USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1885 > Part 14
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Washington Street.
. .
Mead 66
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON SEWERS.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 1, 1SS6. Report accepted, and referred to the next city council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 1, 1886.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON SEWERS, Dec. 28, 1885. To the Board of Aldermen of Somerville.
THE following is respectfully submitted as the final report of this committee for the year 1885.
SEWERS ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation . $8,500 00
Receipts and Credits : -
For catch-basin curbs in side-
walks, -received credit
from sidewalks account. $23 61
fees for entering sewers :
Line-street sewer . 70 00
Elm-street sewer . ·
60 00
Otis-street sewer . 50 00
fee for drainage of asylum buildings into Fitchburg- street sewer .
50 00
Value of materials on hand Jan. 1, 1885,
253 61
228 94 Value of tools and property Jan. 1, 1885, 329 75
Total credit .
$9,312 30
258
ANNUAL REPORTS.
DEBIT.
Expenditures : -
For seven sewers, as per ac-
companying table . . $8,896 51
less assessments 7,521 34
cost to city . $1,375 17
less amounts due contractors in 1886,
390 56
$984 61
For ten catch-basins (average $64.10) .
640 97
five-ninths cost of removing deposit from mouth of Bridge-street sewer . 1,335 16
repairing sewers and drains 47 35
flushing sewers and filling catch-basins with water . 132 63
cleaning sewers
10 75
examining sewers
8 50
repairing catch-basins
401 90
changing lines and grades of catch-basins
139 19
cleaning catch-basins
1.275 01
clearing mouths of catch-basins
175 41
examining catch-basins
10 00
repairing manholes .
42 62
changing lines and grades of manholes
125 37
cleaning ditches
12 51
inspecting sewers built by abutters in Chapel. Eglantine, Thurston, and Dartmouth Streets.
Winthrop Avenue, and Mt. Pleasant Court
147 00
books, stationery, and printing
49 25
repairing tools and property
52 41
sundry small expenses
41 18
abatement of assessment of 1883
88 00
one-half cost of resetting bounds between Cam-
bridge and Somerville (to be paid by Cam- bridge in 1886) 10 68
balance due Richard Falvey on Shawmut and Alston Streets sewer, built in 1882 99 33
balance due contractors on sewers laid in 1884 . 1.495 68
Amount carried forward .
$7,325 51
259
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SEWERS.
Amount brought forward . $7,325 51 balance due contractor on catch-basins built in 1884 33 50
bill of Howe & Flint for drain-pipe used in Clyde- street sewer in 1884 104 74
Depreciation in value of materials . 66 tools and property ·
57 37
87 47
Value of materials on hand Dec. 31, 1885
241 38
Value of tools and property on hand Dec. 31, 1885 (including purchases during the year. $47.87) , 290 15
Total debit
$8,140 12
Balance unexpended $1.172 18
The only unpaid bills are balances of contracts for the construc- tion of sewers, due in 1886, as follows : -
Favor Charles A. Mongan, for Tennyson-street sewer, due April 13, 1886 $49 28
Favor Putterill & Killian, for Highland and Wil- low Avenues and Cherry and Fairlee Streets sewer, due April 15, 1886 241 52
Favor Maurice Buttimer, for Greenville and Bos- ton Streets sewer. due May 10, 1886 35 73
Favor Charles A. Mongan. for Hawkins Court. Church Street and Church-street Place sewer, due June 3. 1886 . 64 03
Total
$390 56
Work has also been done, for which credit or payment has been received, as follows : --
For the board of health, abating_nuisances $7 63
Resetting bounds between Cambridge and Som- erville, one-half credited from miscellaneous account (the other half to be paid by the city of Cambridge next year) For private citizens .
10 69
1 50
Total
$19 82
260
ANNUAL REPORTS.
We present herewith a list of sewers built during the year.
SEWERS BUILT IN 1885.
Street.
From
To
Length in Feet.
Total Cost.
Assess- ment.
Cost to City.
Berkeley
End of old sewer,
Central Street .
722.3
Central .
Berkeley Street .
