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ANNUAL    REPORT 


FIRE  DEPARTMENT 

AND    WIRE    DIVISION 


CITY    OF    BOSTON 


YEAE  EJSTDING  JANUAKY  31,   1924 


CITY  OF  BOSTON 
PRINTING  DEPARTMENT 

1924 

o 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Boston  Public  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/annualreport1924bost 


[Document  11  — 1924.] 


ANNUAL   REPORT 


FIRE    DEPARTMENT 


FOR  THE  YEAR  1923-24. 


Boston,  January  31,  1924. 

Hon.  James  M.  Ctjrley, 

Mayor  oj  the  City  of  Boston: 

Dear  Sir, —  I  have  the  honor  to  submit,  in  accord- 
ance with  section  24,  chapter  3,  Revised  Ordinances  of 
1914,  City  of  Boston,  the  annual  report  of  the  Fire 
Department  for  the  year  ending  January  31,  1924. 


Finances. 

The  total  expenditure  for  the  department  for  the 
year  was  $3,669,450.65,  which  includes  an  appropria- 
tion of  $89,311.70  expended  by  the  Wire  Division. 

The  revenue  for  the  department  for  the  year  amounted 
to  $91,637.23. 

Fire  Loss. 

During  the  year  the  department  responded  to  7,241 
alarms,  of  which  3,810  were  still  alarms  and  3,431  were 
box  alarms.  The  total  number  of  alarms  for  1923  shows 
an  increase  of  1,107  over  the  year  1922,  which  signifies 
that  the  department  experienced  a  very  busy  year. 
The  fire  loss  of  $6,286,300  also  shows  a  marked  increase 
over  previous  years,  and  while  this  loss  may  be  accounted 


2  City  Document  No.  11. 

for  in  part  to  the  inflation  of  property  values  since  the 
World  War,  it  can  also  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that 
during  1923  we  had  at  least  eight  disastrous  fires,  which 
of  themselves  account  for  almost  the  total  of  the  dif- 
ference between  the  loss  of  1922  and  that  of  1924.  The 
most  serious  fires  where  the  heaviest  losses  were  suffered 
were  as  follows : 

January  16,  63  Mt.  Vernon  street  ....  $105,250 
January  20,  73-75  '  South    street,  170-180  Essex 

street 150,646 

January  22,  118-128  Lincoln  street         .        .        .  598,816 

April  14,  185-187  State  street         175,035 

April  25,  116-124  Merrimac  street         .        .        .  103,710 

May  2,  217-219  State  street,  114  Central  street,  340,816 

July  18,  374-394  Congress  street    ....  1,269,300 

November  17,  209-211  State  street        .        .        .  123,072 

In  addition  to  the  total  loss  mentioned  above  there 
was  a  marine  loss  of  $14,121. 

MOTOEIZATION. 

During  the  year  1923  twenty-four  pieces  of  motor- 
driven  fire  fighting  apparatus  was  purchased  and  in- 
stalled in  service.  This  large  purchase  of  motor  appara- 
tus made  it  possible  to  complete  the  motorization  of 
the  department,  and  on  October  18,  1923,  the  horse- 
drawn  ladder  truck  attached  to  Ladder  Company  24, 
North  Grove  street,  was  replaced  by  a  motor-driven  city 
service  ladder  truck,  displacing  our  last  piece  of  horse- 
drawn  equipment.  The  motorization  of  the  Fire  De- 
partment has  been  extended  over  a  long  period  of  years, 
and  followed  a  policy  established  by  your  Honor  in 
1912  to  install  a  certain  amount  each  year.  This  pro- 
gram was  carried  out  effectively,  with  a  slight  interrup- 
tion during  the  war  years,  and  today  we  have  in  service 
and  reserve,  exclusive  of  chiefs'  cars,  coal  and  service 
cars,  145  pieces  of  motor-driven  fire  fighting  equipment. 
There  still  remains  much  work  to  be  done  along  the 
lines  of  motorization.  We  have  in  service  several  pieces 
of  tractor-drawn  equipment  which  should  be  replaced 
by  apparatus  of  the  type  which  the  department  has 
accepted  as  standard.  A  formidable  reserve  equipment 
must  be  built  up  and  maintained,  and  I  earnestly 
recommend  that  the  policy  of  purchasing  a  specified 


Fire  Department.  3 

amount  of  apparatus  annually  be  continued  for  a  few 
years  more  so  that  our  equipment  will  be  without  com- 
parison with  any  city  in  the  country. 


Fire  Prevention. 

Much  stress  has  been  laid  on  the  subject  of  fire  pre- 
vention, and  I  believe  considerable  good  has  been 
accomplished  along  this  line.  In  October  Fire  Preven- 
tion Week  was  observed  in  Boston  as  it  never  was  ob- 
served before.  The  Fire  Department  sent  out  its  appeal 
to  schools,  churches,  civic  and  fraternal  organizations, 
mercantile  and  commercial  interests,  and  received  hearty 
response  and  co-operation.  In  the  report  of  the  Chief 
of  Department  a  detailed  account  is  given  of  the  activi- 
ties of  the  week. 

The  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Fire  Prevention  and  Intelli- 
gence has  continued  to  grow  and  expand.  The  following 
figures  will  show  how  the  work  of  this  bureau  is  in- 
creasing : 


Number 
of  Permits. 

Fees 
Received. 

Inspections. 

1921 

10,268 
11,362 
12,611 

§11,114  5C 
13.C06  50 
15,651  00 

104,961 
146,324 
186,734 

1922 

1923 : 

It  will  be  noted  from  these  figures  that  the  fees  charged 
for  permits  are  very  small.  In  1923  the  average  was 
at  the  rate  of  less  than  $1.25  for  each  permit.  It  is  very 
evident  that  in  many  cases  the  fee  is  a  dollar  or  less. 
Practically  every  permit  issued  entails  one  of  two  in- 
spections by  the  Fire  Department,  and  I  believe  that 
the  city  is  entitled  to  a  fee  commensurate  with  the  cost 
of  their  inspections.  I  strongly  recommend,  therefore, 
that  a  complete  revision  be  made  of  the  schedule  of  fees 
charged  for  permits  issued  through  the  Bureau  of  Fire 
Prevention  and  Intelligence  so  that  the  city  may  obtain 
a  fair  return  for  the  service  rendered  in  issuing  these 
permits. 

Fire  Alarm  Boxes. 

There  are  1,299  fire  alarm  boxes  in  service  through- 
out the  city,  more  than  one  thousand  of  which  are 
accessible  to  the  public.     Exclusive  of  the  boxes  owned 


4  City  Document  No.  11. 

by  the  Schoolhouse  Department,  171  of  these  boxes 
are  privately  owned.  During  the  year  thirty-one  new 
boxes  were  installed. 

Buildings. 

The  most  important  step  in  the  building  program  of 
the  Fire  Department  in  many  years  was  taken  when 
your  Honor  sent  to  the  City  Council  an  order  appro- 
priating $500,000  for  the  erection  of  a  new  fire  alarm 
station.  For  some  time  past  the  present  fire  alarm 
office  has  been  a  cause  of  grave  concern  to  the  officials 
of  the  Fire  Department  and  to  others  whose  business 
identified  them  with  the  protection  of  the  city  from 
fire.  Many  times  recommendations  have  been  made, 
but  no  action  taken.  The  present  fire  alarm  office  is 
located  in  a  congested  section  of  the  city,  surrounded 
by  many  hazards,  and  more  than  once  has  been 
threatened  by  destruction  by  serious  fires  which  have 
occurred  in  the  neighborhood. 

This  year  proper  action  has  been  taken.  An  isolated 
location  in  the  Back  Bay  Fens  has  been  selected,  plans 
have  been  prepared  and  contracts  have  been  made  for 
a  building  and  equipment  that  will  assure  the  highest 
type  of  service  and  protection  for  this  important  branch 
of  the  Fire  Department.  The  building  should  be  com- 
pleted in  the  spring  of  1925,  and  when  the  change  over 
is  made  from  the  present  fire  alarm  office  to  the  new 
office,  Boston  will  have  a  fire  alarm  signal  station  un- 
surpassed in  the  country. 

Considerable  attention  has  also  been  paid  to  the 
condition  of  our  fire  stations.  Many  of  these  build- 
ings were  erected  years  ago,  and  are  not  adapted  to 
the  conditions  as  they  exist  today.  In  many  of  the 
stations  minor  changes  are  being  made  to  meet  in  a 
measure  the  changed  conditions.  Some  of  the  build- 
ings will  have  to  be  rebuilt  from  the  ground  up. 

On  JuDe  27,  1923,  the  work  of  rebuilding  the  quarters 
of  Engine  Company  7,  East  street,  was  completed  and 
the  building  dedicated. 

Plans  have  been  drawn  and  a  contract  made  for  the 
erection  of  a  new  fire  station  for  Engine  Company  40, 
Sumner  and  Orleans  streets,  East  Boston.  This  build- 
ing will  be  torn  down  and  a  complete  new  structure 
erected. 

At  Engine  12,  Dudley  street;  Engine  13,  Cabot 
street;   Engine  18,  Harvard  street;   Engine  19,  Norfolk 


Fire  Department.  5 

street;  Engine  20,  Walnut  street;  Engine  24,  Warren 
street;  Engine  27,  Elm.  street,  and  Engine  28,  Centre 
street,  extensive  repairs  and  alterations  have  been  made 
to  provide  suitable  housing  facilities  for  the  men  and 
apparatus. 

During  the  ensuing  year  appropriations  should  be 
provided  if  possible  for  a  new  fire  station  for  Engine  21, 
Columbia  road,  Engine  17,  and  Ladder  7,  Meeting 
House  Hill,  Engine  26-35,  Mason  street. 

In  regard  to  Engine  26-35  I  would  draw  attention 
to  the  present  location  of  that  company  in  Mason 
street.  Owing  to  the  congestion  of  traffic  on  Mason 
street  and  West  street,  Engines  26  and  35  are  severely 
handicapped  in  making  prompt  response  to  alarms  of 
fire.  The  present  location  of  these  companies  has 
nothing  to  recommend  it  for  the  purpose  for  which  it 
is  used.  I  earnestly  recommend  that  these  companies 
be  moved  to  the  junction  of  Shawmut  avenue  and 
Tremont  street  where  a  suitable  station  can  be  erected 
on  land  owned  by  the  city.  Quarters  could  be  provided 
in  the  new  station  for  Rescue  Company  1  now  housed 
in  a  station  on  Church  street.  The  land  on  Mason 
street  is  highly  assessed  and  with  the  sale  of  this  site, 
together  with  the  sale  of  the  land  and  building  on 
Church  street,  the  city  should  receive  an  amount  that 
will  offset  a  great  portion  of  the  cost  of  a  new  fire  station 
at  Shawmut  avenue  and  Tremont  street.  By  the  change 
of  location  the  efficiency  of  these  companies  would  not 
be  lessened,  but  on  the  contrary  would  be  increased, 
for  the  actual  time  consumed  in  getting  out  of  Mason 
street  is  greater  than  the  time  it  will  take  these  com- 
panies to  respond  to  their  present  assignments  from  the 
suggested  location.  Furthermore,  the  widening  of  Tre- 
mont street  will  make  the  proposed  location  an  ideal 
one. 

Two-Platoon  System. 

During  the  past  two  months  arrangements  have 
been  made  for  the  inauguration  of  the  two-platoon 
system  in  the  Fire  Department,  which  becomes  effective 
on  February  1,  1924.  On  this  date  thirty-three  pro- 
motions will  take  effect  and  210  new  men  will  be  ap- 
pointed to  the  department  to  put  the  new  system  in 
operation.  In  many  cities  of  the  country  the  system 
was  installed  piece-meal,  but  arrangements  have  been 
made  to  have  the  entire  department  enter  on  this  new 


6  City  Document  No.  11. 

system  at  8  a.  m.,  February  1,  1924.  The  new  men 
have  been  examined,  measured  for  uniforms,  assigned 
and  will  report  to  their  companies  on  the  above  date 
at  8  a.  m.  Considerable  detail  work  was  necessary  to 
make  this  change-over  without  interfering  with  the 
efficiency  of  the  department.  The  work  had  to  be  done 
by  the  clerical  force  at  headquarters,  and  it  is  very 
gratifying  to  note  here  that  the  headquarters  staff  gave 
freely  of  their  time  and  effort  to  co-operate  with  the 
Fire  Commissioner  and  Chief  of  Department  to  install 
the  system  without  confusion. 

In  the  report  of  the  Chief  of  Department  appended 
hereto  is  a  detailed  account  of  how  the  new  system  will 
operate. 

Conclusion. 

As  always  the  members  and  employees  of  the  depart- 
ment have  manifested  a  spirit  of  devotion  to  duty  and 
I  am  grateful  to  them  for  their  co-operation  in  main- 
taining the  Boston  Fire  Department  at  the  high  stand- 
ard of  efficiency  for  which  it  is  recognized.  To  the 
heads  of  the  various  city  departments,  the  public  service 
corporations,  the  Boston  Protective  Department,  and 
the  public  in  general  I  express  my  thanks  for  the 
interest  and  co-operation  manifested. 

Appended  hereto  are  the  reports  of  the  Chief  of  De- 
partment, the  Superintendent  of  the  Fire  Alarm  Branch, 
the  District  Chief  in  charge  of  the  Bureau  of  Supplies 
and  Repairs,  the  Medical  Examiner,  the  Superintendent 
of  the  Wire  Division,  together  with  the  schedules  of  the 
organization  and  equipment  of  the  department,  with 
tables  showing  the  number  of  alarms,  causes  of  fires, 
fire  lpss,  etc. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Theodore  A.  Glynn, 

Fire  Commissioner. 


Fire   Department. 


REPORT   OF   CHIEF   OF   DEPARTMENT. 


From:     The  Chief  of  Department. 
To:     The  Fire  Commissioner. 
Subject:    Annual  Report. 

I  beg  to  submit  the  following  summary  of  activities  of 
the  department  in  general  for  the  fiscal  year  1923-24: 

Fire  Loss. 
Loss  (exclusive  of  marine  loss)       ....    $6,286,299  44 
Marine  loss 14,120  54 


>,300,419  98 


Number  of  alarms    .        .        .        ...        .        .  7,241 

Average  loss  each  alarm $870 

Number  of  actual  fires    .        .              •  .        .        .  6,071 

Average  loss  each  fire $1,038 

Additions  and  Changes. 
Apparatus. 

April  27,  1923,  a  White  truck,  equipped  for  carrying 
coal,  was  installed  as  a  fuel  car  at  the  quarters  of  Water 
Tower  2.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men,  10,115 
pounds;    22.5  horse  power. 

April  27,  1923,  Mack  fuel  truck  was  removed  from  the 
quarters  of  Rescue  Company  1,  Church  street,  and  was 
placed  in  service  at  the  quarters  of  Engine  Company 
38  and  39,  Congress  street,  replacing  Buick  fuel  truck. 

May  5,  1923,  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire 
engine  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine  Company  8, 
replacing  a  similar  tractor-drawn  engine.  Weight,  fully 
equipped,  without  men,  13,000  pounds;  48.6  horse 
power. 

