USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1876 > Part 9
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The insurance companies are not only justified in inquiring into cases where incendiarism is suspected, but it is their duty to pursue the guilty with all the means in their power. It is so difficult to detect this cowardly crime that, once a clue is obtained, it should be followed unrelentingly, that the community may be rid of the dangerous villains.
Three arrests have been made in this city within the past year. The first was acquitted, although there was no doubt in the minds of some that they were the guilty parties. The second arrest 'was proved, and the party was sentenced, and is now out of temptation's way to repeat his villainy. The case of the third party arrested is now pending in court. It is a plain case of incen- diarism, for the purpose of defrauding the insurance companies.
Assuming that thirty per cent. of our fires are caused by over- insurance, and we think all will agree that this is a fair esti- mate, it will readily be seen that could this amount, be saved, together with the money invested to secure us against additional hazard, it would not only lessen burdens of taxation upon the
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people, but give them good indemnity at a much less rate than is now had. We do not suppose that any method can be adopted to make all people honest; yet to us, it is very evident that more care should be taken by insurance agents, or rather, that they adhere to the two-thirds rule. Generally it would prevent, we think, many fires and materially lessen the amount paid for losses; we would need fewer steamers, less water supply, rates of insurance could be lessened, and, taking a still higher view of the situa- tion, we should deliver many a one from the temptation to be- come a rascal, from the too common cause of having insurance in excess of valuation. All the expenses of our Fire Depart- ment are raised by taxes laid upon the people, much of which might be saved were all the fires honest in their origin.
The greatest advantage would be gained if it were possible to get our people to exercise more precaution about their own premises, to prevent fires. It would astonish you to know the number of business men in our city, who for a spittoon will use a wooden box filled with sawdust ; the burning stump of a cigar thrown in may smoulder for hours and then cause fire; many allow ashes to be put in wooden boxes and kegs, and left in the house. They do not stop to consider that they not only endanger their own property, but that of the whole neighborhood. Many fires which cannot be accounted for, occur from carelessness. For the complete and accurate statement of losses by fire, and the amount of insurance, we refer you to the tabular statement accompanying this report.
WATER AND HYDRANTS.
This branch of the service has received the constant atten- tion of the Honorable Water Board and the efficient superintend- ent, Mr. Frank E. Hall, of the Water Works, during the past year, notwitstanding the breaking away of the dam of our main reservoir, which left us destitute for water. Pumps were imme- diately put in at Coes' reservoir capable of throwing 3,000 gallons per minute, or 180,000 per hour; thus maintaining the pressure on the mains to 75 pounds per square inch, in the lower sections of the city. It would perhaps be a difficult matter to determine
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just what is required to constitute an adequate water supply, or an efficient Fire Department in all cases; but one thing is evident-that they should be equal to all demands, likely or possible to be made upon them.
In cities like our own, provided with Water-Works, it should be the sole duty of that branch of the public service to supply the water; and the only duty of the Fire Department to apply it where it will do the most good ; direct-acting water-works have been and are good, but they should not be relied upon to the exclusion of the steam fire engine.
Worcester has no safeguards against fire which other cities do not possess, but when a fire breaks out the Fire Department have thus far prevented the spread of the flames, sufficient to produce a general disaster. Yet there have been times during nearly every summer for the past eight or ten years when the water supply was wholly insufficient to fight a conflagration of any magnitude; and this is not so much from a lack of a sufficient supply of water for general use, as it is from the criminal waste of that which we have. If every citizen that pays a water tax would exercise the same care in its use that he does in the con- sumption of gas, there would be plenty of water for all purposes, including the extinguishment of fires ; but they do not, and will not, at least they will not until they are compelled to pay for the exact quantity used, as they do for gas. And, hence the necessity of preventing the waste of water, by adopting addi- tional precautions against its misuse.
