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Show DECREASE II DAVAGE CAUSED Blf Clff FIRES Chief Vail Completes Annual Report of Work for Fire Department. Charles T. Vail, elder of tho Fire department, de-partment, has prepared his annual report re-port for the year ending. December 31, 1007. to bo submitted to the Mayor and Council Monday. The most, noticeable figures set forth In tho report show that I hough a greater number oT llrcs was attended during the pupt year than for any seventeen years preceding, the proportionate pro-portionate dumages sustained by the city was remarlcirbly low. The damagcii from fires during 1907 amounted to $132,;ir.n Oil. in lhe year 1001, 15-1 alarms were turned In and the city sustained damages of $310.!70.r:i. In JD03, 182 alarms weor lurm-d In and the damages from ilru amounted lo ?30S.fins.((. Chler Vail recommends the extension and improvement of the lire alarm systems, sys-tems, lie aslcs that the city at onee purr.haso a combination chemical hoce wagon, and that all hose wagons should be provided with :'.5-gallon clu-mical cylinders. cyl-inders. He nlso aks that ihc Fire department de-partment he provided with 2000 feet or hose. A new boiler is urged ' for the .SHaby steamer ns the old boiler Is unsafe, un-safe, arvl the oily Is asked to advertise for bids to let a contract 10 place a new floor in engine house TCo. 3. Tlio buildings In which Urns occurred during the past year, havo been covered wlih SI. 505, lot) Insurance, and the amount, of property involved reached a figure of ?3,323,-l3ij. The present fire alarm system sys-tem consists of 72 alarm boxes. 00 belonging be-longing to tho city and the remainder to Individual concerns. Chief Vail asks that 2.ri more alarm boxes be placed In lhe southeastern part of the city. During Dur-ing tho past year. 2SS telephone alarms w!re turned In 15 box alarms and" 11 still alarms. The department traveled Cr.oi miles; stretched 50.100 feel of hose," ami devoted :U3 hours and 5 minuJ.t'S to active service. The causes of lire flaring flar-ing the year were: Hubhlsh and grass. -11; defeetlvo Hues. .'!"-. false nnd unnocesary. 5S; children anil matches, 30; coal oil stoves. 7; unknown, un-known, 39; hot asheu. 17; bonfires, S; overheated stoves, furnaces anl pipes, 21; electric wires. 11; sparks from stacks nnd Hues. 10; greasy rags. 1; coal Oil lamps exploded, 7: burning soot. 5; matches stepped on, 1 ; grease on stove. 2: cigars ami cigarettes. 0; candles. I; explosions of gasoline and benzine, 12, and sparks from locomotives, 2. |
