WHAT PAWTUCKET NEEDS.

WHAT PAWTUCKET NEEDS.

While Pawtuket, R. I., has a very efficient and well equiped fire department, it is not so perfect as to require no additions in order to keep it at least abreast of its growth, especially in the neighborhood of South Woodlawn—a very rapidly increasing section of the city and one which needs better protection. For that reason Chief Lewis F. Butler renews his recommendation that a lire station should be built and equiped for that district. He also recommends the appropriation of $85,800 to provide for the needed appointment of four addition men and the removal of the fire-alarm and repairs to buildings. Pawtucket is a very wooden city, and, awooden roofs are permitted Chief Butler’s recommendations should be at once carried out. It would also seem advisable to substitute two modern and reliableengines for the present two reserve steamers, which arc admittedly “rather old,” though “perhaps, in not quite as bad condition as they are reported by persons that are inclined to be faultfinder*'. I11 no city, much less in one where wooden buildings predominate, should there be room for any “pcrla the matter of lire oiection. 1he apparatus in use is in the best indilit u and probably sufficient for all ordinary es. But there are such things as extraordinary es. which may easily turn into conflagrations, pecially where wooden buildings abound. The •ed of reliable steamers w ould then be felt. I he esent apparatus is as follows: Combination icmical and hose wagons, eight (one in rerve) ; aerial truck; city trucks, three (one in serve): chief’s buggy; hose, first class, 121,700 gd, 3,900, poor. 1,000 total. 17.600: one ousand feet of hose were bought last year, hrses, twenty two. The Gatnewell fire-alarm stem is installed. Six new hydrants were set a total of 622 set in the city, with a ftre-presire of 8) lbs. With respect to tire hydrants, ;tw tucket with its tire-area of 5,700 acres, is prob ably better supplied than any other city of its re in the lotted States. The firefighting force nisist* of fifty-five members, as follows: Chief; distant engineers, two; clerk; permanent, forty tour call men. seven. These are divided inti) six se and three hook and ladder companies, each ith its own captain, lieutenant and driver. Durg the past year the department answered 228 arms, of which ninety-three were still and thirvii false. The value of the property involved as $2,991,335. of which $1,272,311 was on buildigs and $1,719,025 on-contents; insurance on lildings. $957,550. on contents. $1.405.350—total 1.362,900: loss on buildings, $13,507.80; on counts. $57.866.57--total loss.$71.374.37—very small; isurance paid on buildings, $13,420.30; on counts. $58.450.57--total. $71,870.87. In extinguish ing tlu Arts were used 22.650 ft. of hose and 28; gab. of chemicals: 2.16*7 ft. of ladders were used About eighty per cent, of the tires were at out with chemicals.

James IV Scott, elected chief of the Coatesville, a., fire department.