We would most respectfully call your attention again, to the necessity of increasing the number of hydrants, particularly in the business centre of our city. If your Honorable Board would see it, as this Board see the necessity of it, there is no doubt they would be forthcoming. We certainly believe it would be much cheaper, and render the Fire Department more efficient, if hydrants were placed on every street corner in the business centre; the greatest want of Worcester at present to secure the best protection against fire, is an increased number of hydrants on our main streets. Until these are secured, there is no assurance that we may not be visited by a terrible conflagration ; indeed, the wonder is that it has not occurred before this. As
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this Board is responsible for the success of the Department, they are axious that all proper advantages be afforded them.
CHEMICAL ENGINE.
Our Chemical Engine has worked exceedingly well during the past year, and has answered alarms from all stations on the first call. One permanent man has been appointed for duty the past year. As we have stated in previous reports, it should be located in the business centre, as it would reach all points in better time than it possibly can, located where it is now; but another view to be taken is that it is located now where a sufficient number of men could not be obtained to properly manage any other apparatus ; one permanent man is able unaided to work with one stream from fifteen to twenty minutes, and it is often the case that as good or better results are obtained by the use of the Chemical Engine, without flooding the building with water; water is the most uni- versally employed extinguishing agent ; it is generally plenty, easy to obtain and apply, but the damage by its use in extinguishing a blaze in one place frequently equals that by the fire in another; moreover, in the case of burning oil and some other liquids, the application of water seems to increase the blaze ; in the use of the Chemical Engine the reverse is the case. In a word, we think that no Fire Department is thoroughly equipped without one or more Chemical Engines or Extinguishers. One of the main points in which this apparatus is believed to be superior to others is, the quickness with which the stream can be directed on the fire after it is discovered. We would recommend that some small extin- guishers be attached to our Hook and Ladder Trucks; in many instances they would be of great value in extinguishing fires in their incipiency, and the great loss by water be materially lessened.
FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.
This indispensable branch of the Fire Department must of necessity be kept in good condition, to insure its being at all times and under all circumstances perfectly reliable, and its proper care and management is justly regarded as of the first
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importance. The advantage of the Fire Alarm can readily be seen and appreciated by property owners, as well as the Fire Department ; it prevents turning out the entire Department at every alarm; that part of the Department nearest the box giving the alarm need only attend to it. In every box there is a signal key available for immediate use, by which any engineer can give an alarm for additional engines, if the extent of the fire requires their aid. With this apparatus there is another important point for consideration, and that is, with it a small number of engines and hose carriages can be made equally as efficient at the begin- ning of a fire, as a large number after the conflagration has got under full headway. Thus it will be seen that the fire alarm at once puts the whole Fire Department in complete control, and its working subject to the will of its governing officials, while at the same time it puts every citizen in communication with them. The loss of a few minutes after the discovery of a fire, often means the loss of thousands of dollars worth of property, and sometimes human life ; can the importance of a system of prompt and definite alarms be over-estimated ? A city may possess a good supply of water, and a well organized Fire Department, but without the Fire Alarm telegraph neither are available at the time when they would prove the most valuable; with the Fire Alarm telegraph the usefulness of the Department is increased in a ratio which makes the cost insignificant in comparison.
The want of greater bell striking facilities requires the obser- vance of the old method of blowing the whistles, a custom which annoys the citizens but which arouses the firemen to the perform- ance of their duty ; to discontinue blowing the whistles without providing some other method of giving alarms, would work to the injury of the service, however much it might gratify the citizens Firemen cannot all reside within the sound of the alarm bells, hence it is necessary that these men should be apprised of a fire, at least at as early a moment as the citizens ; the fireman has to pay a penalty for his absence from duty, and it is his undeniable right to expect that he will receive proper notice of fire. The efficiency of the Department is held of greater importance then the necessary annoyance imposed upon
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the citizens by blowing whistles, and all fair minded people will admit the force of the case as presented.
