Evening star., 1926-08-22
SCAT FIRES IN YEAR
COST D. c. $1,268,@4
Record Number for City In.
wolves Nearly $500,000
Increase in Losses.

Fires numbering 3,647-a record
number for the District-did 81 ,26S,95
damage in the last fiscal year, 1t was
disclosed yesterday. when the annual
report of Chief Engineer George S.
Watson was submitted to the Commits
sioners. OF the number. "a required
the sounding Of more than one alarm.
The fire loss was $431.75S over the
preceding year. and the alarms 1863
greater. They were distributed as fol
low: Box alarms, 1,o99. and 2.04S local
or telephone calls. an increase or 279 In
box alarms and 4s0 in local alarms.
False alarms during the year num-
bered 297, which was 20 more than In
the preceding year. These were in
vestigated by the Police Department
and fire marshal's ONCE, Mr.. Watson
explained, but in only three cases
could sufficient evidence be obtained
for conviction. In one case a sen
tence of 80 days in Jail was imposed;
i'm another 500 collateral was for
feited. and in the third the penalty
was As days in Jail and fine of 800
Fifteen Incendiary Fires.
Fifteen fires. undoubtedly of in
cendiary nature, were encountered
during the year." said the report.
"In four of the cases, convictions
were obtained and penalties I'M
posed as follows: One offender was
sentenced to two years in the peni'
tentiary and three Offenders were
found to be Of unsound mind and
were placed In asylums. Arrests
were made in five other cases. but suf-
ficient evidence could not be obtained
to warrant convictions"
Chief Watson explained that the fire
at the Army air station at Boiling
Field, January IS, was one Of the most
disastrous of the year. Virtually the
entire amount of the increase In the
fire loss was caused by damage at this
fire, he said. which amounted to
s399.740.
Numerous fire hazards were abated
during the year. the report empha'
sized, as a result Of fire.prevention
work under the supervision OF the
fire marshal. THE inspection OF
schools, apartment houses. hotels
asylums, etc, by officers and members
III DdtIailOil OAStI " Us iia1 ~ASC
fruitful results" 1t added.
Would Increase Inspection.
"'rhe latter inspection work, which
during the year involved 12s,225 sepa
rate visits, should be extended to al
mercantile or business establishments
but it Ia not practicable to accomplish
this with the present force. An aug
mented personnel to accomplish the
desired result will be recommended in
the future, but at the present time II
is felt that other and more vital needs
should be given precedence"
Creation Of another rescue squad
was one Of the principal recommen
dations of the fire chief. THE rescue
squad of the department. now in
service in No. 2 Engine House." he
said, has proven its efficacy so as
to have become almost indispensable
In the fire departments work. Ar
additional rescue squad should be pro
vided for service in the upper north.
west section Of the city. where the
life hazard. in event of fire, is prob
ably greater than in any other neigh
borhood, and 1t is hoped that some
means may be found in the near fu
ture for this augmentation of the serv
ice"
Discipline In Department.
Referring TO discipline in the de
partment Mr.. Watson explained thai
ii was necessary to remove six mem
bers for violations Of the rules ant
regulations. Less severe disciplinary
measures were administered in 15s
other cases. Serious infractions oi
discipline were few in number" he
said, "and the conduct of the men wal
uniformly excellent"
Mr.. Watson described in detail thu
telephone system established to reach
the oH-duty platoon in the event OF
their need and declared that 1t hal
produced excellent results upor
every occasion Of It's utilization"
The report failed to include