AMONG THE FIRE ENGINEERS
Specially reported for FIRE AND WATER ENGINEERING.
The year 1905 was in every way most successful, so far as concerns the fire department of
ATLANTA, GA.,
as the total loss by fire and other damage was extremely low, when compared with the number of fires. Of these there were 547; the buildings and contents at risk represented an insurance value of $2,610,235, and a total value of $3,912,912, of which the buildings counted for $2,282,055 and the contents for $1,116,077. On these the total lire loss was only $176,102, of which $99,378 was on contents, and $76,724 on buildings. If tbe high state of efficiency which has hitherto been maintained is to be kept up, the equipment of the department must keep pace with the growth of the city, which is rapidly increasing in population, manufactures and all-round business. The territory required to be covered by each company is much too large, and, unless these improvements are made without further delay, the efficiency of the department will be greatly lessened and the companies now in service placed under a handicap that they cannot overcome. Some important recommendations are, therefore, suggested by Chief W. R. Joyner. Among these is the erection of two additional enginehouses and the purchase of two additional hook and ladder trucks. He also strongly urges that the automatic fire alarm system be changed to a central station of the latest improvement. The whole system should be overhauled generally. New and improved machinery must be placed in service; and in the Eighth ward $1,000 should be expended on installing fire boxes, as that district is not equipped with any at all. In the western portion of the city also, additional fire boxes are called for. In the southern portion of the Third ward a new enginehouse has been completed and, when placed in service, it will be of great benefit to that district. To equip and horse it will cost $6,000, and the salaries of the firemen for ten months will amount to $8,350, which, added to the cost of the suggested new fire alarm boxes ($i,coo) will increase the $144,547 needed for the proper maintenance of the department as it now exists by $15,350. Resides that, the proposed alteration in the fire alarm system and its overhaul will involve an expenditure of at least $25,000. Furthermore, the department has only two hook and ladder trucks, whereas the city is altogether too large, and the fires are too numerous to expect proper service without the addition of two more of such pieces of apparatus.
For a town with a fire area of 3,840 acres in which are many wooden buildings, and many handsome private residences, besides several sixstory business buildings, such as are found at
PITTSFIELD, MASS.
the lire loss of the past year—$68,000 -is really not very much beyond the average of $25,000, which has ruled there for some years before 1905. If the $15,000 loss at one fire, the $8,000 at another, and the $5,000 at another are deducted, the figures are not so formidable. The fire department, which is made up of sixty-two volunteers and thirteen full paid men, is equipped as follows: Steamers, three; hand-engines, two; combination chemical and hose wagons, three; combination chemical protection wagon; chemical hand extinguishers, twelve; hook and ladder trucks, two; hose, cotton, rubber-lined, good, 8,000 feet, inferior, all kinds, 3,700 feet. The Gamewell fire alarm system is installed, and twelve horses are in service. Over 300 fire hydrants are installed, the pressure at which is eighty pounds. The equipment is ample; possibly, if s me of the volunteers were dispensed with, and more permanent men were employed, the lire service might be improved.
A most creditable report is that of Chief Frank 11. Ernenwein, of the fire department of
ONEIDA, N. Y.
Counting in five false alarms, three of which were turned in on Flection night, there were twentyseven alarms in all. In getting to, and .operating on the fires the department traveled twenty-six miles, worked thirty-eight hours, laid 9,200 feel of hose, raised 462 feet of ladders, and used seventy-six gallons of chemicals in the chemical extinguishers with which hose No. 1 and hook and ladder truck No. 1 are equipped. The value of the buildings at risk was $159,515; of the contents, $120,210. Insurance to tin* amount of $90.550 was carried on the buildings at risk; on the contents, $75,650. The losses on buildings which suffered from fires during the year amounted to $3.551 ; on contents, $4,091 total loss, $7,442. On the buildings and contents, insurance to the amount of $6,817 was paidmaking the total actual fire loss during the year the sum of $625, which is somewhat below the loss sustained during the year 1904. The uninsured loss was only $625, and the percentage of loss in the case of the insured buildin ts and contents was very small. The worstfire that tbe department had to fight was iti a factory, where the property at risk had a valuation of $43,000 and was insured for $34,400. The loss was adjusted at $3,600. In fighting that the department laid 1,500 feet of hose and raised seventy-five feet of ladder. The fire area of the town is 2.880 acres, and, although there are many wooden buildings within these limits, wooden roofs are not permitted. In the department are part paid and full paid men, besides volunteers. The equipment is as follows: Steamer; chemical hand extinguishers, four; hook and ladder truck; hose wagon; hose carriages, three; chief’s wagon; hose, linen, good, 5.700 feet. Six horses are in service and the Gamewell fire alarm is installed. Some ninety fire hydrants are installed, with a pressure of eighty-five pounds. The discipline of the department is in every respect what it ought to be. and both officers and men, whether paid or volunteer, work intelligently and do their duty most faithfully. A department so efficient deserves tbe highest praise, and it is no wonder that its underwriters’ rating is first-class.
During the past year, the improvement in the fire department of
NEWPORT, KV.,
was conspicuous. It consisted of a four-circuit switchboard, storage battery and a four-circuit repeater, Gamewell type. The storage battery has two sources of supply, namely, a Churcher rectifier and direct 550 volts from the C. N. & C. fraction Co.; the latter supplied gratuitously. A combination chemical and hose motor vehicle is recommended. During 1905, the department answered 142 alarms, eighty-five of which were hell and fifty-seven, still. The total fire loss was $7,045.07; total insurance on property endangered being $91,050. Chief John J. Waters and his department are to be congratulated on their good showing.
T here seems a movement afloat to reorganise the fire department of
WEST HAVEN, CONN.,
纽黑文的一个郊区。这也是声称fire alarm system could be bettered at a comparatively small cost, and it has been suggested that an automatic recorder he installed. New hose is also much needed for the use of the four companies forming the local fire department. It is positively asserted that for the use of these men there are hardly 2.000 feet of reliable hose, while in one big shop alone that has its own fire protection there are r.500 feet, and that hose is renewed every three years. Five hundred feet of new hose are asked for. The firemen are all right. T hey form a strong volunteer department, but need better and up-to-date equipment. The fire area is full of wooden buildings, with wooden i oofs. and. as, besides, there is no fireworks or combustibles ordinance, the equipment is altogether inadequate. It is as follows : Hand-engine, four; chemical hand-extinguishers, three; hook and ladder trucks, two; hose carriages, reels, etc., three; electric fire alarm with not half a score of boxes; fifty hydrants, the pressure at which is forty-eight pounds, /v reorganisation of the whole business would clearly seem to he in order.
By the explosion of a bottle of liquid blacking with which she was cleaning a hot stove, a Hartford, Conn., housewife was seriously injured, although no fire loss resulted. A stove with a fire in is apt to form with liquid blacking a dangerous combination, as turpentine is liberally used in these patent compounds.