One new alarm box has been added to the number the past year ; it is located on the corner of May and Woodland streets, and numbered 75. There should also be additional alarm boxes placed in the following locations :- one at corner of Cambridge and Millbury Streets, one at Valley Falls, one near the Highland Military School, one at corner of North and Prospect Streets, and one at corner of Bloomingdale and Suffolk Streets. The people who are assessed for the general expenditures of the city have a right to demand that their property should be thus protected, and it is no more than right that all locations should receive the same benefits and means of protection accorded to others; and we would recommend that additional alarm boxes be pur- chased and put up in the above localities or neighborhood where it may appear absolutely requisite.
A plan has been matured and the necessary apparatus nearly completed, whereby the above mentioned annoyance can be over- come, viz :-- by attaching the whistles directly to our system of telegraph in the same manner that the several church bells are now attached, by which means the number of the box can be tolled off by the steam whistles as correctly as it is now done by the bells ; the apparatus is completed and here, with the exception of a few minor details which we expect in a few days. We propose to attach it at the Washburn & Moen Wire Works, and should it be successful the people at the North End will be notified of the fact the first time an alarm of fire is given after it is com- pleted. Early in the past year it was proposed to remove the alarm bell, located on Pleasant Street, to the Engine House in Bigelow Court, but it was finally thought best to let the matter rest until we had determined beyond a doubt the practicability of the whistle blower, and should it prove as successful as we hope, that expense need not be incurred ; but we recommend that the bell be sold and a smaller one placed on the Engine House on Pleas- ant Street, and another of the same size in the tower at the School House ; the large bell could be sold for enough to cover the cost of the smaller ones and the necessary striking apparatus.
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HOUSES.
The most of the houses are in good repair, although a mode- rate outlay will be required to keep them in good condition. The permanent men of the Department are detailed to do most of the work for the repairs of the several houses, when it can be done without weakening their efficiency in their several sta- tions ; this we think is but right, that the city should have the benefit of their skill when occasions require it. The Headquar- ters of the Department, No. 80 Front Street, are in very good repair at this time. This house is occupied by the Board of Engineers, the Battery and machinery of the Fire Alarm Tele- graph, the Gov. Lincoln Steamer Co. No. 1, and Hook and Lad- der No. 1, and the horses for drawing the same. The building is warmed by steam from a boiler in the cellar; in addition it contains a work and store-room, six bedrooms and two bath-rooms; the bedrooms are furnished with double beds for the men of the two companies, and are all occupied. The house of S. E. Combs Steamer Co. No. 2, is in good condition, the stable has been newly sheathed and painted, and the engine room has also been painted the last year. This house contains three bedrooms with double beds which are occupied, and a bath-room, the stable contains five stalls for horses.
The house of A. B. Lovell Steamer Co No. 3, is in good condition ; the company have furnished their hall with carpet and furniture at their own expense, giving the room a cheerful appearance; which goes to show the harmony existing in the company. City Hose Co. No. 1 occupy one half of this house. It is furnished with four double beds-two for each company, and a bath-room, all in good condition. This house should be provided with a stable, as it is in a central locality, and there should be better facilities for drawing the apparatus to fires.
The house of Rapid Steamer Co. No. 4, is not in good con- dition. The room is very limited for a steamer and hose carriage, and we would recommend that better accommodations be furnished them at an early day. The houses of Hose No. 4, 6 and 7, and the Extinguisher, are in excellent condition. They are fitted up with beds and bath-rooms for the convenience of
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their members. The houses of Hose No. 2, 3 and 5 are not in good condition. They should be so altered as to give better sleeping accommodations, and be provided with bath-rooms for the comfort of the men sleeping there.
The house occupied by Hose Co. No. 2 was built at a small expense and of light materials, being intended only for temporary use, or until such time as it should seem expedient to erect a more substantial structure. The building is cold and damp, and the occupants of it have been subject to sickness, more or less contracted there? These remarks will also apply to Hose 3 and 5. They are all better adapted for storage houses on the line of a railroad than anything else they can be compared to ; and your attention is solicited to a close inspection of these low, rakish pieces of property, owned not by individuals, but by the City of Worcester.