Cambria Street
84.4
$2,203 53 $1,655 10
$548 43
Cambria
Central Street
End of street
324.5)
Concord Ave.
Wyatt Street .
Dimick Street
161.1 }
900 78
888 66
12 12
Dimick .
Concord Avenue,
Near Buckingham St.
591.83
148.5
321 08
215 35
105 73
Hawkins Ct ..
66
Hawkins Ct. .
Near Somerville Ave.
219.0
1,070 85
.1,038 94
31 91
Church-st. Pl.
Church Street
.
End of place
180.5
Greenville .
End of old sewer,
Boston Street
136.0
626 08
606 49
19 59
Boston
Greenville St.
.
North-westerly
368.2
Graves
End of old sewer,
Willow Avenue
84.0)
Willow Ave.1
Graves Street
.
Highland Avenue
192.0
Highland Av.,
Willow Avenue .
Cherry Street
903.0 >
3,081 18
2,455 07
626 11
Cherry
.
Highland Ave. .
Near Summer Street,
523.0
Fairlee
Cherry Street
.
End of street
140.5 j
480.7
693 01
661 73
31 28
Tennyson .
Medford Street .
Near Forster Street .
5,776.8
$8,896 51 $7,521 34 $1,375 17
.
Everett Ave.
End of old sewer,
Near Dana Street
Church Street
517.3
Church .
.
.
For the committee.
S. G. A. TWYCROSS. Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
REPORT
OF THE
CITY ENGINEER.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 6, 1886. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual re- ports. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 27, 1886.
DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE, Jan. 26, 1886. To his Honor the Mayor and City Council.
GENTLEMEN, - In accordance with the provision of the city ordinances, in relation to city engineering, I herewith submit my annual report for the year 1885.
SEWERS.
Five thousand seven hundred and seventy-six and eight-tenths feet of sewers were built during the year, of which 2,358.3 feet were of brick, and 3,418.5 feet of pipe. In these sewers were built twenty-four man-holes.
Seventeen hundred and sixty-five and five-tenths feet of pipe sewers have been built by private parties, under the direction of an inspector from this office.
The following table will show the size, length, cost, assessment. etc., of each sewer : -
TABULAR STATEMENT OF SEWERS BUILT IN 1885.
LOCATION.
CONSTRUCTION.
COST.
Name of Street.
From
To
Built by
Materials.
Size in
Manholes.
Inlets.
Length in
Average
Av. Cost
per foot.
Total · Cost.
Assess- ment.
Cost to City.
Berkeley
·
Berkeley Street
Central Street Cambria Street . · . North-westerly ·
Maurice Buttimer .
Briek :24×17
1
60
722.3
7.5 $1 94 $2,203 53
$1,655 10
$548 43
Cambria .
Central Street
.
.
Chas. A. Mongan .
Briek
18
1
12
161.1
9.2
1 19
900 78
888 66
12 12
" Dartmouth
Medford Street
Evergreen Avenue,
Maurice Buttimer . 66
12
7
166.5
4.0
*
-
-
-
Eglantine .
Gilman Street .
North-easterly .
Dana Street .
Richard Falvey
12
1
7
148.5
5.0
2 16
321 08
215 35
105 73
4 Everett Ave. . Hawkins Court,
Bow Street .
Church Street
·
Akron pipe
15
1
12
221.8
6.9
1 17
1,070 85
1,038 94
31 91
Church .
Hawkins Court
Somerville Avenue, ¿North-westerly ·
"
-
=
12
1
7
136.0
9.3 1 24
626 08
606 49
19 59
Graves
·
Graves Street Willow Avenue
·
.
66
Portland pipe
12
2
3.2
523.0
Cherry Fairlee
Cherry Street ·
South-westerly
A. M. Sibley
12
6
142.8
1
6.1
*
-
-
-
5 Thurston .
.
Medford Street ·
Riehdale Avenue .
P. Kelly and Sibley
12
13
322.7
5
28 480.7
8.2
1 44
693 01
661 73
31 28
6 Tennyson .
·
Forster Street .
Chas. A. Mongan . C. F. Palmer
66
-
6
6
355.5
7.8
*
-
Total length of sewers built by eity
5,776 8
-
-
$8,896 51
$7,521 34
$1,375 17
.
