The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-13
Delay in Answering Alarm
Due to Pulling of Wrong
Box; Battalion Chief in
Defense Statement.
BY DICK MILLER

EOuhlNlJ NNiiAkIo4Jp OoA N@SA'lA Vni
man avenue, were burning to the
ground with a half million dollar
loss early on the morning of Jan.
25, city f1remen were engaged n
several activities, the direct fruit Ct
none of which was extinction of
flames.
Company 10, the first dispatched
to the fire, spent some time in its
engine house after receiving the
alarm, nearby residents affirm.
Pumper Company Is, also sent
on first alarm, spent several min
utes after reaching the foundry
attempting to maneuver the pumper
truck into position for connection
of large suction hose with the
f1replug. It's effort ended with a
busted hose.
Similar attempt of another COM
pany was abandoned on suggestion
of water company representative,
who urged firemen to use a smaller
hose, more mobile than the big tube
Battalion Chief Oscar Hupp, Dis
trio to, traverSed almost the same
distance to the foundry fire that a
predecessor covered five yeras ago
when the Chandler Taylor Com
pany burned, but while the former
dash was made and a second alarm
sounded in four minutes, Battalion
Chief Hupp absorbed eleven minutes.
Huff Defends Self
After reading initial charges of
ineficiency in The Times Wednes-
day. Battalion Chief Hupp today
declared in his own defense that he
struck the second alarm within six
minutes after the first alarm was
turned in.
Records in the Gamewell office
apparently were changed, he
charged. BY whom, he did not
know.
Il complained to Chief VoShen,"
Hupp said today. He told me that
Charles Myers. president of the
board of safety. had investigated
the records and they still stand.
1t is serious reflection on me-"
Thirteen fire companies visited an
alarm box four blocks from the
foundry before reaching the blaze.
There was an alarm box on a corner
within few feet from the foundry
Office,
Operator Makes Blunder
The first alleged blunder on the
part of firemen in handling the
largest fire in the city in more than
year was by a Gamewell system
operator.
The foundry Waterman turned in
an A. D. T. alarm at SIT a. m.
Chronologically, the following dates
appear on records of the fire de-
partment:
SIT A. MA. D. T. alarm re-
ceived. Truck Company Is sent
from 1915 West Washington street.
5:18 A M-Box 426 Qocated four
blocks from the foundry, rung
from fire headquarters, dispatching
6, 9, Is and Is pumper companies to
travel over several extra blocks of
rutted, frozen. unpaved streets be-
fore reaching the fire.
5:2o A M.-Second alarm sent
Companies /. z, 10 and 19, also to
box 426.
5:33 A. MA resident of the
neighborhood of the fire pulled box
1876, at the foundry Office door.
5:34 A. M.-Box 486 pulled again.
SAB A. M.-Box 486 pulled again.
5;45 A. M.-Third alarm ordered
by Fire Chief Harry Voshel, and
again headquarters sent fire equip
ment to box 426. Companies 4, 5,
II and 10 were dispatched.
5:5S A. M.-Box 486 again pulled.
One Copy Torn
These figures we're copied from a
book in the Gamewell alarm Office;
one volume was torn so badly that
reading of the figures was impoS-
Sible, but another book is kept in
the Office. and contained the log of
alarms.
Although the book reveals that
twelve minutes elapsed between the
original alarm and the second alarm
ordered by Battalion Chief Hupp,
reports filed by department officers
after the fire give the alarm times
as: First, SIT; second, SPA, shaving
five minutes from Gamewel records
Captains and leutenantS, before
making reports after a fire, ordi-
narily call the Gamewen office to ask
what time they were sent to the
fire. Why they were told 5:24 in
stead of 5:29, as the Offices book
shows, has not been learned.
The board of public safety today
held secret conference with Fire
Chief Harry Voshell, following a
story Wednesday in The Times,
charging ineficiency in the city
fire department.
What conclusions the safety board
reached in the conference were not
made known. However, Charles
Myers. president. said:
The board will not let a state
ment like that carried in The Times
pass without investigation"
Mayor Reginald h Sullivan's only
comment was:
If there is anything wrong with
the fire department, there will be
some changes; If not. the personnel
probably will remain as it is"
Hourly Temperatures
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