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Show SALT LAKE FIRE FIGHTERS ARE EFFICIENT, BUT TOE CITY NEEDS MORE OF TBEfil, SAYS NEW YORK FIREMAN IfBWWl mm-frH'mmi Wmm$0$mm "If your City Council would pay mo fSOOO a year to act as Chief of the Fire department hero, I -would not accept tho offer unless they -would agree to furnish mo -with at least four times tho equipment you now have. I would not assume the responsibility of taking care of this city with lt3 present apparatus for several times the salary paid, because be-cause I would not bo able to sleep at night knowing that I was utterly Incapable In-capable of combattlnjr a fire of any proportions." This was the statement made last evening by D. F. Caswell, a member of the New York Fire department, who has been visiting in the city for several days, and who has examined the equipment equip-ment of the local firefighters. The tire-man tire-man from Qothnm was amazed at the smallncss of Salt Lake's fire brlcado and said that he believed there were few cities In the country that were so inadequately protected. "What could you boys do in case tho Kenyon or Wilson hotel should got a good start? Suppose you would mass your entire apparatus and force of men .on the fire, what could you do then? Nothing," and the group of firemen fire-men to whom the New Yorker was talkinc were forced to admit that he was right. Thirty Companies Busy. "In New York if a building of that size should catch fire, and thry do frequently, fre-quently, In less than fifteen minutes wo would nave thirty companies working. Ajid at that we often have our hands full to check tho blaze and rescue tho occupants of the building." The visitor paid the local fire laddies numerous compliments on their work and said that the Salt Lake brigade was composed of as good firemen as any similar organization In tho country. coun-try. He added, however, that their ability would count for naught In case of a big fire, unless backed up with proper equipment The heads of the department hero do not deny that they arc Insuniclently supplied with apparatus and men. They realize whero they would be if a blaze of any magnitude started, hut since ' I1 ' -. " I the city seems unwilling to provide them with additional equipment, the men do not complain, but Instead spend their time In hoping that a big fire will not occur. Training Our Firomen. Salt Lako firemen are as well trained perhaps as tho?e of any citj- this size in the country. Each day tho different crews aro drilled in some branch of fire-fighting. One day they practice with the hose wagons, another timo they Bpend hours In scaling the big tower with Pompier ladders, at other times they work with the aerial truck or with the steamers. All this is done In addition to the regular work around the station house and the time spent in "school." The men are regularly Instructed in the correct manner of carrying persons down ladders and from burning buildings. build-ings. The above cut shows the correct way to carry a man down a ladder or a stairway. By placing the body squarely square-ly on the shoulders the weight Is so balanced bal-anced that a man with little experience experi-ence can easily usetSid or descend a ladder or flro escape. Tools of the Firemen. The ilreladdles are instructed In the use of every article they may be called I upon to use, oven to the axes. One of I the first tilings a new man, Is taught Is how and when to use his axe. The battering bat-tering ram Is another article essential to every fire company, and with a little training four men can go through the side of a brick wall with a six-foot ram. |