I
3
68.0
9.7
*
-
-
-
·
.
·
·
.
·
24X17 2
21
295.5
Chas. A. Mongan .
Briek
12
10
237.5
8.7
*
-
-
-
.
.
66
10
2
39
591.8
7.3
*
2 Chapel
Elm Street .
Wyatt Street
Dimiek Street . nr. Buekingham St. North-easterly . · South-westerly' . ·
Akron pipe . -
15
1
24
324.5
10
-
5
235.5
Concord Ave. Dimick
Coneord Avenue .
=
-
-
.
·
-
8
180.5
Greenville .
End of old sewer
Boston Street .
·
Maurice Buttimer .
12
1
22
368.2
Boston
·
Greenville Street End of old Sewer .
North-westerly Willow Avenue Highland Avenue . Cherry Street Summer Street . North-westerly
Putterill & Killian,
Portland pipe
1.2
-
2
15
192.0
>10 5 1 67
3.081 18
2,455 07
626 11
Highland Ave.
Highland Avenue .
·
Dennis Ryan
Akron pipe . -
10
4
237.0
7.3
*
-
-
-
.
1 126 eubie yards of rock.
2 40.3 cubie yards of roek. 3 28.7 eubie yards of rock.
4 65.5 eubie yards of rock. 5 35.6 cubie yards of rock.
6 57 eubie yards of roek.
* Built by private parties. Total length of sewers built by eity previous to Jan. 1, 1885 during the year 1885
193,165.0 feet. 5,776.8 44
-
publie sewers in eity Jan. 1, 1886 .
198,941.8 feet, or 37.7 miles.
.
.
66
24×17
3
71
903.0
.
·
10
-
7
140.5
Mt. Pleasant
Perkins Street . .
Riehdale Ave. .
Thurston Street .
North-westerly
-
.
1 00 1
12
·
Winthrop Ave. | Sewer built in 1875, Near Broadway ·
·
.
12
1
14
219.0
Church-st. Pl. .
Church Street
.
.
Briek .
30×20
2
9
24×17
84.4
1 Central .
End of old sewer .
-
-
·
Akron pipe
12
Inches.
Feet.
Cut.
1,765.5
" private parties
-
84.0
Willow Ave.
End of old sewer .
Bow Street .
10
265
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
CRAGIE-BRIDGE SEWER OUTLET,
At the request of the authorities of the city of Cambridge, our city joined with them in cleaning and dredging at the sewer outlet under Cragie Bridge. A stream of water from a hose was used to force the filth from under the bridge and wharves to convenient places, from which it was removed by the dredger and loaded on scows, which were towed to the lower harbor where it was dumped. The amount removed was 5,300 cubic yards, and the cost to this city was $1,335.16, which was five-ninths of the whole cost.
PRIVATE DRAINS.
Three hundred and nine permits were issued for laying private drains ; 298 for new connections, and 11 for repairs.
CATCH-BASINS.
Five catch-basins were built during the year, at an average cost of $64.10. The average cost under the contract system the pre- vious year was $73.
CLEANING SEWERS.
For the past three years the pipe-sewers have been cleaned or flushed annually. The plan adopted was to force through the sewer a wooden ball, two inches less in diameter than the inside diameter of the sewer, the ball being propelled by water from a hose attached to a hydrant; the water passes rapidly under the ball, and removes all the deposit. We find this a cheap and effect- ual method of cleaning pipe-sewers ; the cost is about ten dollars per mile.
SIDEWALKS.
The following table will show the sidewalk improvements during the year : -
Street.
Side.
From
To
Materials.
Approx. length of walk in feet.
Cost.
Central . Dover Linwood.
East .
930
$1,070 66
East .
Summer Street, Elm Street . .
Highland Av. Camb'ge Line Wash'ton St.
Brick and edge-stones . Gravel and edge-stones,
970
580 98
Both .
Somerville Av.
66
4,060
2,548 22
Total .
$4,199 86
The board of aldermen assessed one-half the cost on the abutters.
266
ANNUAL REPORTS.