June  26,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  7,  making  the  company  a  double  unit. 
Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men,  9,000  pounds; 
48.4  horse  power. 

July  13,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service    with    Engine    Company    37.      Weight,    fully 


8  City  Document  No.  11. 

equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse  power. 
This  replaced  a  pumper  of  the  same  type. 

July  17,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  27.  Weight,  fully 
equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds,  72  horse  power. 
This  replaced  a  horse-drawn  steam  fire  engine  and  three 
horses. 

July  17,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  27.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men, 
10,500  pounds,  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  horse- 
drawn  hose  wagon  and  two  horses. 

July  17,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon  com- 
bination pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  32.  Weight,  fully 
equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse  power. 
This  replaced  a  horse-drawn  steam  fire  engine,  horse- 
drawn  hose  wagon  and  five  horses. 

July  24,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed 
in  service  with  Engine  Company  9.  Weight,  fully 
equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse  power. 
This  replaced  a  horse-drawn  steam  fire  engine  and  three 
horses. 

July  24,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  9.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men, 
10,500  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  horse- 
drawn  hose  wagon  and  two  horses. 

July  24,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon  com- 
bination pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  40.  Weight,  fully 
equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds.  This  replaced 
a  horse-drawn  steam  fire  engine  and  three  horses. 

July  24,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  40.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men, 
10,500  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  horse- 
drawn  hose  wagon  and  two  horses. 

August  6,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  34.  Weight,  fully 
equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse  power. 
This  replaced  a  horse-drawn  steam  fire  engine  and  three 
horses. 


Fire  Department.  9 

August  6,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  34.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men, 
10,500  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  horse- 
drawn  hose  wagon  and  two  horses. 

August  14,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  17.  Weight,  fully  equip- 
ped, without  men,  12,000  pounds,  72  horse  power. 
This  replaced  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire 
engine. 

August  14,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  motor- 
driven  combination  chemical  and  ladder  truck  was 
placed  in  service  with  Ladder  Company  7.  Weight, 
fully  equipped,  without  men,  11,000  pounds;  72  horse 
power.  This  replaced  a  Robinson  motor-driven  city 
service  truck. 

August  20,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  motor- 
driven  city  service  ladder  truck  was  placed  in  service 
with  Ladder  Company  23.  Weight,  fully  equipped, 
without  men,  11,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This 
replaced  a  horse-drawn  ladder  truck  and  three  horses. 

September  14,  1923,  the  location  of  Water  Tower  1 
was  changed  from  Bulfinch  street  (Engine  4)  to  Fort 
Hill  square,  occupying  same  building  as  Engine  25  and 
Ladder  8. 

September  18,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  motor- 
driven  city  service  combination  chemical  and  ladder 
truck  was  placed  in  service  with  Ladder  Company  16; 
Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men,  11,000  pounds; 
72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  Christie  tractor-drawn 
city  service  truck. 

September  19,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750- 
gallon  combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was 
placed  in  service  with  Engine  Company  29.  Weight 
fully  equipped,  without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse 
power.  This  replaced  a  horse-drawn  steam  fire  engine 
and  three  horses. 

September  19,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  combina- 
tion hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with 
Engine  Company  29.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without 
men,  10,500  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a 
horse-drawn  hose  wagon  and  two  horses. 

September  28,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  motor- 
driven  city  service  ladder  truck  was  placed  in  service 


10  City  Document  No.  11. 

with  Ladder  Company  27.  Weight,  fully  equipped, 
without  men,  11,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This 
replaced  a  horse-drawn  city  service  truck  and  three 
horses. 

October  5,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  motor-driven 
city  service  ladder  truck  was  placed  in  service  with 
Ladder  Company  19.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without 
men,  11,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a 
horse-drawn  city  service  truck  and  three  horses. 

October  8,  1923,  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  city  service 
truck  was  placed  in  service  with  Ladder  Company  3. 
Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men,  13,500  pounds; 
48.4  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  horse-drawn  city 
service  truck  and  three  horses. 

October  8,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  22.  Weight,  fully  equip- 
ped, without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This 
replaced  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire  engine. 

October  15,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  four-wheel 
tractor,  75-foot  aerial  truck,  was  placed  in  service  with 
Ladder  Company  2.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without 
men,  17,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a 
horse-drawn  truck  and  three  horses. 

October  17,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  four-wheel 
tractor,  75-foot  aerial  truck  was  placed  in  service  with 
Ladder  Company  9.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without 
men,  17,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a 
horse-drawn  truck  and  three  horses. 

October  18,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  motor- 
driven  city  service  ladder  truck  was  placed  in  service  with 
Ladder  Company  24.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without 
men,  11,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a 
horse-drawn  city  service  truck  and  three  horses. 

October  26,  1923,  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire 
engine  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine  Company  3. 
Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men,  13,000  pounds; 
48.4  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  steam  fire  engine  of 
the  same  type. 

December  12,  1923,  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam 
fire  engine  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine  Company 
42.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men,  13,000 
pounds;  48.4  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  steam  fire 
engine  of  the  same  type. 


Fiee  Department.  11 

December  18,  1923,  an  American-LaFrance  750-gallon 
combination  pumper  and  hose  motor  car  was  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  Company  48.  Weight,  fully  equip- 
ped, without  men,  12,000  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This 
replaced  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire  engine. 

January  4,  1924,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  45.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men, 
10,500  pounds;  72  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  similar 
make  of  hose  car  of  less  power,  which  was  later  placed  in 
service  with  Engine  18. 

January  19,  1924,  an  American-LaFrance  combination 
hose  and  chemical  car  was  placed  in  service  with  Engine 
Company  18.  Weight,  fully  equipped,  without  men, 
9,000  pounds;  48.  4  horse  power.  This  replaced  a  com- 
bination hose  and  chemical  car  of  the  same  type. 

Chiefs'  Automobiles. 
A  new  Buick  coupe  was  purchased  for  the  use  of  the 
Chief  of  Department,  and  also  three  Buick  roadsters  for 
use   by   various   chief   officers,    thus  replacing   vehicles 
that  had  become  worn  through  constant  service. 

Buildings. 

The  following  new  and  alteration  work  has  been  com- 
pleted during  the  fiscal  year  ending  January  31,  1924: 

Engine  House  7,  East  street,  was  entirely  rebuilt  and 
dedicated  on  June  27,  1923. 

An  electric  passenger  elevator  was  installed  at  Fire 
Headquarters.  This  is  something  which  has  been  badly 
needed  for  years,  in  view  of  the  large  number  of  people 
who  call  at  the  headquarters'  building,  not  only  to  the 
Fire  Commissioner's  office,  but  also  to  the  Fire  Preven- 
tion Bureau  and  Wire  Division,  for  permits,  etc.,  and 
a  great  many  complaints  have  been  made  in  the  past 
from  the  public  on  account  of  having  to  climb  the  long- 
winding  stairs  to  reach  the  various  offices  where  they 
have  business  to  transact. 

At  Engine  House  13,  Cabot  street,  the  second  floor 
was  completely  remodeled,  adding  a  new  shower  bath 
and  entire  new  plumbing,  lieutenant's  room  and  locker 
rooms. 

At  Engine  House  18,  Harvard  street,  new  shower 
baths,    sink    room,    toilets,    building    lockers,    dressing 


12  City  Document  No.  11. 

rooms,  etc.,  were  installed;    also  steam  changes,  mason 
work,  and  plastering  and  painting  entire  quarters. 

At  Engine  House  12,  Dudley  street,  concreting  main 
and  cellar  floors,  new  main  doors,  new  hose  rack,  plumb- 
ing changes. 

At  Engine  House  19,  Babson  street,  thorough  change 
and  remodeling  of  second  floor,  moving  dormitory  to 
rear,  building  new  lieutenant's,  wash,  locker  and  shower 
rooms;  installing  a  magnesite  floor,  together  with 
necessary  changes  in  heating  and  complete  new  plumb- 
ing. 

At  Engine  House  24,  Warren  street,  a  new  shower 
bath  installed  and  dormitory  enlarged  across  the  end 
of  building,  this  being  made  possible  by  discontinuance 
of  hay  loft. 

At  Engine  House  20  and  Ladder  27,  Walnut  street, 
shower  bath  and  sink  room  installed,  excavating  and 
extending  boiler  room,  building  concrete  wall  over  face 
of  old  foundation,  rebuilding  chimney  and  installing 
window. 

At  Engine  House  27,  Elm  street,  Charlestown,  there 
was  a  reinforced  floor  slab  laid  in  apparatus  room,  con- 
crete floor  in  basement,  steam  boiler  relocated  in  cellar, 
new  radiators  installed  as  necessary  throughout  the 
house,  also  necessary  plumbing. 

At  Engine  House  28,  Centre  street,  Jamaica  Plain, 
there  was  a  new  reinforced  concrete  floor  installed  in 
apparatus  room  as  well  as  in  discontinued  rear  stable. 
To  complete  the  entire  remodeling  of  this  building,  a 
contract  was  awarded  for  brick  wainscoting,  fireproof 
plastering,  inside  finish,  steam  heating,  captain's  toilet 
room  and  electrical  work. 

At  Engine  House  32,  Bunker  Hill  street,  Charlestown, 
a  shower  bath  was  provided,  together  with  other  new 
plumbing. 

At  Chemical  7,  Saratoga  street,  East  Boston,  a  shower 
bath  was  installed  and  various  minor  improvements. 

At  the  fire  alarm  shop,  Wareham  street,  automatic 
sprinklers  were  installed. 

Plans  were  drawn  and  contract  let  for  a  new  house  to 
take  the  place  of  Engine  House  40,  Sumner  street,  East 
Boston,  which  was  in  a  dangerous  condition,  and  the 
work  is  now  progressing.  While  this  work  is  under 
construction,  the  quarters  of  Engine  Company  40  have 
been  moved  to  Chemical  7,  Saratoga  street. 


Fire  Department.  13 

Oil  burning  equipment  has  been  installed  in  the  fol- 
lowing houses : 


Engine  1 

Engine  4 

Engine  5 

Engine  6 

Engine  7 

Engine  9 

Engine  15 


Engine  22 
Engine  25 
Engine  28 
Engine  48 
Ladder  4 
Chemical  7 
Repair  Shop 


Apparatus  and  Equipment. 

Thorough  inspections  and  test  of  apparatus,  equip- 
ment and  hose  were  conducted  at  various  times  during 
the  year.  Where  defects  were  found,  replacements  and 
repairs  were  immediately  made,  in  order  that  the 
efficiency  of  the  department  should  not  be  impaired 
at  any  time. 

Building  Inspection. 

The  usual  practice  of  systematic  weekly  inspection 
by  officers  was  continued  throughout  the  year,  as  it  has 
been  our  experience  that  constant  attention  in  this 
respect  is  essential,  as  it  is  a  fact  that  many  property 
owners  and  tenants  disregard  the  warnings  of  this  de- 
partment to  clear  stairways,  dispose  of  unsightly  and 
dangerous  accumulations,  and  to  comply  with  the  city 
ordinances.  It  is  only  in  this  way  that  the  safety  of 
tenants  and  employees  can  be  assured. 

Theatres,  moving-picture  houses,  and  halls  were 
inspected  weekly,  particular  stress  being  laid  upon  the 
condition  of  fire-extinguishing  appliances,  as  in  a  great 
many  instances  in  the  past  the  owners  of  these  partic- 
ular types  of  structures  have  been  prone  to  neglect  this 
phase  of  protection  for  their  patrons. 

All  public  buildings  and  schoolhouses  were  inspected 
monthly,  and  conditions  as  found  were  reported  through 
channels  to  department  headquarters.  Defective  con- 
ditions were  noted  and  immediate  steps  were  taken  to 
remedy  same. 

Some  50,000  inspections  were  made  during  the  year 
by  the  regular  Fire  Prevention  inspectors,  and  wherever 
defective  conditions  were  noted,  same  were  followed  up 
closely  until  remedied,  and  in  instances  where  occupants 
failed  to  comply  with  our  requests,  they  were  referred 
to  the  State  Fire  Marshal's  office  for  further  handling. 
At  various  times  during  the  year,  the  entire  inspection 


14 


City  Document  No.  11. 


force  was  concentrated  in  certain  sections  of  the  city, 
where  we  had  reason  to  believe  that  bad  business  con- 
ditions had  affected  those  districts. 

The  "Fire  Card"  which  was  referred  to  in  my  last 
annual  report  as  in  the  process  of  preparation,  was 
placed  in  operation  during  the  year.  This  card  shows 
the  vital  parts  of  a  building,  the  means  of  egress  to  the 
top  and  to  the  basement,  also  vertical  and  horizontal 
openings,  and  the  openings,  if  any,  into  adjoining  build- 
ings. The  ground  plan  is  drawn  on  the  back  of  these 
cards.  All  of  the  officers  of  the  department  have  been 
instructed  in  the  use  of  this  card,  and  have  been  brought 
to  as  high  a  state  of  efficiency  as  possible  in  order  that 
the  attack  of  the  fire  department  on  a  building  or  any 
part  of  a  building  may  be  effected  with  the  least  possible 
delay. 

Mutual  Aid. 

The  department  responded  to  thirty-seven  (37)  alarms 
of  fire  outside  of  the  city  limits,  divided  as  follows : 


Cambridge        ..... 

1 

Somerville        .        . 

10 

Nantasket 

1 

Chelsea 

5 

Milton 

19 

Brookline 

1 

It  is  a  source  of  gratification  to  note  that  a  great  deal 
of  good  has  resulted  by  this  plan  of  interchange  of  service 
in  time  of  urgent  necessity. 


Drill  School. 

During  the  year  fifty  (50)  appointees  successfully 
passed  the  thirty  days'  intensive  course  of  instruction, 
as  well  as  one  member  of  the  Melrose  and  one  member 
of  the  New  Bedford  Fire  Departments.  Thirty-eight 
(38)  Boy  Scouts  also  received  instructions  therein. 

Fire  College. 

Forty-two  (42)  officers  and  members  of  this  depart- 
ment attended  the  lectures  at  the  Fire  College.  One 
officer  of  the  Newton  Fire  Department  also  attended  the 
course  of  lectures.  All  the  officers  of  this  department 
received  special  instructions  in  regard  to  the  Fire  Card. 


Fire  Department.  15 


Company  Drills. 

The  Company  Drills  at  Headquarters,  which  com- 
menced September  4,  1923,  and  finished  October  30, 
1923,  have  been  very  satisfactory  in  their  results.  Each 
company  was  drilled  in  ten  evolutions,  namely : 

1.  Connect  two  lines,  100  feet  each,  from  engine  to  deluge 
set. 

2.  Connect  two  lines,  100  feet  each,  from  engine  to  Morse 
gun. 

3.  Raise  50-foot  ladder  to  fourth  floor  window  and  dog 
same. 

4.  Run  200  feet  2|-inch  line  over  50-foot  ladder,  up  stair- 
way and  show  pipe  out  fifth  floor  window. 

5.  Raise  30-foot  ladder  to  fire  escape,  carry  17-foot  roof 
ladder  over  same  to  story  above.     Dog  30-foot  ladder. 

