Ann Arbor's Fire Protection

F rom the columns ot' the Ann Arbor Courier we take the i'ollowing excellent article on tbe tire protection system of Ann Arbor which will prove of interest to niany Argus readers: The great loss by fire iu Detroit last week has brought to the attention of the people more tlian ever the excellent faoilities Ann Arbor has lor extinguishing fires, and particularly the work of the members of our fire department. One entbnsiastic gentleman remarking upon the Detroit fire said : "1 actually believe that if Detroit had as good a fire department as Ann Arbor has got, that the fire would have been contined to the opera house." He may be a iittle enthusiastie, but Ann Arbor has a fine department, nevertheless. One great secret of tne success our fire boys have hadlies iu the promptness with which they respond to alarms ; another secret is the water supply, which is always ready the moment the liose is laid and coupled. In these two important essentials Ann Arbor is very fortúnate. There is much gained by the reservoir pressure in our water works system. Ko matter how good the fire department of a city may be, there is always more or less delay in getting a stream. upon a fire frona a steam fire engine. The excellence of Detroit's fire department proves this assertion, for although they respond quickly, there is always sonie delay in getting a stream on, and so the fire gets beyopd control. Seconds are precious when a fire first starts, and the fact that out of 47 fires in Aun Arbor during the past year only 22 resulted in losses, is a proud record lor our fire fighters, and one that must impress upon everyone tlie value of our water supply which is always ready for business, and the alertness of the boys in gettiug there. Perhaps a few figures, giving the losses, insurance, etc, in this city, froin October 1, 1896, to the same date of 1897, may interest our readers. Taking each fire wliere there was a loss, by itself, we find the figures to be as i'ollows : TOTAL LOSS. INS. PATD. TOTAf. IXS. $275.00 275.00 $400 1,260.00 l,20U.HÜ 2.5.0UÜ 5-5.00 55.C0 5,500 32 t3 2 03 4,óO(l 1,010 U0 1,010.00 8,500 24.00 24.00 1,500 45.00 45.00 2,1)00 200.00 160.00 500 SSS.86 388.86 1.000 1,196.00 L96.00 5,500 116.00 116.00 2,900 902 24 90-2.24 5.900 238.50 198 50 S0O 97.50 iiï.50 ü 500 278,90 27S.90 15,000 4.15 4.15 751' 420.00 420.00 500 10,000 00 5,tiC8.00 ö,UOO 475.00 475.00 700 2S7.00 2s7.00 2,SuO o5.3S 35.38 1,500 50.00 95.00 150 $17,451,16 ' 12,784.1(3 $92,900" It will be seen by the above that more thiin one-halL the total loss was in one fire, that of the Holmes livery barn and dweiling. In that fire the department did uot receive the alarm until the barn was past saving, and the run was a long one, also. Of the 25 other fires where the loss was reported as nominal, we wish to quote a paragraph froni the last issue of the magazine called Fire and Water, as follows : "Damage trifling," "loss slight." Possibly, but what do these words represent outside of the bald report sent in by the chief of the fire battalion to his superiors? They show that the firemen are promptly on hand at any hour of the day-or night, and can thus quench the iucipieut fire before it has made any headway. They show much more. They teil of dangerous and exhaustive work done by the firemen, which none outside the rauks ever sees, of a majority of fires - as the report of the New York fire departmeut (just issued) points out - stopped at the very beginning by the skill, coolness, and courage of the officers and men in getting quickly through smoke and fiames, at the out set of the fire. In subcellars and basements, over-hanging ceilings, in lofts and under stairways fires break out, which can be subdued only by promptly getting at the poiut of startiug. To do this the firemen must, in many cases crawl and feel their way through blindjjng and suflbcating smoke, and almost unendurable heat. Succeeding by dint of their efl'ort in distinguishing the fires and thus preveuting heavy loss of property, such fires are quite naturally disinissed with the words "damage trifiing," "slight," etc, when, in reality, the service may have been far more hazardous than some of the conspicuous acts performed at large fires, in full view of the spectators. The contract of the city with the Ann Arbor Water Co., calis for a reservoir pressure at the court house square that will tlirow six s.treams of water 80 feet high, or with direct pressure 110 feet high. At the University campus, five Streams of water 54 feet high trom reservoir, or 90 feet high uuder direct presure. Cliief Sipley informe lis that tliere has been no cause for complaint in regard to the water pressure under the present management of the Water Co. From the admirable records kept by' Chief Sipley, we find that since the orgauization of the tire department in 1889, tliere have been 411 alarms responded to, to accomplish which 389 miles were traveled, 120,000 feet of hose were laid, and 263 small chemicals discharged. The latter item tells the story of many of the "slight" losses. The department always has ready for instant service four horses, two hose wagons, each carrying 1,000 feet of hose and two hand chemicals, one hook and ladder truck carrying two hand chemicals and many tools often found necessary at fires, together with a box containing bottles of medicines and bandages, so that any cut or bruise may be instantly cared for. This has often saved much pain and suffering from these causes. There is also a Button steam fire engine that eau be used outside the water system limita, or in case the water pressure should happen to fail, but tliere never has been such an occasion siuce the water works were established. There are eight full-pay or regular men in the department aside from the Chief, five "cali men," who sleep at the engine house nights and respond at all alarms. The list of the department is as follows : Chief - Fred Sipley. Assistant - Chas. Edwards. Regulare - Win, II. McLaren, Max Whitlinger, Albert West, Eugene Williams, Herman Kim, Samuel McLaren, Ed. Hoezle. Cali Men - W, L. Schnierle, George Hoezle. Win. Rettich, Albert W. Sorg, Ed. Hill.