FIRE DEPARTMENT REPAIR SHOPS
How the Multiform Apparatus is Kept in Fighting Trim.
The outside world is surprised when it is told that the average cost of every call upon the services of the fire department in a large city amounts to an extremely high sum, the aggregate of which makes a very formidable inroad upon the appropriation. But, when it is considered that the mere passage of the apparatus over the streets cannot be accomplished without a considerable amount of wear and tear arising from the extreme speed that must be maintained, often for a long distance and over rough roads, and that not infrequently some piece of firefighting machinery meets with a serious accident on its way to the scene of a fire, and that at a fire it constantly happens that some pieces are either altogether destroyed by tailing walls or the action of the flames-this occurs most frequently to the hose and the ladders there need he no astonishment over the expense thus incurred. To lessen the cost of repairs as much as possible, as well as to guarantee the work being thoroughly done, several of the larger cities do their own repairing in their own shops sometimes utilising the services of such of the firemen as are competent to do such work, sometimes employing in whole or in part, outside labor, but always under the direct supervision either of the chief engineer himself or one of his officers.
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