6.  Run  250  feet  2§-inch  line  over  30-foot  ladder  over  fire 
escape  to  roof,  75  feet  from  ground. 

7.  Take  life  line  and  haul  25-foot  ladder  to  roof  75  feet  from 
ground. 

8.  Take  life  line,  haul  200  feet  2§-inch  hose  to  roof. 

9.  Run  100  feet  2|-inch  hose  from  engine,  connect  Morse 
gate  and  Bresnan  nozzle. 

10.  Connect  chuck  to  hydrant  (flexible  suction)  water  to 
engine. 

The  following  tables  show  the  result  of  the  drills  in 
which  all  companies  participated,  except  the  three  fire- 
boat  crews.  These  tables  show  the  list  of  companies 
drilling,  the  time  consumed  in  each  evolution,  and  time 
consumed  by  each  company  in  completing  all  evolutions. 


16 


City  Document  No.  11. 


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City  Document  No.  11. 


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22  City  Document  No.  11. 


Fire  Prevention  Week. 


October  7  to  13,  inclusive,  was  observed  as  Fire  Pre- 
vention Week  and  the  most  intensive  campaign  in  the 
history  of  the  department  was  conducted  along  this  line. 
Every  possible  agency  was  brought  into  play  to  make 
this  week  a  success.  Civic  organizations,  mercantile 
and  manufacturing  interests,  department  stores, 
churches,  schools  (both  public  and  parochial),  fraternal 
organizations,  Boy  Scouts,  Camp  Fire  Girls,  women's 
clubs,  local  Boards  of  Trade  and  Improvement  Asso- 
ciations, insurance  and  underwriting  interests,  theaters 
and  moving  picture  houses,  newspapers,  municipal 
departments,  etc. 

The  film  called  "Fire"  furnished  by  the  National 
Board  of  Fire  Underwriters  was  displayed  at  different 
theaters  during  the  week,  as  well  as  numerous  slides 
containing  short  and  pithy  statements  regarding  the 
importance  of  fire  prevention.  Many  of  the  theaters 
printed  in  their  programs  a  notice  calling  attention  to 
Fire  Prevention  Week. 

Fifty  thousand  "Home  Inspection"  blanks  were  dis- 
tributed among  the  various  schools  of  the  city,  and  these 
blanks  were  checked  up  and  conditions  corrected  where 
found  necessary.  Six  hundred  copies  of  the  book 
"Safeguarding  the  Home  against  Fire"  were  also  dis- 
tributed among  the  schools.  This  book,  which  is  issued 
by  the  National  Board  of  Underwriters,  contains  much 
valuable  information  which  if  imparted  to  the  school 
children  in  a  proper  manner  will  produce  wonderful 
results. 

Thousands  of  posters,  fliers,  etc.,  were  posted  in  con- 
spicuous places  throughout  the  city,  in  shops,  store 
windows,  elevated  and  subway  stations,  bill  boards,  on 
taxi  windows,  in  fact,  everywhere  where  they  could  be 
placed  to  advantage.  Thousands  of  our  own  Fire  Pre- 
vention leaflets  were  distributed,  and  this  same  leaflet 
brought  more  favorable  comment  than  anything  else 
which  was  issued  during  the  campaign. 

Various  officers  and  members  of  the  department  gave 
short  four-minute  talks  in  the  schools  and  other  places 
of  assembly.  All  houses  of  the  department  were  open 
to  the  public  and  instructions  were  given  on  how  to 
properly  send  in  an  alarm  of  fire,  and  short  talks  given. 


Fire  Department. 


23 


This  department,  co-operating  with  the  Massachu- 
setts Safety  Council,  set-up,  maintained  and  furnished 
men  to  operate  a  fire  alarm  box  at  the  Health  Show  in 
Mechanics  Building  during  that  week,  and  these  men 
also  gave  short  talks  on  Fire  Prevention. 

A  truck  with  a  fire  alarm  box  set  up  thereon,  with 
members  to  give  instructions  regarding  same,  was 
operated  throughout  the  city  during  that  week,  and 
another  horse-drawn  truck  bearing  large  signs  with 
pertinent  facts  regarding  Fire  Prevention,  was  also 
operated  daily  throughout  the  city. 

A  circular  letter  was  sent  to  over  three  hundred  of  the 
leading  merchants,  manufacturers,  wool  and  cotton 
interests,  paint  and  hardware  concerns,  etc.,  calling 
upon  them  to  establish  self-inspection  systems  in  their 
various  lines  of  business,  and  calling  their  attention  to 
the  importance  of  Fire  Prevention  to  those  to  whom  it 
really  means  the  most,  namely,  the  employers  through- 
out the  city,  and  in  turn  to  their  employees. 

In  all,  we  estimate  that  approximately  five  hundred 
thousand  people  were  reached  directly  during  this  Fire 
Prevention  campaign,  and  I  feel  safe  in  saying  that  it 
was  the  most  intensive  of  its  kind  ever  conducted  in  the 
City  of  Boston,  and  I  feel  certain  that  very  beneficial 
results  will  accrue  therefrom. 


Hydrants. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  types  and  number  of  each, 
of  hydrants,  in  service  for  fire  purposes,  as  of  January 
31,  1924: 


Ordinary  post 

Boston  post .... 

Lowry 

Boston  lowry 

Bachelder   &  Finneran  post 

High  pressure 

Boston  .... 

Chapman  post 

Ludlow  post 

Matthew  post 

Coffin  post  .... 


4,147 

3,231 

1,392 

561 

597 

370 

268 

187 

20 

4 

1 


Total 


10,777 


24 


City  Document  No.  11, 


High  Pressure  System. 
The  records  of  our  two  high  pressure  stations  for  the 
year  are  as  follows: 

Station  No.  1.- — Total  alarms  to  which  pumps  re- 
sponded, 169;  total  time  pumps  actually  operated, 
58  hours  3  minutes;  water  discharge  recorded  on  Ven- 
turi  meters,  1,450,000  gallons. 

Station  No.  2. —  Total  alarms  to  which  pumps  re- 
sponded, 131;  total  time  pumps  actually  operated, 
61  hours  46  minutes;  water  discharge  recorded  on  Ven- 
turi  meters,  805,000  gallons. 

(Owing  to  the  construction  of  the  Venturi  meters, 
they  do  not  record  flows  under  six  hundred  gallons  per 
minute.) 

The  total  amount  of  pipe  installed  in  the  High  Pres- 
sure Fire  System  up  to  January  1,  1924,  is  as  follows: 


12-inch  Pipe . 

16-inch  Pipe. 

20-inch  Pipe. 

18,613  feet. 
3.53  miles. 

33,701  feet. 
6.38  miles. 

20,140  feet. 
3.81  miles. 

Total  amount  of  piping  in  system:    72,454  feet,  or 
13.73  miles. 


Total  Length  of  Pipe  that  Will  be  in  Completed 

System. 


12-inch  Pipe. 

16-inch  Pipe. 

20-inch  Pipe. 

Total. 

33,956  feet.             39,824  feet. 
6.43  miles.               7.54  miles. 

24,661  feet. 
4.67  miles. 

98,441  feet. 
18.64  miles. 

Total  number  of  hydrants  in  service,  370. 

The  high  pressure  problem  in  the  City  of  Boston  has 
long  since  passed  through  the  experimental  stages,  and 
from  the  practical  work  performed  under  stress  it  has 
proven  an  absolute  necessity  in  the  extinguishment  of 
fires  in  the  high  value  section  of  the  city. 

Signs  on  Sprinkler  System  Alarm  Gongs. 
With  your  approval  and  that  of  the  Boston  Board  of 
Fire  Underwriters,  a  uniform  sign  was  adopted  which 


Fire  Department. 


25 


may  be  placed  near  the  outside  sprinkler  alarm  gong 
to  indicate  its  purpose  and  to  suggest  action  in  case  the 
gong  is  ringing.  This  is  an  enameled  iron  sign  11^  inches 
by  15  inches,  with  the  words,  "Sprinkler  Fire  Alarm — 
When  Bell  Rings  call  Police  or  Fire  Department"  in 
white  lettering  on  a  red  background. 

Recommendations  have  been  made  that  this  sign  be 
placed  on  all  buildings  having  sprinkler  systems  so 
that  the  loss  of  valuable  time  will  be  avoided  in  sending 
in  alarms  of  fire,  incidentally  reducing  the  loss  by  water 
and  also  by  fire,  through  expediting  the  Fire  Depart- 
ment's response. 

Two-Platoon  System. 

In  accordance  with  orders,  I  visited  the  cities  of  Phil- 
adelphia, Buffalo,  Chicago,  Detroit,  Cleveland  and  New 
York,  for  the  purpose  of  investigation  and  study  of  the 
so-called  two-platoon  system  for  fire  departments. 

So  far  as  the  efficiency  of  the  fire  fighting  service  goes, 
the  two-platoon  system  has  not  lessened  it  in  these 
cities,  with  one  exception,  but  if  anything,  has  actually 
increased  the  efficiency. 

There  are,  in  general,  two  well  recognized  methods 
of  operating  the  two-platoon  system.  The  first  in  the 
twenty-four  hour  shift  —  i.  e.,  where  one-half  of  the 
department  is  on  duty  for  twenty-four  hours  and  is  then 
relieved  by  the  other  half  of  the  department,  and  so  on. 
This  amounts  virtually  to  a  day  off  in  two,  without  meal 
hours  for  the  shift  on  duty.  This  system  is  now  in 
force  in  Cleveland,  Chicago  and  Detroit.  In  Chicago, 
some  of  the  men  do  not  like  this  plan  on  account  of  the 
question  of  meals. 

The  second  method  of  operation  is  on  the  basis  of 
two  shifts  in  every  twenty-four  hours,  generally  ten 
and  fourteen  hours  alternated,  in  some  cases  the  alter- 
ation coming  by  days,  in  other  cases  the  alternation 
coming  by  weeks.  This  latter  method  is  the  one  which 
is  to  be  adopted  by  our  department,  one  shift  being 
from  8  a.  m.  to  6  p.  m.,  and  the  other  from  6  p.  m.  to 
8  a.  m.,  and  the  tour  of  duty  will  be  as  follows: 


First  Day. 

Second  Day. 

Third  Day. 

Fourth  Day. 

Fifth  Day. 

Sixth  Day. 

On  day. 

On  day. 

On  24  hours. 

On  night. 

On  night. 

Off  24  hours. 

26  City  Document  No.  11. 

Every  one  of  the  cities  mentioned  found  it  necessary 
to  put  on  a  considerable  number  of  additional  men,  in 
order  to  put  the  two-platoon  system  into  operation 
without  loss  of  efficiency  to  the  fire  service,  and  to  install 
this  system  in  the  Boston  Fire  Department  it  will  require 
an  increase  in  officers  and  men  as  follows: 

3  Deputy  Chiefs. 
15  District  Chiefs. 

7  Captains. 

8  Lieutenants. 
177  Privates. 

210  Total  —  All  grades. 

One  of  the  principal  benefits  which  will  accrue  to  the 
department  with  the  installation  of  the  Two-Platoon 
System  is  the  increase  in  man-power  in  the  different 
companies  with  a  corresponding  increase  in  efficiency. 
For  example,  under  the  day-in-three  system,  the  actual 
fire  fighting  force  of  the  department  is  approximately 
1,200  officers  and  men,  which  gives  us  actually  for  duty 
every  day  two-thirds  of  1,200  or  800  officers  and  men. 
Take  into  consideration  also  that  during  almost  12 
hours  of  the  24,  one-third  of  this  800  are  at  meals,  and 
we  find  that  during  almost  12  continuous  hours  of  every 
day  we  have  in  the  apparatus  houses  534  men  ready 
for  immediate  response  to  an  alarm,  or  less  than  50  per 
cent  of  our  total  force.  Under  the  Two-Platoon  System 
we  will  have  on  duty  approximately  725  men  ready  for 
immediate  response  during  every  hour  of  the  twenty- 
four. 

Under  the  day-in-three  plan,  many  leaves  of  absence 
were  granted  for  various  important  reasons,  when  the 
strength  of  forces  would  allow,  much  of  which  will  be 
eliminated  under  the  Two-Platoon  System,  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  many  things  that  now  require  a  leave  of 
absence  will  be  attended  to  on  the  men's  off  time. 

Of  course,  from  a  humanitarian  standpoint,  the  great- 
est benefit  accruing  from  this  System  is  the  fact  that 
the  men  will  be  enabled  to  spend  a  good  portion  of  their 
time  with  their  families,  which  is  one  of  the  greatest 
hardships  of  the  day-in-three  or  five,  etc.,  systems, 
whereby  men  were  home  only  one  day  in  three  or  five, 
except  for  the  short  time  allowed  for  meal  hours,  and 
in  a  great  many  cases  members  are  located  in  companies 


Fire  Department.  27 

which  are  so  far   from  their  homes  that  they  are  able 
to  see  their  families  only  on  their  days-off. 

The  total  additional  outlay  for  the  first  year  which 
will  be  made  necessary  by  the  installation  of  the  Two- 
Platoon  System,  including  the  cost  of  uniforms,  fire 
hats,  etc.,  and  salaries  of  additional  officers  and  privates, 
is  estimated  at  $349,647.50. 

Recommendations. 

Apparatus. 
I  earnestly  recommend  the  purchase  of  the  following 
major  motor-driven  fire-fighting  apparatus,  to  be  located 
in  the  houses  specified: 

Engine  4,  Bulfinch  Street,  West  End. —  One  750-gallon 
pumper  to  replace  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire 
engine. 

Engine  33,  Boylston  and  Hereford  Streets,  Back  Bay. — 
One  750-gallon  pumper;  one  combination  chemical  and 
hose  car  to  replace  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam  fire 
engine  and  a  Seagrave  hose  motor  car  which  is  practically 
worn  out. 

Engine  39,  Congress  Street,  South  Boston. —  One  750- 
gallon  pumper  to  replace  a  Christie  tractor-drawn  steam 
fire  engine. 

Engine  1±2,  Washington  Street,  Egleston  Square. —  One 
750-gallon  pumper  to  replace  a  Christie  tractor-drawn 
steam  fire  engine. 

Note. —  The  boilers  on  the  four  (4)  tractor-drawn 
steam  fire  engines  mentioned  above  have  so  far  deteri- 
orated as  to  necessitate  the  expenditure  of  considerable 
money  for  new  boilers. 

Engine  14,  Centre  Street,  Roxbury. —  One  combination 
chemical  and  hose  car  to  replace  Knox  hose  car  which 
is  practically  worn  out. 

Engine  16,  River  and  Temple  Streets,  Dorchester  Lower 
Mills. —  One  combination  chemical  and  hose  car.  This 
installation  required  to  make  this  a  double-unit  company. 

Engine  4$,  Andrew  Square,  South  Boston. —  One  com- 
bination chemical  and  hose  car  to  replace  Velie  hose 
car  which  is  practically  worn  out. 

Ladder  6,  River  and  Temple  Streets,  Dorchester  Lower 
Mills. —  One  city  service  truck  to  replace  worn-out 
tractor  drawn  truck. 


