from that
used for domestic purposes.
In London you will see q fire appa.
ratus standing in the middle Of the
street all ready prepared for a call
For a long time old st. Petersburg
maintained a system Of watch towers,
but they no longer exist, the city lit.
orally having gone to the dogs.
| AS the city of Washington is ex-
panding rapidly and the population in
creasing, it should have an increase
Of at least 10 per cent in its fire equip.
ment. FRANKLIN STEELE.
''Cardens of Beauty.''
| To the Editor of The Star:
"Gardens Of Beauty in The Star of