URBANA FIRE DEPARTMENT.

URBANA FIRE DEPARTMENT.

乌尔班纳的首席乔治·m·凯洛格,俄亥俄州,evidently knows not only how to fight fires, but also how to keep his department up to the mark. His report of the thirteenth year of the work of the paid fire department of the city says that it consists of one chief engineer, one assistant chief engineer, one electrician, seven captains, and twenty regular firemen, including the man at Leeds. There are in the service ten horses and the following apparatus: Four hose wagons, three chemical engines; one aerial truck; one city truckone chief’s buggy; one Silsby steamer; one Silsby twohorse hose cart and one city truck in reserve. There are 8,350 feet of hose, as follows: 3,150 feet of cotton, good; 2,800 feet of cotton, secoDd-class; and 2,400 feet feet of cotton, poor. The losses the last year were somewhat larger than usual, the total loss being $106,223.91; $59,406.18, was on stock and fixtures, and $46,817.73, on buildings. The loss to insurance was $90,008.91—leaving a net loss above insurance of $16,215. Of this loss about $55,000, or over one-half the total loss, was on two fires. The latter fire entailed a loss of $26,000, and by right should not be charged to the city’s losses, since it was practically outside of fire limits, as there was no water pressure. The fire department the past year answered 162 alarms. In answering these alarms the department traveled 817 miles and five blocks; worked 167 hours and forty-five minutes; laid 51,100 feet of hose; and stacked 1,124 feet of ladder. Ninety-four of the fires were in wooden buildings; thirty.four in brick buildings; four in corrugated iron buildings; and seventeen in outbuildings, rubbish, etc. The council allowed the department $27,000 at the beginning of the year, and by dint of the most rigid economy Chief Kellogg managed to keep the expenses down to $27,176.64. This is considered an excellent showing when it is remembered that a truck costing $1,650 was purchased which had not been provided for in the appropriation. The department managed to get along without many things which would have added to its efficiency, and the buildings were kept in repair, as far as possible by the firemen themselves. The building inspector issued 221 certificates of final inspection and made 925 inspections in all Chief Kellogg points out that that work is too much tor one man to do alone, if he has also to look after the fire and police telegraph systems, and recommends tnat the electrician be allowed an assistant. He also recommends the purchase of a Hunter’s lifenet, a Vajen-Bader smoke-protector, and two Deluge sets. He urges that more fire alarm boxes, five at least, be installed, and adds that none have been set up for seven or eight years, and that some localities are badly in need of this protection. He recommends that in the near future a team aDd two men be employed to man the aerial truck. At present a team and men have to be sent back to the house for the aerial truck when it is needed. Chief Kellogg urges that the construction of a number of new warehouses and the proposed construction of two new six-story wholesale houses will make the aerial truck more needed than ever, and that the department should be prepared to take out this truck without delay. In conclusion, the chief commends the officers and men of the department for the excellent and faithful manner in which they have discharged their duties.

乌尔班纳的首席乔治·m·凯洛格,俄亥俄州,evidently knows not only how to fight fires, but also how to keep his department up to the mark. His report of the thirteenth year of the work of the paid fire department of the city says that it consists of one chief engineer, one assistant chief engineer, one electrician, seven captains, and twenty regular firemen, including the man at Leeds. There are in the service ten horses and the following apparatus: Four hose wagons, three chemical engines; one aerial truck; one city truckone chief’s buggy; one Silsby steamer; one Silsby twohorse hose cart and one city truck in reserve. There are 8,350 feet of hose, as follows: 3,150 feet of cotton, good; 2,800 feet of cotton, secoDd-class; and 2,400 feet feet of cotton, poor. The losses the last year were somewhat larger than usual, the total loss being $106,223.91; $59,406.18, was on stock and fixtures, and $46,817.73, on buildings. The loss to insurance was $90,008.91—leaving a net loss above insurance of $16,215. Of this loss about $55,000, or over one-half the total loss, was on two fires. The latter fire entailed a loss of $26,000, and by right should not be charged to the city’s losses, since it was practically outside of fire limits, as there was no water pressure. The fire department the past year answered 162 alarms. In answering these alarms the department traveled 817 miles and five blocks; worked 167 hours and forty-five minutes; laid 51,100 feet of hose; and stacked 1,124 feet of ladder. Ninety-four of the fires were in wooden buildings; thirty.four in brick buildings; four in corrugated iron buildings; and seventeen in outbuildings, rubbish, etc. The council allowed the department $27,000 at the beginning of the year, and by dint of the most rigid economy Chief Kellogg managed to keep the expenses down to $27,176.64. This is considered an excellent showing when it is remembered that a truck costing $1,650 was purchased which had not been provided for in the appropriation. The department managed to get along without many things which would have added to its efficiency, and the buildings were kept in repair, as far as possible by the firemen themselves. The building inspector issued 221 certificates of final inspection and made 925 inspections in all Chief Kellogg points out that that work is too much tor one man to do alone, if he has also to look after the fire and police telegraph systems, and recommends tnat the electrician be allowed an assistant. He also recommends the purchase of a Hunter’s lifenet, a Vajen-Bader smoke-protector, and two Deluge sets. He urges that more fire alarm boxes, five at least, be installed, and adds that none have been set up for seven or eight years, and that some localities are badly in need of this protection. He recommends that in the near future a team aDd two men be employed to man the aerial truck. At present a team and men have to be sent back to the house for the aerial truck when it is needed. Chief Kellogg urges that the construction of a number of new warehouses and the proposed construction of two new six-story wholesale houses will make the aerial truck more needed than ever, and that the department should be prepared to take out this truck without delay. In conclusion, the chief commends the officers and men of the department for the excellent and faithful manner in which they have discharged their duties.