Every engine house supplied with beds should also be provided with bathing-rooms. Some of our citizens may charge this as extravagance on the part of the officers of the Depart- ment. We will state that the city furnishes good beds and chairs, and a cheap carpet for their sleeping rooms. If the company desire more, they furnish and pay for it themselves. Many of the halls are elegantly furnished, but not by the city. The outfit of some of the halls will exceed in value the entire outfit furnished by the city. We believe that the better the houses are furnished the better the class of men that can be obtained. When their houses are cheerful the members like to visit them with their friends, thus creating an interest that is of the utmost importance in a Fire Department. No thoughtful citizen will object to the expense necessary to make comfortable the homes of these constant guardians of our lives and property. These faithful men are required to be at their post, and at the tap of the bell fearlessly expose themselves to the dangers that surround them ; and, after battling for hours, perhaps in Winter, against the devouring element, their clothes frequently frozen solid to their persons, it is no more than humanity and justice demands that, when they return from their duties, they have comfortable quarters. In so providing, a superior force is secured, and more highly creditable to the City of Worcester.
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LADDERS AND FIRE ESCAPES.
The increase of population and growth of cities have rendered land so precious that it has been considered necessary to erect buildings from three to six and seven stories high, to serve as homes, warehouses and factories. The situation of any unfor. tunate beings who chance to be caught in the upper stories of a burning building, in which the stairways are invaded or destroyed by the flames, is truly dangerous and frightful. To devise means by which their rescue may be accomplished, while facility is afforded to fight the fire at an advantage, has been a problem with many attempted and partial solutions.
The construction of a ladder to reach the windows in the upper stories demands portability, lightness and strength, rapid and easy extension and simplicity. The successful combination of all these elements is difficult of attainment. Every Fire Depart- ment has long felt the great necessity of properly constructed ladders or trucks. Various inventions have been brought before the public, but so far all have failed to meet the requirements. They have simply proved impracticable when put to the test. While a few have possessed a good share of merit, yet in the most important features they have been found wanting. One serious objection to those brought before the public is their almost, if not total, uselessness in narrow streets and alleys. More than this,-they have been so constructed as to make them dangerous to use in cases of emergency. The force of this truth will be more fully appreciated when we recall the instances where there have been actual loss of life resulting from the use of improperly constructed ladders.
Our firemen are the most faithful of our public servants, and their interests must not be overlooked or neglected. We have taken occasion in previous reports to allude to the necessity of erecting permanent fire escapes, regulating the erection of the same by ordinance, in this city, the better to protect property against fire, but nothing in this direction has been done, except a recommendation of His Honor the Mayor, in favor of the pas- sage of such an ordinance ; and we do not like to leave this sub- ject without asking again the Honorable City Council to consider
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the propriety of the passage of an ordinance compelling the owners of hotels, manufacturing establishments, or workshops where men or women are employed in the upper stories, to erect and maintain permanent fire escapes from their respective build- ings ; said escapes to be approved by some proper officer. It would also be of great assistance to the Fire Department in case of fire. There must be responsibility somewhere, and we think the City Council should assume the same.
We maintain a Fire Department, we cover the roofs of our houses with a network of telegraph wires, that summons at an instant's warning the distant engine to the conflagration ; we take every precaution against the destruction of property by fire, yet we take none against the destruction of human life through the same agency. The connecting together of high buildings over narrow passage-ways (as in the case of Chapin block and the Post Office building), is a matter that should receive some atten- tion ; the question of providing fire escapes is a question full as important as the question of extinguishing fire : in the latter case no opposition is raised against increasing the extinguishing appli- ances, because probably the expense falls upon the public and not upon the individual, where it would fall if he was required to put up and maintain permanent fire escapes. We trust that your Honorable Board will consider this subject carefully and pass such an ordinance as may seem right and proper for the protection of the whole people of this city.
HORSES.