STREETS.
The following table will show the streets accepted by the city council during the year : -
STREETS ACCEPTED IN 1885.
Name of Street.
From
To
Width in feet.
Length in feet.
Cherry .
Summer Street
Highland Avenue
40
549.3
Dartmouth
Evergreen Avenue .
Broadway .
40
685.5
Morgan .
Park Street
Beacon Street
40
375.0
Norfolk .
Webster Avenue
Cambridge Line .
40
283.0
Park Avenue
Elm Street.
Wallace Street
40
467.4
STREET-NUMBERING.
Eleven streets have been numbered during the year, and notices sent to each house.
SURVEY OF THE CITY.
Surveys were completed on the southerly slope of Spring Hill, also in the vicinity of Cragie and Cherry Streets ; and those on the southerly slope of Winter Hill have been advanced.
Surveys have been made of the territory in the vicinity of Wyatt, Dimick, and Line Streets, and on Linwood Street and the streets and courts leading therefrom. The amount expended was three hundred dollars.
WATER-WORKS.
The usual lines and grades have been furnished the superintend- ent for laying water-mains and setting hydrants ; service-pipes have been located and recorded.
In 1884 the water board voted to make all future extension of the distribution system, and all renewals, with cast-iron pipe instead of the cement and wrought-iron pipe which had been used for this work for nearly twenty years ; this pipe, when removed, was found in bad condition, and frequently the iron was entirely eaten by rust.
Our experience with this pipe is nearly the same as reported from other places ; we find that the life of the pipe is from fifteen to twenty years.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The large number of buildings erected during the year was the cause for more miscellaneous work than usual, which consists in furnishing lines and grades of streets, numbers of houses, etc.
267
REPORT OF THE CITY ENGINEER.
EXPENSES.
The expenses of the department for the year 1885 were as follows : -
Salary of city engineer, including maintenance of a team $2,000 00 Salaries of assistants 1,351 95
Salaries of assistants for survey of city .
300 00
Repairing instruments, stationery, spikes, tools.
fares, etc.
172 02
Total expense of department
$3,823 97
Respectfully submitted.
GEORGE A. KIMBALL, City Engineer.
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FIRE-DEPARTMENT.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 1, 1886.
Report accepted, and referred to the next city council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 1, 1886. DOUGLAS FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON FIRE-DEPARTMENT, Dec. 28, 1885. To the City Council of Somerville.
THE following is the final report of this committee for the year 1885 : -
The manual force of the department remains the same as last year, sixty-one men. The changes made last year in the number of call-men has worked well for the efficiency of the department.
Such repairs and improvements have been made in the buildings and equipment as have been necessary; and 1.450 feet of hose have been purchased at a cost of $967.13.
We consider the department small compared with the territory covered. and we would earnestly recommend the next city council to consider the necessity of additional fire-apparatus.
The following is a statement of the receipts and expenses for the year ending Dec. 31, 1885.
FIRE-DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation . $22.500 00
Receipts and Credits : -
for articles sold $103 04
for amounts of bills not
called for, and of over-
charge refunded .
9 01
112 05
Total credit (amount carried forward) . $22.612 05
272
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amount brought forward . $22,612 05
DEBIT.
Expenses : -
For salaries of permament men . $8,590 00
66 " call-men
4,734 76
substitute drivers
284 48
improvement and repairs of apparatus and vehicles
295 96
improvements and repairs of buildings and furniture, and new furniture, maintenance and extension of fire-alarm
1,062 28
telegraph, including one new alarm-bell and tower for same erected on the city's land, Somer- ville Avenue, corner Lowell Street. exclusive of the cost of the striker, hose and hose-pipes, and repairing same
1,199 31
new horses
' 300 00
grain and feed
428 33
horseshoeing
194 10
harnesses, and repairs of same 65 28
horse medicine and doctoring
49 00
hay and straw
966 65
fuel .
694 43
supplies
274 22
water for hydrants and department buildings
1.533 00
gas .
263 31
ice . 41 00
insurance .
13 37
washing and ironing .
122 69
maintenance of reservoir's .
