THE NEW FIRE CHIEF AT LEBANON.

THE NEW FIRE CHIEF AT LEBANON.

E. O. Hartman, the newly elected chief of the fire department of Lebanon, Pa., is an able, expert, and intelligent fireman, who has for many years made fire-fighting a study. He comes to the front when the fire department of Lebanon is being made the subject of considerable discussion as to whether its rules for government should remain as of old, or should be modified or altogether revolutionized. The general consensus of opinion has been that the department’s impairment involved too many dangers to be allowed to continue, and that one of the best ways to remedy the trouble would be to select a firstclass man as chief, to hold office, not for one year only, but during good behavior. The first-class man has been secured; the rest should follow, unless politics is suffered to interfere. The necessity for having a thoroughly efficient fire department is shown from the fact that the city has about 20,000 inhabitants, more or less, with many fine brick business buildings and quite a number of handsome private residences of brick and wood. Its fire equipment consists of three steam fire engines, one chemical engine on wheels, two chemical extinguishers, one hook and ladder truck, five hose carriages, 2,500 feet of good cotton hose, and 1,800 feet of inferior, electric fire alarm, and nine hydrants. If Chief Hartman has his own way, the equipment of the department will be improved, which, with a good paid department, will place the fire protection of Lebanon on a firm footing.

E. O. Hartman, the newly elected chief of the fire department of Lebanon, Pa., is an able, expert, and intelligent fireman, who has for many years made fire-fighting a study. He comes to the front when the fire department of Lebanon is being made the subject of considerable discussion as to whether its rules for government should remain as of old, or should be modified or altogether revolutionized. The general consensus of opinion has been that the department’s impairment involved too many dangers to be allowed to continue, and that one of the best ways to remedy the trouble would be to select a firstclass man as chief, to hold office, not for one year only, but during good behavior. The first-class man has been secured; the rest should follow, unless politics is suffered to interfere. The necessity for having a thoroughly efficient fire department is shown from the fact that the city has about 20,000 inhabitants, more or less, with many fine brick business buildings and quite a number of handsome private residences of brick and wood. Its fire equipment consists of three steam fire engines, one chemical engine on wheels, two chemical extinguishers, one hook and ladder truck, five hose carriages, 2,500 feet of good cotton hose, and 1,800 feet of inferior, electric fire alarm, and nine hydrants. If Chief Hartman has his own way, the equipment of the department will be improved, which, with a good paid department, will place the fire protection of Lebanon on a firm footing.