The number of horses, at the commencement of the year, in service and owned by the city was 12; one was disabled and another was purchased to take his place, but the disabled horse has so far recovered as to be used on the fire alarm wagon ; giving us an extra horse in case any one of our number was sick or disabled-a want which has been felt for some years-giving us at this time 13 horses ; 3 are attached to Steamer No. 1, 3 to Steamer No. 2, 2 to Hook and Ladder No. 1, and one each to Hose 6 and 7, the Babcock Extinguisher, and Steamer No. 3 Hose Carriage, and one to the wagon for the repairs on the Fire Alarm
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Telegraph. The horses are all in good condition with the ex- ception of two, which will have to be replaced with others better able to do the work required of them. We would recommend that when the horses show any signs of disability, they be imme- diately exchanged for others better able to do the work. It is not expected that horses out of their teens can respond to alarms with as much speed as younger horses. There is no kind of work in which horses are engaged that requires so many good qualities, which are very necessary in horses used in Fire Depart- ments. Their work comes suddenly upon them, in sunshine or storm, in daylight or darkness; and they must start off with a dash and speed which some horses would rebel against or sink under; for this reason we think that great care should be observed in the purchasing of horses for this Department. Some of our horses have been in use over eleven years and are good and sound to-day ; this must be attributed to the excellent treat- ment at the hands of the drivers having them in charge ; and it is the aim of the Board to give this department their constant attention.
FIREMEN'S RELIEF ASSOCIATION.
This association, composed of members of the Fire Depart- ment, was organized in June, 1874, for the purpose of affording relief to such members as shall receive injuries while in the dis- charge of their duties, or become sick from the exposure incident to such fatiguing labor. The members of the Fire Department, in the discharge of their duty, are liable to many casualties to which citizens generally are not exposed, which are sometimes fatal, and often ruinous to health, comfort, and pecuniary circumstances of those on whom they fall. On this account the Department have formed an Association for the purpose of mutual aid and assistance, and it is desired that every member of the Department should con- nect himself with it. The association has received contributions, and thus far has been enabled to render relief to its members. The accidents during the past year have been few in num- ber : one man, a member of Hook and Ladder No. 2, broke his ankle at the fire in the city barn, and his health is very much
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impaired in consequence, and the indications are that he will never be able to do any more fire duty. No feature of a Fire Department is more worthy of commendation than a properly conducted charitable association. The Board of Engineers, in behalf of its members, return thanks to those of our citizens who have aided them, and would commend the Worcester Fire- men's Relief Association to the favorable consideration of all. The officers of the association are as follows : President, S. E. Combs ; Vice-President, Charles Allen ; Secretary, George S. Coleman; Treasurer, J. W. Loring. TRUSTEES : From the Board of Engineers, G. N. Rawson; Steamer No. 1, E. L. Vaughn ; Steamer No. 2, M. C. Viall; Steamer No. 3, E. J. Watson ; Steamer No. 4, Wm. Hoyle ; Hose No. 1, H. E. Rob- bins ; Hose No. 2, David Boland ; Hose No. 3, W. E. Smith ; Hose No. 4, L. W. Preble ; Hose No. 5, S. F. Shepard ; Hose No. 6, G. D. Ballou ; Hose No. 7, S. F. Barnes ; Hose No. 8, E. F. Tolman ; Extinguisher, Wm. Flynn ; Hook and Ladder No. 1, P. M. Church ; Hook and Ladder No. 2, John Horgan ; Fire Patrol, Hiram Williamson.
REMARKS AND SUGGESTIONS.
The following does not, perhaps, relate directly to the extin- guishment of fires, but we feel called upon to say a word in behalf of the permanent employés of our Department, attached to the several companies. From the nature of their duties, they are constantly confined to their respective houses, and, conse- quently, are isolated from society. They pass their time between driving to fires and the dull routine of their house duties, with intervals of dullness and monotony, and nothing to interest them. With the influence of your Honorable Board, our citizens can be induced to contribute, and they can induce other friends to make donations of books-historical, biographical and mechanical,-and other reading matter, suitable to form a library ; with magazines, periodicals and such other publications as may be considered proper and profitable to our members. Thus, leisure hours may be pleasantly and usefully employed, and the donors would have
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