1 80
incidentals
281 98
maintenance of hand fire-extinguishers,
53 85
Total debit . 22,593 06
Balance unexpended
$18 99
1.143 26
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FIRE-DEPARTMENT. 273
A statement of the condition of the department and the fire- alarm telegraph, and of the losses by fire, with recommendations for the improvement of the department, will be found in the annual report of the chief engineer, which we present herewith, and request to have printed with this report.
It is with great pleasure that we add our appreciation. to that expressed by previous committees on fire-department. of the con- stant and efficient services of the chief engineer, and the good character and discipline of the men.
We would also call attention to the fact of the rapid increase of buildings in our city, and to the large amount of work required on the fire-alarm telegraph. Our chief has entire charge of the tele- graph-apparatus, while in other cities it is generally in care of a special superintendent.
The chief's salary has not been increased for several years, although his duties and responsibilities must of necessity keep pace with the growth of the city and the extension of the telegraph ; and we recommend that the next city council carefully consider the matter of raising his salary. as we feel it is not sufficient for the office.
For the committee.
ALBERT M. ROBINSON, Chairman. GEO. I. VINCENT, Clerk.
REPORT
OF THE
CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE-DEPARTMENT.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN, Jan. 1, 1886. Referred to the next city council, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
CHARLES E. GILMAN, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, Jan. 1, 1886.
DOUGLAS [FRAZAR, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
SOMERVILLE, MASS., Dec. 31, 1885.
To the Committee on Fire-Department.
GENTLEMEN, - In compliance with your request, I herewith pre- sent to you a report of the operations of the fire-department for the year 1885, the condition of the apparatus and buildings, number of fire-alarms with the causes thereof, loss of property and insur- ance thereon as near as can be ascertained, and recommendations for strengthening the department.
The number of fire-alarms was 44.
The causes of alarms were as follows : -
Ignition of oily rags 2
Children playing with matches .
2
Boiling-over of a pan of grease
2
Incendiary 4
1
chimneys on shingled roofs
=
Explosion of rendering tank
1
Burning of rubbish .
4
Fire-crackers on roof
1
Fire in Boston .
1
Explosion of kerosene-lamp
". gas
1
Ignition of tar-kettle
1
Defective flue .
1
Curtain in contact with gas-jet .
1
Carelessness in lighting lantern
1
Burning of dry grass
2
Kindling-wood near furnace
1
Lamp in contact with clothing
.
2
Sparks from locomotive
278
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Overheated furnace . 2
Kindling-wood near stove .
1
Hot ashes in wooden barrel
1
Fire in Cambridge
1
False alarm
1
Sparks from rubbish in yard entering window
1
-
Total
44
The loss was
$7,590 00
Insurance
53,450 00
Insurance paid
7,278 00
Value of property
78,494 00
APPARATUS.
The apparatus-which consists of one steam fire-engine stationed on Central Hill, a horse hose-carriage at East Somerville, one at Winter Hill, one at West Somerville, and one at Union Square, also a hook-and-ladder truck at Union Square-is the same in number as last year and for several years. There is also, not in service, one steamer, one hook-and-ladder truck, and one hose- carriage, either of which can be used in case of accident or repairs required on the apparatus in regular service.
-
BUILDINGS.
The buildings used by the department are in good condition, only a small expense for repairs being necessary to make them first- class. During the year a storage-shed has been built at the station of Hose No. 1. The building occupied by Hose No. 2 has been painted, and new heating-apparatus placed therein. New stalls and a new floor have been placed in the steamer-house stable.
HOSE.
There is 6,850 feet of cotton hose in the department, including 1,450 feet purchased this year. There is also 600 feet of leather hose. Six hundred feet of the cotton hose is reliable. The balance of the cotton hose, 850 feet, and the 600 feet of leather hose, are only of sufficient strength to carry a hydrant stream ; and, as any of our hose is liable to be connected with a steamer, it is important
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE-DEPARTMENT. 279
that the hose used should be of sufficient strength to withstand the required pressure.
FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH.
This important branch of the department has worked well during the year. In no instance has it failed to designate the location of a fire when its service was required.