28  City  Document  No.  11. 

Ladder  26,  Longwood  and  Brookline  Avenues,  Back 
Bay. —  One  city  service  truck  to  replace  worn-out  tractor 
drawn  truck. 

Ladder  4,  Dudley  Street,  Roxbury. —  One  four-wheel 
tractor.  Front  drive  on  this  particular  apparatus  is  worn 
out  in  service  and  should  be  replaced  as  soon  as  possible. 

Ladder  17,  Harrison  Avenue,  City  Proper. —  One  four- 
wheel  tractor.  Front  drive  on  this  particular  apparatus 
is  worn  out  in  service  and  should  be  replaced  as  soon  as 
possible. 

I  would  also  recommend  the  purchase  of  a  new  rescue 
wagon,  specifications  to  be  drawn  for  same  which  will 
cover  the  carrying  of  delicate  mechanism  such  as  gas 
masks,  etc.,  and  the  establishment  of  a  new  rescue 
company,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  present  running 
card  of  Rescue  Company  No.  1  is  really  too  much  for 
one  company  to  handle  properly. 

I  would  further  recommend  the  purchase  of  two  five- 
passenger  cars  for  replacement  of  cars  in  service  of 
deputy  chiefs,  and  four  roadsters  to  replace  cars  in  use 
by  district  chiefs.  All  of  these  cars  are  practically 
worn  out  in  service. 


New  Buildings. 

Engine  21,  Columbia  Road,  Dorchester. —  New  building 
on  present  foundation. 

Engine  17,  Ladder  7,  Meeting  House  Hill,  Dorchester. — 
New  building  on  a  new  site. 

I  would  also  recommend  a  new  bungalow  fire  station 
and  site  in   West  Roxbury. 

I  further  recommend  the  location  of  a  new  engine 
company  in  the  vicinity  of  Jersey  and  Boylston  streets, 
owing  to  the  rapid  growth  in  that  district,  and  it  is  both 
a  business  and  dwelling  section  which  requires  more 
adequate  protection  than  it  has  at  the  present  time. 
Recent  building  operations  in  that  locality  have  been 
in  leaps  and  bounds  and  the  distance  on  center  between 
Engine  House  37,  located  at  Longwood  avenue  and 
Brookline  avenue,  Engine  House  41  on  Harvard  street, 
Allston  district,  and  Engine  33  at  Boylston  and  Here- 
ford streets  would  show  clearly  that  more  protection  is 
required. 

I  also  recommend  that  a  new  fire  station  be  built  at 
the  junction  of  Tremont  street  and  Shawmut  avenue 


Fire  Department.  29 

over  the  subway,  and  that  Engine  Company  26  and  35 
and  High  Pressure  Company  be  removed  from  their 
present  location  on  Mason  street  to  new  location  herein 
mentioned.  Included  in  this  new  structure,  room 
should  be  made  also  for  the  quarters  of  the  Rescue 
Company  and  also  the  Chief  of  Department. 

Remodeling  and  Fireproofing. 

Engine  12,  Dudley  Street. —  Finishing  first  floor,  re- 
modeling second  floor. 

Engine  27,  Elm  Street,  Charlestown. —  Finishing  first 
floor,  brick,  plaster  and  finish. 

Engine  19,  Norfolk  Street,  Mattapan. —  Fireproof  floor 
slab,  finishing  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  34,  Western  Avenue,  Brighton. —  Fireproofing 
floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  20  and  Ladder  27,  Walnut  Street,  Dorchester. — 
This  building  is  clearly  off  center  and  should  be  con- 
sidered for  relocation. 

Engine  11  and  Ladder  21,  Saratoga  Street,  East  Boston. — 
Fireproof  floor  slab,  fireproofing  walls  and  ceiling, 
improvements. 

Engine  37  and  Ladder  26,  Longwood  Avenue,  Back 
Bay. —  Rebuilding. 

Engine  24,  Warren  Street,  Roxhury. —  Reinforced  floor, 
fireproofing  walls  and  ceiling,  first  floor. 

Engine  32,  Bunker  Hill  Street,  Charlestown. — -  Rein- 
forced floor,  fireproofing  walls  and  ceiling,  first  floor, 
remodeling  second  floor. 

Engine  13,  Cabot  Street,  Roxhury.—  Fireproofing  first 
floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  Jj-%  and  Ladder  30,  Egleston  Square. —  Fire- 
proofing first  floor,  remodeling  second  floor. 

Ladder  17,  Harrison  Avenue,  City  Proper. —  Fire- 
proofing first  floor,  alterations  on  second. 

Engine  6,  Leverett  Street,  West  End. —  Fireproofing 
first  floor  and  remodeling. 

Engine  2,  Fourth  Street,  South'  Boston. — ■  Fireproofing 
first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Ladder  23,  Washington  Street,  Dorchester. — ■  Finishing 
alterations  second  and  third  floors. 

Engine  3,  Harrison  Avenue,  South  End. — Fireproofing 
first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 


30  City  Document  No.  11. 

Ladder  3,  Harrison  Avenue,  South  End. — Fireproofing 
first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  22  and  Ladder  13,  Warren  Avenue,  South  End. — 
Fireproofing  first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling,  remodeling. 

Engine  23,  Northampton  Street,  Roxbury. —  Fireproof- 
ing first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling,  remodeling. 

Engine  29  and  Ladder  11,  Chestnut  Hill  Avenue, 
Brighton. —  Fireproofing  first  floor  and  ceiling. 

Engine  36  and  Ladder  22,  Monument  Street,  Charles- 
town. —  Fireproofing  first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  45  and  Ladder  16,  Washington  Street,  Roslin- 
dale. —  Fireproofing  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  48  and  Ladder  28,  Harvard  Avenue,  Hyde 
Park. —  Fireproofing  first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Ladder  12,  Tremont  Street,  Roxbury. —  Fireproofing 
floor,  walls  and  ceiling,  also  remodeling  first  floor. 

Engine  9  and  Ladder  2,  Paris  Street,  East  Boston. — 
Fireproofing  first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Ladder  9,  Main  Street,  Charlestown.—  Fireproofing 
first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  47  (fireboat). — Repairs  and  improvements. 

Ladder  24,  North  Grove  Street,  West  End. —  Fireproof- 
ing first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Rescue  1,  Church  Street. —  Fireproofing  first  floor, 
walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  18,  Harvard  Street,  Dorchester. — •  Fireproofing 
floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Engine  30  and  Ladder  25,  Centre  Street,  West  Roxbury. 
Fireproofing  floor,  walls  and  ceilings. 

Engine  16  and  Ladder  6,  River  Street,  Dorchester  Lower 
Mills. —  Fireproofing  first  floor,  walls  and  ceiling. 

Conclusion. 

To  the  Boston  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters,  the 
National  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters,  the  New  England 
Insurance  Exchange,  and  the  National  Fire  Protection 
Association,  who  so  kindly  co-operated  with  this  depart- 
ment in  the  development  of  many  progressive  measures, 
I  wish  to  extend  my  sincere  appreciation.  Also  to  the 
various  municipal  departments,  public  service  corpora- 
tions, and  the  Boston  Protective  Department,  which 
rendered  such  valuable  assistance  during  the  past  year, 
I  wish  to  express  my  thanks. 


Fire  Department.  31 

Finally,  to  the  members  of  the  department  who  so 
devotedly  and  efficiently  performed  their  many  difficult 
and,  at  times,  hazardous  tasks,  I  wish  to  express  my 
heartfelt  gratitude,  and  it  is  my  hope  that  the  depart- 
ment will  continue  its  place  among  the  foremost  fire 
departments  throughout  the  world,  with  a  continuance 
of  the  same  high  caliber  of  service,  as  in  the  past. 

Respectfully, 

John  O.  Taber, 

Chief  of  Department. 


32 


City  Document  No.  11. 


FIRE   ALARM   BRANCH. 


From:     The  Superintendent  of  Fire  Alarm  Branch. 
To:     The  Fire  Commissioner. 
Subject:    Annual  Report  of  Fire  Alarm  Branch,  1923-1S24. 

I  submit  herewith  the  annual  report  of  the  Fire  Alarm 
Branch  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  January  31,  1924: 


OPERATING   DIVISION. 

Note. —  The   records    of   this    division    are   for   the 
calendar  j^ear  1923. 


Box  Alarms  Received  and  Transmitted 


First  alarms 
Second  alarms 
Third  alarms 
Fourth  alarms 
Fifth  alarms 

Total    . 


3,181 
56 
20 

8 
1 

3,266 


Box  Alarms  Received  but  not  Transmitted. 

Same  box  received  two  or  more  times  for  same  fire      .  299 

Adjacent  boxes  received  for  same  fire     ....  217 

Received  from  boxes  but  treated  as  stills      ...  2 

Total 518 


Still  Alarms  Received  and  Transmitted. 

Received  from  citizens  (by  telephone)    ....  2,058 

Received  from  police'  department  (by  telephone)         .  329 

Received  from  fire  department  stations  (by  telephone) ,  1,327 

Received  from  boxes  but  treated  as  stills      ...  2 
Mutual  Aid  alarms,  adjacent  cities  and  towns,  classed 

as  stills 36 

Emergency  services,  classed  as  stills       ....  58 


Total 


3,810 


Fire  Department.  33 

Still   alarms   received  by  telephone   for  which   box 

alarms  were  later  transmitted 250 

Automatic  and  A.  D.  T.  Alarms. 

Boston  Automatic  Fire  Alarm  Company: 

Transmitted  by  company  to  department  stations        .  198 

Department  box  alarms  transmitted  in  connection  with  same: 

Before  automatic  alarm 10 

After  automatic  alarm       ! 16 

A.  D.  T.  Company: 

Received  at  fire  alarm  office 51 

Department  box  alarms  transmitted  in  connection  with  same: 

Before  A.  D.  T.  alarm  was  received       ....  7 

After  A.  D.  T.  alarm  was  transmitted   ....  2 

Received  after  still  alarms  were  transmitted         .        .  3 

A.  D.  T.  alarms  transmitted  to  department          .        .  41 

Summary  of  Alarms. 
Alarms  received: 

Box  alarms,  including  multiples 3,784 

Still  alarms,  all  classes 3,808 

Boston  automatic  alarms 198 

A.  D.  T.  alarms 51 


Total  received  from  all  sources        .        .        .        .         7,841 

Excludes  following  duplications: 
Box  alarms  received  but  not  transmitted      .        .        .  518 
Still  alarms  for  which  box  alarms  were  transmitted     .           250 
Automatic  alarms  for  which  box   alarms  were  trans- 
mitted        26 

A.  D.  T.  alarms  for  which  other  alarms  were  pre- 
viously transmitted 10 

Total  duplications  eliminated 804 

Total  alarms,  with  duplications  eliminated,  to  which 

apparatus  responded 7,037 

Fire  Alarm  Box  Records. 

Boxes  from  which  no  alarms  were  received   .        .        .  422 

Box  tests  and  inspections 8,736 

Note. —  All  keyless  doors  are  tested  weekly. 

CONSTRUCTION  DIVISION. 
Exterior  Work. 

In  the  regular  work  done  during  the  year  about  5,760 
feet  of  underground  ducts  were  laid,  29  new  box  posts 


34  City  Document  No.  11. 

were  set,  34  new  boxes  were  connected  into  service  and 
about  59,000  feet  of  underground  cable  was  installed. 

For  connections  to  the  proposed  new  signal  station  in 
the  Fenway  district  an  agreement  was  made  with  the 
telephone  company  whereby  about  17,000  feet  of  ducts 
were  installed  underground.  Of  this  amount  10,600 
feet  are  to  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  this  department. 
In  addition  to  that  work  eight  large  size  cable  terminal 
posts  were  installed.  About  1,475  feet  of  ducts  were 
used  to  connect  these  posts  to  the  conduit  system. 

New  Fiee  Alarm  Signal  Station. 

For  several  years  past  efforts  have  been  made  to  obtain 
a  building  to  house  the  central  office  fire  alarm  equip- 
ment in  a  location  free  from  conflagration  hazard.  The 
necessity  of  such  action  was  made  more  imperative 
because  the  present  equipment  was  insufficient  to  meet 
the  requirements.  The  Boston  Board  and  the  National 
Board  of  Fire  Underwriters  strongly  urged  that  action 
be  taken,  but  it  remained  for  the  present  administration 
to  do  something  definite.  When  the  project  was  finally 
started  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  heartily  endorsed  it. 

An  appropriation  of  $500,000  was  made  and  a  site 
was  selected  in  the  Back  Bay  Fens  with  the  consent  of 
the  Legislature.  At  this  time,  the  beginning  of  the  fiscal 
year  1924-25,  the  contract  for  the  fire  alarm  equipment 
amounting  to  $217,000,  has  been  made  with  the  Game- 
well  Fire  Alarm  Telegraph  Company.  The  conduits 
necessary  to  connect  the  present  underground  cable 
system  with  the  new  building  have  been  laid,  cable 
terminal  posts  have  been  installed,  the  contract  for  all 
necessary  cables  has  been  made  and  the  plans  and 
specifications  for  the  construction  of  the  building  have 
been  completed. 

Radio. 

Four  transmitting  and  receiving  radio  stations  have 
been  installed,  one  at  Fire  Headquarters  in  the  fire 
alarm  office  and  one  on  each  of  the  three  fire  boats.  It 
is  now  possible  to  be  in  direct  communication  at  all 
times  with  each  of  the  boats. 

Underground  Cables  Installed. 
Charlestown. 
Medford    street,    from    Chelsea    street    to         Cond-  Feet- 

Decatur  street 10  266 


Fire  Department.  35 


Cond. 

Feet. 

6 

2,508 

6 
4 

867 
108 

10 
10 

1,022 
701 

10 

279 

6 

348 

6 
6 
6 

939 

1,032 

684 

Medford  street,  from  Cook  street  to  Tufts 
street        

Carney  street,  from  Bunker  Hill  street  to 
Medford  street 

Building  connections 

South  Boston. 

I  street,  from  Broadway  to  East  Sixth  street, 
East  Fourth  street,  from  I  street  to  K  street, 
K  street,  from  East  Fourth  street  to  East 

Fifth  street      

Broadway    from    Dorchester    street    to    G 

street        

G    street,    from    Broadway   to    East    Sixth 

street        

I  street,  from  Broadway  to  East  First  street, 
East  First  street,  from  I  street  to  K  street, 

Dorchester. 

River  street,  from  Central  avenue  to  Blue 
Hill  avenue 

Dorchester  avenue,  from  Savin  Hill  avenue 
to  Freeport  street  .        .        . 

Adams  street,  from  Codman  street  to  Granite 
avenue 

Adams  street,  from  King  square  to  Granite 
avenue 

Washington  street,  Aspinwall  road,  Whitfield 
street  and  Talbot  avenue,  Box  3355  to 
Box  3354 

River  street  and  Central  avenue,  from  En- 
gine 16  to  Milton 

Bowdoin,  Olney  and  Richfield  streets,  from 
Box  3185  to  Box  3187  .        .        .        .        . 

