Oakland’s Inadequate Fire Protection.

Oakland’s Inadequate Fire Protection.

A recent fire at East Oakland, Cal., revealed, according The Oakland Times, the inadequate protection against fire in that part of the city. "Chief Kennedy," says that paper, speaking about this matter, said he recommended the purchase of twenty-five fire alarm boxes last year. The board of public works reduced the number to seventeen and the council cut the number down to seven. These seven boxes were purchased and two were to have been placed in the immediate vicinity of the fire, but this has not been done, as no poles or wire have been bought. The chief also estimated that sixty new hydrants would be needed. The council cut the number down to fifteen, len have been placed in position, the last of them having been used at Wednesday night’s file. When such outlandish cuts are made, said the chief, somebody has to suffer. If seventy-five hydrants were placed in position last year it would only keep pace with the growth of the city. There have been on an average only ten hydrants a year for the last eight years. Eight years ago there were t6o hydrants. There arc 240 now. Oakland never had enough of them. East of Thirteenth avenue there are only eighteen hydrants, yet this territory embraces about one-fifth of the city.”

芝加哥人追着一个草原火灾。——芝加哥说patch of Monday says : " About five thousand