Fire-alarm signal-boxes should be placed in more frequent posi- tions, that there may not be any delay in giving an alarm. This is a matter of importance, as the reputation of a fire-department for success in extinguishing fires often depends on having plenty of signal-boxes, from which alarms can be promptly given.
Fire-alarm boxes are needed in the following localities : Summer Street, corner of School Street ; Dartmouth Street, corner of Ever- green Avenue ; Somerville Avenue, near Union Square.
The fire-alarm telegraph was first put in service in this city in June, 1874. Most of the wire and poles have become decayed by exposure, and they are being replaced with new material as fast as our means will admit. Sixteen new poles were set, and three miles of wire run, this year. A new bell-tower has been erected on the city's land on the corner of Somerville Avenue and Lowell Street, and a bell with a fire-alarm striker placed thereon. This is a satisfactory solution of a problem that has engaged the attention of the different committees of this department for many years ; namely, how to furnish an alarm both for fire and school purposes in the Spring-hill district. This apparatus will give satisfaction to all.
The multiplicity of telephone and other wires frequently causes interference with our lines, and constant vigilance is required in testing their condition, and promptness in making repairs. While other cities employ men especially to do this work, here it is done principally by the permanent men under the direction of the chief engineer : should the duties of extinguishing fires increase, it would be necessary to employ some person to make the required repairs and keep the alarm in perfect order. The success of the fire-department in extinguishing fires depends upon the faultless working of the fire-alarm.
I again advise that the circuits be made smaller, divided into eight ; in which case, should a wire break and the circuit become useless, the close proximity of another circuit would furnish the means to promptly give the alarm.
280
ANNUAL REPORTS.
HYDRANTS.
The number of hydrants in the city, as reported by the superin- tendent of water-works, is three hundred, one new one having been set this year. New streets have been opened and buildings erected, and water has been furnished for domestic purposes, yet not a drop for the extinguishment of fires. I recommend that the old flush-hydrants be removed and replaced with post-hydrants. New hydrants are required in the following localities ; namely, -
New Church Street.
Thorpe Place. Hamlet Street.
Summer Street, corner of School Street.
Beacon 66 near Charles-river Railroad Stables.
Dover
near Cambridge
Medford
corner of Dartmouth Street.
School opposite Cummings Schoolhouse.
Tufts 66
66 Davis
Austin 60 200 feet north of Benedict Street.
Austin 66 corner of Mystic Avenue.
Broadway. " Dartmouth Street.
Evergreen Avenue, ". 6
I have heretofore recommended that another steam fire-engine be placed in service ; I again renew this recommendation and state the following reasons why this addition to the department is neces- sary : -
First, The water-pressure on the elevated portions of our city is not sufficient to furnish effective streams in case of fire ;
Second, In case of a large fire which necessitates the use of several hydrants, the water pressure is so neutralized as to render the streams non-effective ;
Third, Our department should be so equipped, that, when called upon for assistance from our neighbors, we can respond without jeopardizing the property of our own citizens.
The matter of better protection against fire in the Spring-hill district is again called to your attention ; and I again urge that a properly equipped piece of fire-apparatus. drawn by horses. be placed in service in this district.
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF FIRE-DEPARTMENT. 281
The buildings furnished to meet the requirements of the rapid growth of our population, while they are comfortable to live in, are not constructed to resist fire ; the material generally used being wood, with shingled roofs. If a fire should break out during a high gale of wind in the thickly settled sections of our city, our escape from a disastrous fire would be miraculous. Hydrants can- not be relied upon under such conditions to throw effective streams, and the value of a chemical engine at such a time is beyond com- putation. The celerity with which one of these engines can be moved from one locality to another, and fires that may have started on shingle roofs extinguished, might be the means of preventing a disastrous conflagration.
The additions made to the fire-department in appliances for ex- tinguishing fires have not been commensurate with the combustible growth of the city. Upon the fire-department rest the insurance and real-estate interests ; the unnumbered laboring-class look to it for the preservation of the means by which they earn their liveli- hood ; while the members of every household rely upon it for protection as they close their eyes in sleep. May the financial condition of our city soon be such that our department can be equipped to meet these public requirements '
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