Post  and  pole  connections        .... 

Post  and  pole  connections        .        ... 

Post  and  pole  connections        .... 


Hyde  Park. 

River  street,  from  Malta  street  to  Metropoli- 
tan avenue      .......  15       5,641 

Pole  connections        ......  6  375 

Roxbury. 

Beacon  and  St.  Mary's  streets,  from  Audubon 

circle  to  Mountfort  street      .       .      ".       .  6       1,500 


15 

6,420 

10 

2,282 

10 

1,146 

6 

5,811 

6 

1,658 

6 

1,505 

6 

10 

6 

4 

1,543 

484 

1,511 

1,170 

36 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Ipswich   and  Boylston   streets  from   Lans-  Cond.  Feet. 

do wne  street  to  Jersey  street       .        .        .  6  1,691 

Quincy  street,  from  Dacia  street  to  Mag- 
nolia street 10  1 ,460 

Pole  connections 6  427 


West  Roxbury. 

Belgrade  avenue,  from  Walworth  street  to 

Colberg  avenue,  Colberg  avenue,  Loraine 

street,  Belgrade  street,  Beach  street,  and 

Anawan  avenue  to  Park  street    ...  6       7,040 

Maple  street,  from  Centre  street  to  Pomfret 

street        ........  6       2,197 

Poplar   street,   from    Washington    street   to 

Hillside  avenue 6        1,950 

Cornell    street,    from    Colberg.    avenue    to 

Aldrich  street 6  253 

Post  connections 10  436 

Post  connections 4  58 


Brighton. 

Cambridge    street,    from    North    Harvard 

street  to  Box  5211 6  2,074 

Corey  road,   from   Wellington    to   Windsor 

road 6  1,354 

Pole  connections 6  259 

Post  connections 4  422 


Fire  Alarm  Box  Posts  Installed  with  Duct  Lengths  to 

Same. 

Charlestown. 

Medford  and  Pearl  streets 
Medford  and  Cottage  streets  . 
Medford  and  Decatur  streets  . 
Medford  street,  opposite  Tufts  street     . 

Dorchester. 

Hamilton  and  Barry  streets     . 
Richfield  street  and  Puritan  avenue 
Adams  street,  opposite  Centre  street 
Adams  and  Lonsdale  streets    . 
Adams  and  Ashmont  streets    . 
Adams  and  Franccnia  streets  . 
Adams  street  and  Granite  avenue,  2  duct 
Florida  and  King  streets  .... 
Florida  and  Templeton  streets 


16  feet 

16  feet 

20  feet 

42  feet 

120  feet 

7  feet 

7  feet 

7  feet 

13  feet 

6  feet 

19  feet 

110  feet 

59  feet 

Fire  Department.  37 


Dorchester. 
Washington  and  Rockwell  streets 
Washington  and  Fairmount  streets     . 
River  and  Idaho  streets  .  . 

River  street,  near  Consumptives'  Hospital 
River  and  Fremont  streets  .... 
Talbot  avenue  and  Spencer  street 


12  feet 
15  feet 

8  feet 
35  feet 

9  feet 
32  feet 


Hyde  Park. 

River  and  Massasoit  streets 32  feet 

River  and  Blake  streets 7  feet 

River  street  and  Reddy  avenue    .....  27  feet 

Roxbury. 

Ipswich  and  Lansdowne  streets  (2  ducts)  ...  6  feet 

Blue  Hill  avenue  and  Winthrop  street        .        .        .  23  feet 

Quincy  and  Magnolia  streets 20  feet 

West  Roxbury. 

Cornell  and  Aldrich  streets  13  feet 

Hyde  Park  avenue  and  Canterbury  street        .        .         16  feet 

Brighton. 

Corey  and  Wellington  roads 26  feet 

Myrick  and  Bayard  streets 50  feet 

Fire  Alarm  Box  Posts  Reset. 
Humboldt  avenue  and  Townsend  street  (broken  by  truck). 
Washington  and  Dale  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Clarendon  and  Chandler  streets  (twice)  (broken  by  truck). 
Washington  street,  opposite  Water  street  (broken  by  truck). 
India  and  Central  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Pierce  square  (broken  by  truck). 
Washington  and  West  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Commonwealth  avenue  and  Clarendon  street  (broken  by  truck). 
Albany  and  Yeoman  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Dudley  street,  opposite  Magnolia  street  (broken  by  truck). 
Dorchester  avenue  and  Victoria  street  (broken  by  truck). 
Washington  and  Roslin  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Tremont  and  Winter  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Tremont  and  Ruggles  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Clarendon  and  Stuart  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Commonwealth  avenue  and  Granby  street  (broken  by  truck). 
Walnut  avenue  and  Crawford  street  (broken  by  truck). 
Causeway  and  Haverhill  streets  (broken  by  truck). 
Park  square  (broken  by  truck). 
Washington  and  Concord  streets  (change  of  curb). 
Hyde  Park  avenue  and  Walk  Hill  street  (extra  pipe)     .     18  feet 
Harvard  and  Glen  way  streets  (grade  changed). 


38 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Spring  and  Centre  streets  (change  of  location). 
School  street,  opposite  Byron  court  (change  of  curb). 
Stuart  and  Carver  streets  (change  of  curb). 
Washington  and  Beech  streets  (change  of  curb). 
Chelsea  street,  opposite  Prospect  street  (change  of  curb). 
St.  Mary's  and  Mountfort  streets  (change  of  curb). 
Tremont  and  Warrenton  streets  (broken  water  main). 
Columbus    avenue    and    Centre    street    (relocation) 

extension 

Harrison  avenue  and  Kneeland  street  (out  of  plumb). 


23  feet 


Thirteen  other  posts  were  broken  by  vehicles  which 
required  the  replacement  of  top  sections  of  posts. 


New  Cable  Posts  Installed. 

Hemenway  and  Boylston  streets,  5  ducts 
Brookline  and  Commonwealth  avenues,  4  ducts 
Massachusetts  avenue  and  St.   Stephen  street,  ( 

ducts 

Harrison  avenue  and  Florence  street,  4  ducts  . 
Washington  and  Northampton  streets,  6  ducts 
Tremont  and  Northampton  streets,  6  ducts 
Tremont  and  Ruggles  streets,  6  ducts 
Berkeley  and  Stuart  streets,  6  ducts  . 

Cable  Posts  Replaced. 

Tremont  and  Clarendon  streets. 

Harrison  avenue  and  Beach  street. 

Congress  and  A  streets. 

Main  and  Medford  streets. 

Centre  and  Moraine  streets  (broken  three  times). 

Cable  Post  Relocated. 
Tremont  and  Stuart  streets,  2  ducts  . 

Cable  Post  Removed. 
West  First  and  A  streets. 

New  Conduits  Installed. 

Corey  Road,  from  Wellington  road  to  Cummings 
road 

New  Pole  Connections. 

Cummings  road  at  Corey  road 

Royal  street,  near  Cambridge  street  . 
Medford  street,  near  Cook  street  . 
Medford  and  Terminal  streets 


61  feet 
15  feet 

36  feet 
9  feet 

•40  feet 

37  feet 
29  feet 
37  feet 


60  feet 


490  feet 


249  feet 
33  feet 
87  feet 

182  feet 


Fire  Department. 


39 


Medford   and   Tufts   streets    (Water   Department 

building) 

River  and  Standard  streets  . 
River  and  Cedar  streets 
River  street  and  Wood  avenue    . 
Wrentham  street,  near  Dorchester  avenue 
Barry  street,  near  Hamilton  street     . 
Adams  and  King  streets  *    .        .        . 
Adams  and  Beaumont  streets  *   . 
Adams  and  Minot  streets  *  . 
Adams  street,  near  Codman  street  *  . 
Adams  street,  at  Codman  street  * 
Marsh  street  and  Granite  avenue  *     . 
Granite  avenue  and  Adams  street  *    . 
Washington  and  Rockwell  streets 
Washington  and  Bailey  streets    . 
Quincy  street  and  Howard  avenue  *   . 
Mascoma  street  at  Quincy  street  * 
Spring  and  Gardner  streets  * 
Spring  street  near  Baker  street  * 


43  feet 

76  feet 

83  feet 

80  feet 

7  feet 

36  feet 

124  feet 

190  feet 

213  feet 

254  feet 

121  feet 
147  feet 
139  feet 

108  feet 

109  feet 
147  feet 
180  feet 
105  feet 

122  feet 


Ducts  Abandoned. 

Tremont  and  Stuart  streets,  2  ducts  . 
West  First  and  A  streets,  2  ducts 
Main  and  Miller  streets,  2  ducts 
Spring  and  Centre  streets,  1  duct 
Hampden  street  and  Norfolk  avenue,  1  duct 


14  feet 

54  feet 

55  feet 
23  feet 
70  feet 


Pole   and   Building   Connections   Replaced. 

Hampden  street  and  Norfolk  avenue         .        .        .         70  feet 
South  Ferry  House,  East  Boston         ....         65  feet 


Public  Fire  Alarm  Boxes  Established. 

Box.  Location. 

234.  Ipswich  and  Lansdowne  streets. 

244.  Opposite  270  Amory  street. 

2491.  Pond  and  May  streets. 

2547.  Florence  street  and  Bex  ley  road. 

2622.  Belgrade  avenue  and  Bradwood  street. 

2629.  Park  and  Martin  streets. 

2726.  Weld  street  and  Parkvale  road. 

2734.  Weld  street  and  Russett  road. 

315.  Blue  Hill  avenue  and  Winthrop  street. 

3187.  Richfield  street  and  Puritan  avenue. 

3374.  Callender  and  Lucerne  streets. 

3428.  Adams  and  Centre  streets. 

3443.  King  and  Florida  streets. 

*  Work  done  for  this  department  by  Telephone  Company. 


40  City  Document  No.  11. 

Box.  Location. 

345.  Victory  road  and  Houghton  street. 

3519.  Milton  avenue  and  Fairmount  street. 

3563.  River  and  Fremont  streets. 

3571.  Oakland  and  Bismarck  streets. 

3613.  Washington  and  Rockwell  streets. 

3633.  Washington  and  Codman  streets. 

3782.  Glenwood  avenue  and  Loring  street. 

45.  Medford  and  Cottage  streets. 

5216.  Hooker  and  Holman  streets. 

5218.  Myrick  and  Bayard  streets. 

5279.  Parsons  street  and  Electric  avenue. 

528.  Parsons  and  Surrey  streets. 

7165.  East  First  and  West  First  streets. 

SCHOOLHOUSE   BOXES   ESTABLISHED. 

2185.     Henry  L.  Higginson  School,  Harrishof  street. 

2319.     St.  Mary's  and  Mountfort  streets,  auxiliary  to  William 

McKinley  School. 
2348.     Boston  Public  Latin  School,  Avenue  Louis  Pasteur. 
3518.     Frank  V.  Thompson  School,  Maxwell  street. 
681.     Daniel  Webster  School,  Lubec  street. 

Private  Fire  Alarm  Boxes  Established. 

245.     Haffenreffer  &  Co.,  Bismarck  street. 
659.     Standard  Oil  Company,  Chelsea  street. 
7126.     South  Boston  Dry  Dock. 

Fire  Alarm  Boxes  Relocated. 

2492.     From  Pond  and  Rockwood  streets  to  Pond  street  and 

Woodland  road. 
2616.     From  Belgrade  avenue  and  Rexhame  street  to  Belgrade 

and  Colberg  avenues. 
2621.     From  Beech  and  Newburg  streets  to  Beech  street  and 

Colberg  avenue. 
3184.     From  opposite  50  Barry  street  to  Hamilton  and  Barry 

streets. 
452.     From  Medford  street,  opposite  Mystic  street  to  Medford 

and  Pearl  streets. 
5278.     From  North  Beacon  street  and  Electric  avenue  to  North 

Beacon  and  Vineland  streets. 
7161.     From  West  First  street,  between  E  and  F  streets  to 

West  First  and  E  streets. 

Fire  Alarm  Boxes  Removed  from  Service. 

1446.     A.  Shuman  Company,  Washington  and  Summer  streets. 
3232.     St.  Mary's  Infant  Asylum. 
410.     Jacob  Foss  School,  Adams  and  Chestnut  streets. 


Fire  Department. 


41 


Fire  Alarm  Boxes  in  Service. 

Total  number 

Owned  by  Fire  Department     .... 
Owned  by  Schoolhouse  Department 
Owned  by  Automatic  Fire  Alarm  Company 
Privately  owned 


1,299 

916 

212 

61 

110 


Department  Boxes. 

On  box  posts 

On  poles 

On  buildings 

Inside  buildings 

Equipped  with  keyless  doors  (bell  ringing  attachment) 
Equipped  with  keyless  doors  (glass  guards) 

Equipped  with  key  doors 

Equipped  with  auxiliary  attachments 
Designated  by  red  lights 


509 

383 

19 

5 

860 

49 

7 

15 

525 


Schoolhouse  Boxes. 
On  box  posts 

On  poles      .... 
On  buildings 
Inside  buildings 
Equipped  with  keyless  doors 
Equipped  with  key  doors 
Equipped  with  auxiliary  attachments 
Designated  by  red  lights  . 


26 

15 
103 

68 
156 

56 
168 

21 


Automatic  Fire  Alarm  Company  Boxes. 

On  poles 6 

On  buildings 18 

Inside  buildings 37 

Equipped  with  keyless  doors 9 

Equipped  with  key  doors 52 


Private  Fire  Alarm  Boxes. 
On  poles       .... 
On  buildings        .   -    . 
Inside  buildings 
Equipped  with  keyless  doors 
Equipped  with  key  doors 
Equipped  with  auxiliary  attachments 


8 
35 
67 
15 
95 
11 


Classification  of  Fire  Alarm  Boxes. 


Academies 

Armory 

Asylums 


42 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Car  houses  . 

Cemetery     . 

Church  . 

City  yard     . 

Home  for  aged  people 

Hospitals 

Hotels 

Manufacturing  plants 

Museum 

Navy  yard  . 

Office  buildings  . 

Police  station 

Power  stations    . 

Prison  . 

Public  hall   . 

Pumping  station 

Railroad  shops    . 

Railroad  stations 

Railroad  yards    . 

Retail  stores 

Restaurant  . 

Schoolhouses  (public) 

Schoolhouses  (parochial) 

Stock  yards 

Street  boxes  (public) 

Theaters 

Warehouses 

Wharves 

Wholesale  houses 


Fire  Alarm  Boxes  in  Districts 
District  9 
District  10 
District  11 
District  12 
District  13 
District  14 
District  15 


Two  boxes  are  located  outside  the  city  limits. 


District  1 

72 

District  2 

68 

District  3 

33 

District  4 

88 

District  5 

52 

District  6 

92 

District  7 

86 

District  8 

99 

Posts  and  Cable  Terminal  Boxes. 

Box  posts  in  service  .        .        . 
Box  posts  set  but  not  in  service      .... 
Cable  posts  in  service  (large  size)    .... 
Cable  posts  in  service  (small  size)  .... 
Pole  cable  boxes  in  service  (underground  connection) 

*  About  one  hundred  schoolhouse  and  private  boxes  are  accessible  to  public  but  are  not 
counted  as  street  boxes. 


