HomeMy WebLinkAbout2527 Report, the majority report of the Committee on the Fire Department, March 4, 18741
Lexington Mar 4th 1874
The committee to whom was refered the
subject of providing reservoirs, or some
system for the extinguishment of fires, and
also to examine the condition of the En-
gine House at East Lexington, as to the
feasibility of repairing the same, or other-
wise providing for the accommodation of
the Hancock Engine and Company.
Respectfully report:
That in considering
a system adapted to the needs and ability
of the town for extinguishing fires, attention
was at once directed, to the condition of
the present facilities for that purpose.
The two Engines appear to be in good
condition, the companies well organized,
and efficient so far as the care and op-
eration of the apparatus is concerned.
They are however, necessarily located far apart
and in an emergency cannot concentrate
their efforts in the important moments
of the early stages of a conflagration: the
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force is a divided one, and although un-
avoidable, nevertheless detracts from the
comparative efficiency.
But aside from these considerations, your
committee are impressed in common
with most other citizens of the town with
the inadequacy of the fire department,
mainly on account of a deficiency of a
plentiful supply of water, without which the best
machinery and men are of no avail.
The expedient of providing storage res-
ervoirs, for this purpose, as a system to be
extended, so as to afford any worthy
protection to valuable property, even in
the compact portions of the town, would
involve an expense out of all proportion
to the other appliances, and the resour-
ces of the town. Moreover, the commit-
tee are at loss to know, from what source
or by what means it is practical to fill,
or replenish such reservoirs, if exhausted
in a dry time. Considering then that the
provision of reservoirs is attended with
so great practical and economic difficulties
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we cannot recommend their construc-
tion.
Within a few years, much attention
has been bestowed upon improvements
in the methods of extinguishing fires,
and in the developments of science,
and in the progress of the arts, some-
thing of value has doubtless been ac-
complished.
The extinguishment of fires by means
of Carbonic Acid gas, mingled with
water, has been tested by time and extend-
ed use, sufficient to prove it a valuable
agent for that purpose. Nearly all
are familiar with the portable apparatus,
operating with this agent, now supplied
to most Hotels and large buildings both
public and private and also in use by the fire
departments of most cities; their efficacy
has been established beyond question.
Fire Extinguishing Engines constructed and operated on this principle of very con-
siderable power, mounted on carriages,
to be drawn either by men or horses, have
been extensively and very successfully used.
Your committee have been to considerable
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pains to inform themselves as to the
merits of these Engines, by personal
enquiry and information derived
from intelligent, and disinterested per-
sons, who have had large opportu-
nities of knowing their practical
workings on fires, and in protec-
tion of threatened property and in
comparison with the best appointed
water engines, and they have been
universally commended They are self-
operating, without machinery, requir-
ing a complement of only six men for
all purposes, can be got to a fire quickly
and put immediately to work, and re-
quire no more water for contin-
uous operation, than can be supplied
from ordinary wells, such as are
always the accompaniments of building
premises. The extinguishing agent being
a gas, and thirty times as efficient as water
bulk for bulk, will permeate enclosed,
hidden, or inaccessible places where it
is impossible to detect the exact locality
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of fire, and where the application of
water would be impossible.
The committee are so well persuaded
of the merits of this kind of Engine, and
that it is so well adapted to our wnats
and circumstances, that they recom-
mend the purchase of two, Babcock's
Self acting Fire Engines, at an expense
not exceeding eight hundred dollars
each, and that five men for each be employed
by and under the direction of the Fire En-
gineers for their care and management,
with a compensation of ten dollars each per annum.
While your Committee deem it advisable
also to retain and maintain for service the
present Engines: they do recommend
that the system of a paid fire depart-
ment, be abolished and that the Fire
Companies, be composed of volunteer
members without pay, except five of
the number of each company four of whom designated by the Fire Engineer shall be
paid ten dollars each per annum for
special duties in the management of
the engines the duties to be indicated
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also by the Fire Engineers, and one Steward
for each Engine wiht compensation of fifty
dollars each per annum.
Your Committee also have considered the
expediency of distributing among the
citizens, small hand force pumps, for use
at the first discoveries of fires. They do
not however recommend any action
of the town, at the present time in this
direction. But considering that a very
large proportion of fires, are small and
easily controlled, when first discovered,
if any convenient means were at hand
adapted to the purpose, we urge the
citizens generally, to provide themselves
at trifling expense with such pumps
and buckets, and instruct the members
of their households in the use of them,
(and they can be operated even by women)
and see that they are kept in some particu-
lar place, readily accessible for use. Such
pumps are not only convenient for many
useful purposes, but have been efficient-
instruments - repeatedly to put out fires
that otherwise would have become serious
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conflagrations.
In regard to accommodations
for the Adams Engine and Company,
the Committee have to report that the
present house is old, small, inconvenient,
and somewhat out of repair, still, it
is sufficient to preserve the property
from waste, and the Company find
accomodations for their meetings
in a Hall near by, hired by the town for
the purpose. The committee are of
opinion therefore and in view of
their recommendations in re-
gard to the Fire department system, that
it would be safe and prudent, to defer
action on the matter of Engine House
at the present time, inasmuch as the re-
quirements of the future, may be quite
different from what they now are.
Respectfully Submitted
M. H. Meriam }
Joshua B Fowle }
EW Bittinson }
Geo. W. Robinson }
of the committee
Majority
Report of Committee
on Fire Department
Accepted by the Town
March 2'd 1874
Leonard G. Babcock
Town Clerk
2527