Fire  Department. 


43 


Circuits. 

Box  circuits         . 66 

Tapper  circuits 14 

Gong  circuits •  13 

Special  signal  circuits 3 

Telephone  circuits  in  department  system      ...  53 

Telephone  circuits  to  Beach  Exchange  ....  9 

Telephone  circuits  to  Back  Bay  Exchange    ...  1 

Telephone  circuits  to  Police  Headquarters    ...  1 

Telephone  circuits  to  A.  D.  T.  Company  office    .        .  1 
Telephone  circuits  to   Edison   Electric   Illuminating 

Company 1 

Telephone  connection  to  Automatic  Fire  Alarm  Com- 
pany          

Telephone  connections  to  Protective  Department       .  1 


Fire  Alarm  Apparatus. 

Tappers  in  service 

Boston  tappers  in  adjacent  cities  and  towns. 
Tappers  connected  to  adjacent  city  and  town  systems 

in  Boston  stations 

Gongs  in  service 

Registers  in  service,  excepting  those  in  Fire  Alarm 

Office        ......... 

Relays  in  service,  excepting  those  in  Fire  Alarm  Office 
Telephones  in  department  system 


157 
6 

6 
111 

30 

21 

155 


Wires,  Cables  and  Conduits 

Line  wire  in  service 

Aerial  cable  in  service   .        .        . 

Conductors  in  same 

Aerial  cable  conductors  in  service 

Underground  cable  in  service 

Conductors  in  same 

Underground  conductors  in  service 

Conduits  owned  by  Fire  Department 

Ducts  in  Fire  Department  conduits 

Ducts  used  by  Fire  Department  in  New  Eng- 
land Telephone  and  Telegraph  Company's 
system 

Ducts  used  by  Fire  Department  in  Postal  Tele- 
graph system 

Summary  of  Work  Done. 

Line  wire  used  (new  work) 

Line  wire  removed 

Aerial  cable  installed 

Conductors  in  same 


230  miles 

7  miles 

49  miles 

23  miles 

178  miles 

2,468  miles 

1,276  miles 

72,384  feet 

91,335  feet 


650,920  feet 
5,717  feet 


43,620  feet 

31,150  feet 

5,720  feet 

17,720  feet 


44 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Aerial  cable  removed  from  service 

Conductors  in  same 

Underground  cable  installed  in  ducts  of  New 
England  Telephone  and  Telegraph  Com- 
pany's system     .        .        .     ■  .     •  . 

Conductors  in  same       .... 

Underground  cable  installed  in  Fire  Depart 
ment  ducts 

Conductors  in  same 

Total  underground  cable  installed  (new  work) 

Conductors  in  same 

Underground  cable  replaced 

Conductors  in  same 

Conduits  laid  by  this  department 

Ducts  in  same 

Ducts  abandoned 

Fire  alarm  boxes  installed  by  this  department 

Fire  alarm  boxes  installed  by  Schoolhouse  De 
partment 

Fire  alarm  boxes  installed  on  private  property 

Fire  alarm  boxes  relocated    . 

Fire  alarm  boxes  removed  from  service 

Box  posts  set 

Box  posts  relocated       .... 

Box  posts  reset  or  replaced  by  new 

Cable  posts  set  (large  size)   . 

Cable  posts  replaced  by  new 

Cable  posts  removed  from  service 

Underground  cable  boxes  on  poles  installed 


10,730  feet 
52,940  feet 


50,296  feet 
430,887  feet 

8,662  feet 

60,038  feet 

58,958  feet 

490,925  feet 

2,868  feet 

87,228  feet 

4,284  feet 

5,759  feet 

339  feet 

26 

5 
3 
7 
3 

29 
8 

23 
8 
6 
1 

23 


George  L.  Fickett, 

Superintendent. 


Fire  Department.  45 


BUREAU  OF  SUPPLIES  AND   REPAIRS. 


From  :    The  Bureau  op  Supplies  and  Repairs. 
To:     The  Fire  Commissioner. 
Subject:    Annual  Report,  1923-1924. 

I  herewith  submit  the  annual  report  of  the  Bureau  of 
Supplies  and  Repairs  for  the  year  ending  January 
31,  1924. 

During  the  year  extensive  repairs  and  alterations 
were  made  at  the  following  places : 

Engines  6,  12,  13,  18,  19,  20,  24,  27,  28,  32;  phemical 
7;  Engine  7,  new  quarters;  Headquarters,  elevator 
installed ;  Repair  shop,  boilers  overhauled  and  emergency 
steam  line  installed;  Fire  Alarm  shop,  sprinkler  system 
installed. 

Our  corps  of  outside  mechanics  in  addition  to  then- 
work  done  at  other  quarters  performed  all  incidental 
finish  on  department  buildings  where  work  was  done  by 
contract.     (Painting,  building  hose  racks,  etc.) 

Number  of  jobs 874 

Cost $53,497 

Some  minor  repairs  were  performed  in  quarters  by 
members,  stock  being  furnished  by  department. 


Cost  of  stock 

Cost  of  miscellaneous  repairs  by  outside  concerns   .  12,713 

Gasoline  tanks  of  550-gallon  capacity  installed  at 
quarters  of  Engines  7,  27,  32;  Ladder  2,  19,  24;  Chemical 
7. 

Small  and  defective  tanks  replaced  by  others  of  550 
gallon  capacity  at  the  following  quarters:  Engines  14, 
22,  42,  45. 

Oil  burning  equipments  installed  at  Engines  4,  5,  6,  7, 
9,  15,  22,  25,  28,  48;  Ladder  4;  Chemical  7;  Bureau 
repair  shop. 

New  house  heaters  installed  at  Engines  6,  13,  20. 


46  City  Document  No.  11. 

Motor  Activities. 
Thirty- three  vehicles  purchased,   tested  and  placed 
in  service: 

10  Pumping  engines,  American-La  France. 
6  Combination  chemical  and  hose  cars,  American-La  France. 

2  Aerial  ladder  trucks,  American-La  France. 

6  City  service  ladder  trucks,  American-La  France. 
1  Sedan,  Buick. 
1  Coupe,  Buick. 

3  Roadsters,  Buick. 

4  Roadsters,  Ford. 

Note. —  Buick  and  Ford  cars  were  painted  depart- 
ment color  before  going  into  service. 

The  following  horse-drawn  companies  were  converted 
to  motor  companies  during  the  year:  Engines  9,  27, 
29,  32,  34,  40;  Ladders  2,  3,  9,  23,  24,  27. 

Motor  vehicles  painted  complete  by  shop  employees 
during  the  year: 

1  Sedan, 
6  Touring  cars. 
20  Roadsters. 
1  Fuel  wagon. 
1  Tractor  steam  engine. 
3  Hose  cars. 

By  outside  concerns: 

2  Hose  cars. 

2  Ladder  trucks. 

1  Coupe. 

Steam  engines  attached  to  Christie  tractors  at  Engine 
8,  42,  48  condemned.  Steam  engine  29  attached  to 
Engine  8  tractor  and  placed  in  service  at  Engine  8. 

Tractors  detached  from  Engine  42,  48  and  placed  in 
reserve. 

Engine  8  boiler  dismantled,  Engine  42,  48  sold. 

Body  removed  from  horse-drawn  hose  wagon  33  and 
installed  on  White  chassis  for  use  as  fuel  wagon. 

Three  Christie  motors  rebuilt  by  shop  mechanics. 

Ten  Christie  motors  rebuilt  by  outside  concern. 

Ladder  29  rebuilt  and  pneumatic  tires  installed  for 
trial. 


Fire  Department.  47 

On  request  of  the  Street  Commissioners  18  omnibuses 
inspected  and  passed  on  by  the  Supervisor  of  Motor 
Apparatus. 

Perpetual  inspection  of  apparatus  is  maintained  by 
the  Engineer  of  Motor  Apparatus,  2,871  inspections 
having  been  made  during  the  year : 

2,821  calls  responded  to  by  Emergency  Motor  Squad. 
815  chauffeurs'  licenses  renewed. 

Repairs  on  motor  vehicles  by  shop  mechanics : 

Number  of  jobs  .        .        .    " 4,990 

Cost .  $53,520  00 

Number  of  repairs  by  outside  concerns.       .        .  1,071 

Cost $10,056  00 


Motorless  Vehicle  Activities. 

With  the  complete  motorization  of  the  department  we 
were  left  with  a  considerable  amount  of  horse-drawn 
apparatus  on  our  hands.  Every  effort  was  made  to 
obtain  a  market  for  the  sale  of  this  apparatus,  and  after 
receiving  communications  from  several  business  con- 
cerns and  other  departments  who  had  been  communi- 
cated with  stating  that  the  apparatus  was  no  use  to 
them,  it  was  deemed  advisible  to  dispose  of  it  at  public 
auction. 

This  apparatus  was  taken  to  the  yard  of  the  veter- 
inary hospital  where  a  public  auction  was  held  for  its 
disposal  by  the  City  Auctioneer. 

For  our  own  needs  we  retained  all  the  hose  wagons, 
six  engines  and  two  ladder  trucks. 

All  the  horse-drawn  coal  wagons  being  of  no  further 
use  to  our  department  were  disposed  of  at  private  sales. 

The  following  was  turned  over  to  the  Institutions 
Department:  Two  horse-drawn  chemical  engines, 
one  horse-drawn  ladder  truck  with  ladders,  one  small 
pung. 

Eleven  hose  wagons  and  one  ladder  truck  converted 
to  pungs. 

Repairs  by  shop  mechanics 177 

Cost $1,385  00 

By  outside  concerns 11 

Cost $2,310  00 


48  City  Document  No.  11. 

Marine  Service. 
3  fireboats In  service. 

House  for  radio  equipment  built  on  deck  of  Engine  31. 

Permission  having  been  obtained  from  the  Govern- 
ment to  name  our  fireboats  in  commemoration  of  members 
of  the  department  who  made  the  supreme  sacrifice 
during  the  world  war,  signs  bearing  the  names  of  these 
men  were  made  and  installed. 

Repairs  by  outside  concerns 15 

Cost •.       .       .       .        $6,351  00 

High  Pressure. 

Steam  supply  pipe  at  Station  No.  1  reduced  from  6 
inch  to  5  inch. 

Piezometer  gauges  furnished  to  Engines  1,  15,  37, 
40,  41,  42. 

All  companies  furnished  with  high  pressure  hydrant 
wrenches. 

Chauffeur  School. 

During  the  year  our  chauffeur  school  was  uninter- 
ruptedly maintained  in  order  to  properly  instruct 
members  attached  to  horse-drawn  companies  prior  to 
motorization. 

To  assist  in  this  work  one  man  was  detailed  from  the 
Fire  Fighting  Force  to  instruct  the  members  in  the  care 
and  operation  of  Christie  tractors. 

One  hundred  and  sixty-four  men  were  examined  and 
certified  as  chauffeurs. 

Motor  Pump  School. 

Our  Motor  Pump  School  was  in  operation  from  May 
to  October,  during  which  time  13  classes,  comprising  six 
to  seven  men,  received  instructions. 

Eighty-three  men  qualified  for  certification  as  pump 
operators. 

Two  members  of  the  Lynn  Fire  Department  received 
instructions  at  this  school. 

Miscellaneous. 
All  deck   guns  on  apparatus  equipped  with  shut-off 
valves. 


Fire  Department. 


49 


Seven  hydrant  shower  baths  made  and  distributed. 
(One  sent  to  Rainsford  Island.) 

Thawing  devices  installed  on  Engines  2,  6,  7,  9,  10, 
17,  22,  23,  27,  29,  32,  34,  35,  37,  40,  43,  48,  50. 

Material  for  testing  outside  connection  for  sprinkler 
systems  in  buildings  made  up  and  distributed  to  the 
several  district  headquarters.  (This  material  consisted 
of  short  lengths  of  2^-inch  hose  with  male  couplings 
attached  to  one  end.) 

Motor   Vehicles,  Apparatus,  etc.,  in  Service  and 

Reserve. 


ENGINES. 


Make. 

Kind. 

In 

Service. 

In 
Reserve. 

American-LaFrance 

S^agrave 

Pumpers 

Pumpers 

Steam  engines 

Steam  engines 

36 
3 

10 
1 

5 
5 

1 

HOSE  CARS. 

American-LaFrance 

Seagrave 

Velie 

Combinations 

Combinations 

Hose  car 

26 

11 

1 

1 

3 

2 

Mack 

LADDER  TRUCKS. 

Aerial 

Aerial 

City  service 

City  service 

9 
1 
2 
6 
12 

3 

Christie  tractor 

3 

WATER  TOWERS. 

3 

1 

CHIEF 

OFFICERS'  CARS. 

Sedan 

Coupe.. 

Touring  cars 

1 

1 

8 

20 

Buick 

Buick 

1 

6 

50 


City  Document  No.  11. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 


Make. 


Kind. 


In 

Service. 


In 

Reserve. 


American-LaFrance 

Pierce  Arrow 

Christie 

Mack 

Mack 

Mack 

White 

White 

Ford 

Ford 

Ford 

Knox. 


School  car 

Rescue  Company 

Tractors 

Cable  car 

Fuel  car 

Wrecking  car 

Commercial  trucks..  .  . 

Fuel  car 

Runabouts 

Emergency  cars 

Truck  (Wire  Division) . 
Hose  car 


1 

1 

1 

3 

1 

4 

4 

1 

Unser- 
viceable. 


Hose. 


Purchased. 

Leading  cotton  hose  . 
Chemical  hose     . 
1-inch  rubber  deck  hose 

Feet. 
13,000 
500 
100 

Total    .        .        .        . 

13,600 

Condemned. 

Feet. 

Leading  cotton  hose  . 

13,150 

Leading  rubber  hose  . 

400 

Chemical  hose    . 

450 

4- inch  rubber  suction  hose, 

210 

3-inch  flexible  suction  hose, 

200 

3|-inch  deluge  hose    . 

87* 

Total 


14,497* 


Amount  of  hose  in 

In  Use. 


Leading  cotton  hose  . 

137,066 

Leading  rubber  hose 

200 

Chemical  hose     . 

17,300 

1-inch  rubber  deck  hose    . 

900 

3-inch  flexible  suction  hose, 

800 

4-inch  rubber  suction  hose, 

1,232 

Deluge  hose 

662 

Total    .... 

158,160 

use  and  in  stock  February  1,  1924. 

In  Stock. 

Feet. 

Leading  cotton  hose  .        .  5,850 

Chemical  hose     .        .        .  1,400 

Deluge  hose         .        .        .  12* 

4-inch  rubber  suction  hose,  294 

25-inch  rubber  suction  hose,  40 


Total 


7,596* 


Amount  of  hose  repaired  during  the  year. 


1-inch  rubber  hose 
2*-inch  rubber  hose 
2*-inch  cotton  hose 
3-inch  cotton  hose 
3*-inch  cotton  hose 
f-inch  chemical  hose 


Feet. 

100 

100 

18,300 

4,650 

50 

1,600 


Total 


24,800 


Fire  Department. 


51 


CLOTHING. 


Kind. 

Received 

and 

Distributed. 

Repaired. 

Reissued. 

Trousers 

1,103 

583 
122 

32 
304 
727 

50 

339 
138 
69 

10 
31 

Overcoats 

11 

132 

11 

Caps 

Fire  hats 

278 

One  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  over- 
coats and  twenty-four  reefers  cleansed,  pressed  and 
placed  in  storage  during  the  summer. 


52 


City  Document  No.  11, 


GASOLENE   STATIONS. 
Division  No.  1. 


Districts. 


Location. 


Capacity 
(Gallons). 


Pump. 


1 

1 
1 
1, 
2 
2, 
2. 
2. 
2 
3. 
3. 
3. 
4. 
4 
4. 
4. 
4. 
5. 
5, 
5 
5, 
5 


Engine  5. 
Engine  11. 
Ladder  2 . 
Chemical  7 
Engine  27 . 
Engine  32 . 
Engine  36 . 
Engine  50. 
Ladder  9 . 
Ladder  8 . 
Ladder  18. 
Engine  39 . 
Engine  4 . 
Engine  6 . 
Engine  8. 
Ladder  1 . 
Ladder  24 . 
Engine  7 . 
Engine  10. 
Engine  26 . 
Ladder  17. 
Rescue  1 .  . 


280 
110 
550 
550 
550 
550 
280 
280 
220 
120 
280 
280 
280 
280 
280 
280 
550 
550 
220 
280 
280 
550 


1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  quart. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  quart. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 


Fire  Department. 


53 


Division  2. 


Districts. 


Location. 


Capacity 
(Gallons). 

Pump. 

280 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon 

28C 

1  gallon 

550 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon 

550 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon 

550 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon 

550 

1  gallon 

550 

1  gallon 

120 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon 

280 

1  gallon. 

280 

1  gallon. 

280 

1  gallon. 

280 

1  gallon. 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

7 

7 

7, 

7. 

7, 

8 

8, 

8, 

8, 

11 

11. 

11 

11 


Engine     1 

Engine    2 

Engine  15 

Engine  43 

Ladder  19 

Engine    3 

Engine  22 

Engine  33 

Bristol  street,  repair  shop 
Wareham  street  garage . . . 

Engine  13 

Engine  14 

Engine  37 

Ladder  12 

Engine  29 

Engine  34 

Engine  41 

Engine  51 


54 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Division  3. 


Districts. 


Location. 


Capacity 
(Gallons). 


Pump. 


9 
9 
9 
9 
9 

10. 

10 

10. 

12. 

12. 

12. 

13. 

13. 

13. 

14. 

14. 

14. 

15. 

15. 

15. 


Engine  12 
Engine  21 
Engine  23 
Engine  24 
Ladder  4 
Engine  17 
Engine  18 
Engine  52 
Engine  28 
Engine  42 
Ladder  23 
Engine  30 
Engine  45 
Engine  53 
Engine  20 , 
Engine  46. 
Ladder  6 
Engine  19. 
Engine  48. 
Engine  49 . 


550 
280 
280 
550 
120 
280 
280 
280 
280 
550 
220 
280 
550 
120 
280 
220 
280 
280 
280 
280 


1  gallon 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  quart. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  quart. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 
1  gallon. 


Provisions  have  been  made  for  the  installation  of 
gasolene  tanks  of  large  capacity  at  the  new  quarters  now 
under  construction  for  Engine  Companies  31  and  40. 


Fire  Department. 


55 


CANNEL  COAL  STATIONS. 
Division  1. 


District 


Location. 


Capacity. 
(Tons.) 


1. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 

6 
6 

7 

8 

8 

8 

11 

11 

11 

11 

9 

9. 

9. 

9. 
10. 
12 
13. 
13 
14. 
14 
15. 
15. 


Engine  11 

Chemical  7 

Ladder  9 

Ladder  18 

Ladder  24 

Rescue  1 

Division  2 

Engine  2 

Fourth  street 

Engine  33 

Engine  13 

Engine  14 

Engine  37 

Engine  29 

Engine  34 

Engine  41 

Engine  51 

Division  3, 

Engine  12 

Engine  21 

Engine  23 

Engine  24 

Engine  18 

Engine  28 ......  . 

Engine  30 

Engine  45 

Engine  16 

Engine  20 

Engine  19 

Engine  48 


12 
20 
35 
10 
16 
35 


20 
40 
25 
40 
10 
20 
7 
7 
10 
10 


5 
6 
5 
7 
5 

20 
9 
9 
5 
7 
8 

10 


56 


City  Document  No.  11. 


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66  City  Document  No.  11. 

Conclusion. 

On  account  of  repairs  at  several  of  our  fire  stations 
it  was  necessary  to  remove  the  supply  of  cannel  coal 
from  same  thereby  eliminating  the  use  of  these  quarters 
as  coal  depots. 

A  sufficient  amount  of  this  coal -has  been  retained  in 
each  district  for  supplying  steam  engines  in  case  of 
emergency. 

The  coal  shed  at  the  quarters  of  Engine  36  having 
become  dilapidated,  I  would  recommend  that  it  be  torn 
down. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

William  H.  McCorkle, 

District  Chief. 


Fire  Department.  67 


REPORT    OF    MEDICAL    EXAMINER. 


Boston,  January  31,  1924. 
From:    The  Medical  Examiner. 
To:     The  Fire  Commissioner. 
Subject:    Annual  Report. 

I  respectfully  submit  the  following  report  for  the  year 
ending  January  31,   1924: 

Number  of  cases  of  illness  on  file    .        .        .        .        .  399 

Number  of  cases  of  injury  on  file 1,673 

Number  of  injured  (but  remained  on  duty)  on  file       .         1,273 

Examinations. 

Inspections  and  examinations  at  headquarters  re- 
corded       1,815 

For  appointment  as  provisional  firemen  (civil  service),  262 

For  appointment  to  Fire  Alarm  Branch .       .        .        .  4 

For  appointment  of  men  on  probation  ....  50 

At  engine  houses  of  firemen,  pulmotors,  medicine 
chests,  and  visits  at  homes  of  firemen  either  sick  or 
injured  and  at  hospitals 1,040 

The  general  health  of  the  firemen  during  the  past 
year  has  been  excellent  and  the  books  show  a  decrease 
of  170  men  on  sick  leave  from  the  previous  year.  The 
above  fact  is  worthy  of  interest  and  gratifying  as  the 
great  decrease  in  illness  was  obtained,  notwithstanding 
a  notable  increase  in  the  fire-fighting  force;  on  the  other 
hand,  the  number  injured  shows  an  increase  of  339 
over  and  above  the  number  recorded  as  of  the  previous 
year,  due  in  a  measure  to  a  greater  number  of  fires 
experienced,  consuming  material  dangerous  to  health 
and  difficult  to  handle  and  endure. 

The  officers  and  men  deserve  credit  for  the  prompt 
and  eager  spirit  displayed  in  rendering  "first  aid"  at 
all  times  when  summoned.  It  is  also  praiseworthy  to 
note  and  shows  a  keen  regard  for  faithful  service,  that 
out  of  1,673  cases  of  injury  on  file  1,273  men  remained  on 
duty  and  had  their  injuries  treated  in  quarters. 


68  City  Document  No.  11. 


Deaths. 

Dennis  J.  Burnett  (Fire  Alarm  Branch),  February  10,  1923, 
cerebro-spinal  meningitis. 

James  J.  Caine  (District  Chief  No.  6),  March  16,  1923, 
chronic  interstitial  myocarditis. 

Timothy  F.  Holland  (Wire  Division),  June  23,  1923,  heart 
disease  and  pneumonia. 

J.  Paul  Haynes  (Wire  Division),  June  4,  1923,  pneumonia. 


Respectfully  submitted, 

William  J.  McNally,  M.  D., 

Medical  Examiner. 


Fire  Department.  69 


REPORT  OF  WIRE   DIVISION. 


Boston,  January  31,  1924. 

From:    Superintendent,  Wire  Division. 
To:    The  Fire  Commissioner. 
Subject:    Annual  Report. 

I  herewith  submit  annual  report  of  the  Wire  Division 
of  the  Fire  Department  for  the  year  1923-24. 

The  underground  district  for  1923-24  was  prescribed 
and  advertised  in  accordance  with  the  law. 

During  the  year  there  were  fifty  fires  and  three  acci- 
dents (one  fatal)  due  to  electrical  causes.  The  total 
of  fire  losses  in  so  far  as  could  be  determined  was 
$17,906.34.  Thorough  investigations  of  the  above  fires 
and  accidents  were  made  by  members  of  this  Division, 
and  complete  reports  made  of  the  same. 

Rigid  inspections  have  been  made  of  old  and  new 
electrical  construction  during  the  year. 

The  total  income  was  $69,786.80. 


70  City  Document  No.  11. 

EXTERIOR   DIVISION. 


The  underground  district  for  the  year  1923  as  pre- 
scribed under  authority  of  chapter  196  of  the  Acts  of 
1921,  comprised  the  following  streets: 

Brighton. 
Washington  street,  from  Cambridge  street  to  Commonwealth 
avenue. 

Charlestown. 

Alford  street,  from  Main  street  to  the  drawbridge. 
Medford  street,  from  Chelsea  street  to  Cook  street. 

Dorchester. 
Alban  street,  from  Welles  avenue  to  Ashmont  street. 
Talbot  avenue,  from  Washington  street  to  Bernard  street. 
Quincy  street,  from  Columbia  road  to  Blue  Hill  avenue. 
Adams  street,  from  King  square  to  Minot  street. 
Washington  street,  from  Ashmont  street  a  distance  of  1,970 
feet,  to  a  point  within  530  feet  of  Codman  street. 

South  Boston. 
Macallen  street,  from  Dorchester  avenue  to  Foundry  street. 

Making  a  total  distance  of  4  miles  as  provided  by  law. 

In  these  prescribed  streets,  from  which  poles  and 
overhead  wires  were  to  be  removed,  there  were  standing 
on  February  1,  1923,  a  total  of  two  hundred  and  sixteen 
(216)  poles  (not  including  the  trolley  poles  of  the  Boston 
Elevated  Railway  which  are  exempt)  owned  by  the 
Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Company,  New  England 
Telephone  and  Telegraph  Company,  Charlestown  Gas 
and  Electric  Company,  and  Postal  Telegraph  Cable 
Company,  supporting  a  total  of  one  million  seven 
hundred  fifty-four  thousand  (1,754,000)  feet  of  over- 
head wires,  or  a  little  more  than  three  hundred  and 
thirty-two  (332)  miles  owned  by  the  Edison  Electric 
Illuminating  Company,  New  England  Telephone  and 
Telegraph  Company,  Boston  Elevated  Railway  Com- 
pany, Postal  Telegraph  Cable  Company,  Charlestown 
Gas  and  Electric  Company,  Boston  Fire  Department 
(Fire  Alarm  Branch),  and  Boston  Police  Department 
(Police  Signal  Service). 


Fiee  Department.  71 

In  the  selection  of  new  pole  locations  our  engineers 
have  accompanied  the  engineers  of  the  various  companies 
for  the  purpose  of  passing  on  such  locations.  All  carry- 
ing poles  standing  in  the  streets  are  stencilled  by  this 
department  for  purposes  of  identification  and  are  plotted 
in  atlases  on  file  in  our  office.  All  carrying  poles  stand- 
ing in  the  streets  are  inspected  and  tested  yearly  by 
the  inspectors  of  this  division  and  at  the  same  time  a 
general  inspection  is  made  of  all  overhead  construction. 
This  work  is  in  addition  to  the  regular  inspection  work 
necessary  on  account  of  new  construction.  Poles  found 
to  be  leaning  or  in  process  of  decay  are  reported  to  the 
companies  owning  same  and  where  conditions  warrant 
it,  poles  are  condemned.  During  the  past  year  the 
inspectors  of  this  division  reported  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  (128)  poles  decayed  at  base  and  twenty- 
nine  (29)  poles  leaning  or  a  total  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-seven  (157)  poles  which  were  replaced  by  new 
poles  or  reset  by  the  various  companies  at  the  request 
of  this  department.  Seven  (7)  abandoned  poles  were 
also  reported  by  our  inspectors  and  were  removed  by 
the  various  companies  at  our  request. 

The  following  table  shows  the  overhead  work  for  the 
year  from  February  1,  1923,  to  January  31,  1924, 
inclusive : 


Number  of  new  poles  set  in  new  locations     . 
Number  of  poles  replaced,  reset  or  straightened 
Number  of  poles  removed 


527 
648 
133 


Number  of  poles  now  standing  in  the  public  streets,  16,266 

Number  of  defects  reported 3,263 

Number  of  defects  corrected 3,058 

(Other  defects  in  process  of  correction.) 

Number  of  notices  of  overhead  construction         .  25,714 

Number  of  overhead  inspections     ....  40,526 

Number  of  overhead  reports        .        .            .        .  26,825 
Amount  of  overhead  wires  removed  by  owners  (in 

feet) "...  1,645,692 

Underground  Construction. 

The  ducts  used  this  year  for  the  underground  conduits 
of  the  dra wing-in  system  are  of  the  following  type : 

1.  Vitrified  clay  (laid  in  concrete). 

2.  Fiber  (laid  in  concrete). 

3.  Iron. 

4.  Wood. 


72 


City  Document  No.  11. 


In  side  or  residential  streets  a  considerable  amount 
of  special  underground  construction  for  electric  light 
and  power  purposes,  of  a  type  known  as  the  "  Split 
Fiber  Solid  System,"  has  been  installed  during  the  year. 

The  electrical  approval  for  underground  electric 
construction  numbered  four  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  five  (4,705). 

Number  of  inspections  of  underground  electrical 
construction,  nine  thousand  five  hundred  eighty-two 
(9,582). 

Number  of  reports  of  underground  electrical  con- 
struction, four  thousand  four  hundred  thirty-four  (4,434). 


Character  of  Cable  Used  by  the  Various  Companies. 


Company. 

Kind  of  Insulation. 

Size. 

Boston  Elevated  Railway  Company, 

Rubber 

500,000  and  1,000,000  C.  M. 

Charlestown  Gas  and  Electric  Com- 
pany. 

Varnished     cambric, 
paper  and  rubber. 

Nos.  6,  4,  2,  1-0,  2-0,  4-0. 

Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Com- 

Rubber and  paper . . . 

Nos.  S  to  1,000,000  C.  M. 

pany. 

Fire  Alarm  Branch  (B.  F.  D.) 

4,  6,  10,  15  conductor. 

New  England  Telephone  and  Tele- 
graph Company. 

Paper,  silk  and  cotton, 

2  to  1212  pair. 

2  to  30  conductor. 

Boston) 

11  to  100  pair. 

Fire  Department. 

Table  Showing  Underground  Work  for  the  Year  1923. 


73 


Company. 


o 

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f-i 

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a 

03 

3 

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£ 

3m 


Boston  Elevated  Railway  Company, 

8,500 

64,290 

15,519 

18 

Boston  Low  Tension  Wire  Associa- 

283 

4 

tion. 

CharlestownGas  and  Electric"  Com- 
pany. 

9,643 

53,516 

90,736 

27 

34 

Edison  Electric  Illuminating   Com- 
pany. 

179,712 

364,812 

1,189,964 

264 

2,419 

Fire  Alarm  Branch  (B.  F.  D.) 

1,449 

55,200 

29 

New  England  Telephone~and  Tele- 
graph Company. 

59,847 

479,030 

346,777 

147 

138 

Park  Department  (City  of  Boston) . . . 

119 

228 

1 

Police  Signal  Service  (B.  F.  D.) 

16o 

7,500 

1 

175 

1  650 

2 

Schoolhouse    Commission  _  (City    of 
Boston). 

345 

960 

3,420 

5 

Western  Union  Telegraph  Company . 

5,410 

26,310 

13,500 

6 

15 

Totals 

263,576 

991,213 

1,724,266 

462 

2,648 

Note. —  "Split  Fiber  Solid  Main  System"  of  the  Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Company 
is  included  in  the  above  figures  comprising  52,035  feet  of  conduit  and  99,787  feet  of  duct. 
The  main  and  feeder  tube  or  armored  cable  of  the  "old  solid  system"  of  the  same  company 
are  not  included.  Work  on  the  "old  solid  system"  comprised  133  service  connections 
and  4,691  feet  of  No.  100  three-conductor  armored  cable. 


Table  Showing  the  Amount  and  Distribution  of   Boston's  Electrical   Power 

January  31,  1924. 


Company. 

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Lamps  in 
Kilowatts. 

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it 

Boston  Elevated  Railway  Company .... 
Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Company . . 

46,702 
51,508 

205,453 
275,400 

3,613 

115,220 

1,500 

50 

125 

25 

140 

2 

2,976 

165 

10 

355,330 

96,802 

1,500 

15 

106 

20 

80 

86,245 

86,785 

300 

15 

230 

17 
47 

Block  Plant  Electric  Light  Company.  .  . 
A.  W.  Barnes  Steam  Specialty  Company, 
Sudbury  Building  Plant 

400 
620 
200 
500 

325 
400 
150 
363 

Hanover  Street  Trust 

Totals 

99,930 

482,091 

120,673 

3,153 

453,853 

173,575 

69 

74 


City  Document  No.  11. 


INTERIOR  DIVISION. 


As  provided  by  law  there  have  been  twelve  hundred 
eighty-nine  (1,289)  inspections  made  of  theaters,  places 
of  amusement  and  public  halls.  Wherever  defects 
were  reported  interested  parties  were  immediately 
notified  to  attend  to  the  same. 

During  the  year  there  were  fifty  fires  and  three  acci- 
dents to  persons  caused  by  electricity,  one  of  the 
accidents  proving  to  be  fatal. 


Fires  in  interior  of  buildings     . 

Fires  on  poles 

Injuries  to  persons 

Notices  of  new  work  received  . 

Number  of  permits  to  turn  on  current  . 

Number  of  incandescent  lamps  inspected 

Number  of  motors  inspected    . 

Number  of  buildings  in  which  wiring  was 

pletely  examined 

Number  of  inspections  made    . 


com 


41 

9 

3 

20,355 

15,030 

1,644,393 

10,043 

4,108 
38,113 


All  defects  reported  have  been  corrected  or  are  in 
process  of  correction. 


Fire  Department. 


75 


LIST   OF   WIRE   DIVISION   EMPLOYEES, 
JANUARY  31,  1924. 


1  Superintendent 

1  Chief  Inspector 

10  Inspectors 

8  Inspectors 

5  Inspectors 

5  Inspectors 

1  Inspector 

3  Inspectors 

1  Engineer    . 

1  Chief  Clerk 

1  Assistant  Chief  Clerk 

1  Clerk  and  Stenographer 

1  Clerk  .... 

1  Clerk  .... 

3  Stenographers   . 

1  Chauffeur  . 

1  Stenciller    . 

Salary 
Per  Annum. 

$3,500 
2,500 
2,000 
1,900 
1,800 
1,700 
1,600 
1,500 
2,000 
2,000 
2,000 
1,700 
1,500 
1,240 
1,400 
1,400 
1,400 


45 


76 


City  Document  No.  11. 


STATEMENT  OF  APPROPRIATION  AND  EXPEN- 
DITURES FROM  FEBRUARY  1,  1923,  TO 
JANUARY  31,  1924,  INCLUSIVE. 


Appropriation     .... 

.      $90,740  23 

Expenditures. 

A-l. 

Employees     . 

$80,801  65 

F-7. 

Pensions 

600  00 

B-l. 

Printing  and  binding   . 

929  00 

B-2. 

Postage  .... 

220  00 

B-3. 

Advertising    . 

126  70 

B-4. 

Car  fares 

2,849  22 

B-12. 

Premium  on  bond 

6  00 

B-13. 

Telephones    . 

297  21 

B-14. 

Auto  painting 

50  00 

B-35. 

Auto  fees 

2  00 

B-37. 

Photo,  etc 

2  10 

B-39. 

Repairs,  etc. 

20  85 

C-9. 

Metal  desks  . 

1,162  30 

C-13. 

Tools,  etc. 

33  95 

D-l. 

Office  forms,  etc.  . 

1,790  60 

D-ll. 

Gasolene,  etc. 

381  95 

D-16. 

Photo  material      .        . 

2  65 

E-10. 

Batteries 

9  90 

E-13. 

Paint  stock,  etc.   . 
Dtal  expenditures     . 

25  62 

T 

$89,311  70 

Balance  in  treasury    . 

1,428  53 

$90,740  23 

Fire  Department.  77 


LIST   OF   PROPERTY.— WIRE  DIVISION. 


1  1,500-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Voltmeter. 

5  300-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Voltmeters. 

2  300-volt  Weston  Alternating  Current  and  Direct  Current 

Voltmeters. 

1  15-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Voltmeter. 

2  300-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Double  Reading  Voltmeter. 
1  120-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Miniature  Type  Voltmeter. 
1  150-volt  Weston  Direct  Cuirent  Miniature  Type  Voltmeter. 
1  500-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Ammeter. 

1  200-volt  Weston  Alternating  Current  Ammeter. 

1  50-volt  Weston  Direct  Current  Ammeter. 

1  15-volt  Weston  Alternating  Current  Ammeter. 

1  1,500-volt  Milamperes  Weston  Direct  Current  Mil-ammeter. 

6  Bichloride  of  silver  batteries,  each  60  cells. 
1  Queen  testing  set. 

1  Touring  car. 
1  Runabout. 
1  Ford  truck. 

1  Robe. 

2  Cameras,  complete 

Miscellaneous  tools  used  in  connection  with  overhead  con- 
struction. 

Draughting  instruments. 

Respectfully  yours, 

Walter  J.  Burke, 

Superintendent,  Wire  Division. 


78 


City  Document  No.  11. 


THE    DEPARTMENT    ORGANIZATION. 


Commissioner,  Theodore  A.  Glynn. 

Chief  Clerk,  James  P.  Maloney. 

Chief  of  Department,  John  O.  Taber. 

Dist.  Chief,  William  H.  McCorkle,  in  charge  of  Bureau  of 

Supplies    and    Repairs. 
Superintendent  of  High  Pressure,  Steam  and  Marine  Service, 

Eugene  M.  Byington. 
Superintendent  of  Fire  Alarms,  George  L.  Fickett. 
Superintendent  of  Wire  Division,  Walter  J.  Burke. 
Chief  Operator  and  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Fire  Alarms, 

Richard  Donahue. 
Chief  Clerk,  Wire  Division,  Frank  H.  Rice. 
Medical  Examiner,  William  J.  McNally,  M.D. 

Clerks. 
Fire  Department. 
James  P.  Maloney,  Chief  Clerk;  Edward  L.  Tierney,  Chief 
of  License  Division-Bureau  of  Fire  Prevention;  George  F. 
Murphy,  Herbert  J.  Hickey,  John  J.  Coholan,  William  J. 
Hurley,  Frank  M.  Fogarty,  William  J.  O'Donnell,  Thomas  W. 
O'Connell,  Warren  F.  Fenlon.  Henry  J.  Eagan,  Joseph  F. 
O'Brien,  James  P.  McKenna,  Wm.  D.  Slattery,  John  J.  Shea, 
James  H.  Finnerty. 

Wire  Division. 

William  McSweeney,  Charles  S.  Carroll,  Martin  P.  Cummings 
Selina  A.  O'Brien,  Mary  E.  Fleming,  May  D.  Marsh. 


Headquarters. 


1  Commissioner    . 

1  Chief  Clerk 

1  Medical  examiner     . 

1  Secretary  and  stenographer 

1  Executive    Clerk  in   charge 

supplies  and  repairs 
1  Clerk 
1  Clerk 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 


Clerk  . 

Clerk  . 

Clerk  . 

Assistant  engineer  (messenger)* 

Hosemen  (clerks)*    . 


Motor  Apparatus 


Per  Annum. 

$7,500 
2,500 
3,500 
2,200 

2,500 
1,600 
1,500 
1,400 
1,200 
1,000 
1,800 
1,800 


*  Detailed  from  Fire-fighting  Branch. 


Fire  Department. 


79 


1  Janitress  . . 
Elevator  Man 
15 


Fire  Prevention  Bureau. 


Per  Week . 

$20  00 

Per  Day . 

$4.00 


Per  Annum. 

1  Chief  Fire  Prevention    . 

$2,500 

1  Clerk 

2,000 

1  Clerk 

.        .        .            1,700 

1  Clerk 

1,200 

1  Constable 

1,500 

Fire-fighting  Branch. 


Per  Annum. 

1  Chief  of  Department 

$5,000 

4  Deputy  chiefs 

4,000 

15  District  chiefs 

3,500 

66  Captains 

2,500 

94  Lieutenants 

2,300 

1  Aide-to-Chief  (lieutenant)     .        . 

2,300 

1  Aide-to-Commissioner  (private)  . 

1,800 

3  Engineers  (marine) 

2,000 

48  Engineers 

1,900 

51  Assistant  Engineers        .        .        .        .        . 

1,800 

2  Assistant  engineers 

1,700 

927  Privates: 

807 

$1,800 

25 $] 

L,700-$l,800 

42 $] 

L,600-$l,700 

17 $: 

L,500-$l,600 

36 $: 

L,400-$l,500 

1,213 


Bureau  Supplies  and  Repairs. 


1  District  Chief  in  charge         .... 
1  Superintendent,  High    Pressure    Steam    and 

Marine  Service 

1  Supervisor,  motor  apparatus 

1  Shop  foreman 

1  Lieutenant,  foreman  hose  and  harness  shop 

1  Auto  engineer  (engineer) 

1  Engineer  and  Architect 

1  Storkeeeper  (hoseman) 

1  Master  plumber  (engineer)  . 

1  Master  carpenter  (hoseman) 


Per  Annum. 

$3,500 

3,800 
2,700 
2,500 
2,300 
2,500 
2,500 
2,000 
1,900 
1,800 


80 


City  Document  No.  11, 


1  Master  Painter 
1  Foreman  auto  mechanic 
1  Machinist  (engineer) 
16  Privates    . 
1  Clerk  in  charge 
1  Clerk 
1  Clerk 

1  Stenographer  . 
7  Engineers 

7  Engineers  (High  Pressure  Service) 
4  Assistant  engineers  (High  Pressure  Service) 

3  High  Pressure  engineers        .... 
3  Firemen    .        .        .        .        . 

1  Engineer 

1  Master  steamfitter 


2  Plumbers 
1  Steamfitter 

1  Leading  painter 
9  Painters    . 

2  Wheelwrights  . 

1  Leading  machinist 
4  Machinists 
9  Auto  repairers 

2  Battery  and  ignition  men 
1  Auto  repairer  and  tester 
1  Auto  mechanic  and  machinist 
1  Auto  blacksmith     . 

1  Battery  and  ignition  man 

4  Blacksmiths     . 

5  Blacksmith's  helpers 
4  Carpenters 

2  Hose  and  harness  repairers 
1  Hose  and  harness  repairer 
1  Vulcanizer 

1  Chauffeur 

2  Teamsters 
2  Laborers 
1  Steamfitter' s  helper 


Per  Annum. 

$1,800 
1,900 
1,900 
1,800 
2,000 
1,400 
1,500 
1,000 
1,900 
1,900 
1,800 

Per  Day. 

$7  00 
5  50 

Per  Week . 

$40  00 

Per  Annum. 

1,800 

Per  Day. 

$5  40 
00 
25 
00 
50 
25 
00 
00 
00 
50 
00 
50 
50 
00 
25 
00 
00 
50 
50 
00 
00 
00 
25 


117 


Fire  Department. 


81 


Fire  Alarm  Branch. 

Per  Annum, 

1  Superintendent  fire  alarm     . 

$3,500 

1  Assistant  Superintendent  and  Chief  Operator  .            3,000 

1  Supervising  operator      .... 

2,400 

3  Principal  operators        .... 

2,300 

3  Operators 

2,200 

4  Assistant  operators        .... 

1,800 

1  Assistant  operator  (sliding  scale) . 

1,500-1,600 

2  Assistant  operators  (sliding  scale) 

1,400-1,500 

1  Foreman  construction    .... 

2,700 

1  Assistant  foreman  construction    . 

2,200 

1  Stockman        .        .        .        .        . 

1,800 

Per  Day . 

1  Machinist  (7  day)          .... 

$5  25 

2  Machinists  (7  day)         .... 

5  00 

3  Cable  splicers 

5  75 

5  Inside  wiremen 

5  60 

4  Repairers  and  linemen  .... 

5  00 

9  Linemen 

5  00 

1  Laborer 

4  00 

44 


82  City  Document  No.  11. 


CHIEF  OF  DEPARTMENT. 

John  0.  Taber. 

Headquarters,  Engine  House  26-35,  Mason  Street. 

The  Chief  is  in  charge  of  the  fire  protection  of  the 
city,  which  is  divided  into  three  divisions,  each  com- 
manded by  a  deputy  chief,  which  are  subdivided  into 
fifteen  districts,  each  commanded  by  a  district  chief. 

Division  1. 

Deputy  Chief,  Edward  J.  Shallow. 
Headquarters,  Ladder  House  8,  Fort  Hill  Square. 
This  division  comprises  Districts  1,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

District  1. 

District  Chief,  Henry  J.  Power. 

Headquarters,   Ladder  House  2,  Paris  Street, 

East  Boston. 

Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  5,  9,  11, 

31  (fireboat),  40,  47  (fireboat),  Ladders  2,  21,  Chemical  7. 

District  2. 
District  Chief,  John  P.  Murray. 
Headquarters,  Engine  House  50,  Winthrop  Street, 

Charlestown. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  27,  32,  36, 
50,  Ladders  9,  22. 

District  3. 
District    Chief,    Cornelius    J.    O'Brien. 
Headquarters,  Ladder  House  18,  Pittsburgh  Street. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District.- —  Engines  25,  38, 
39,  44  (fireboat),  Ladders  8,  18,  Water  Tower  3. 

District  4- 
District  Chief,   Charles  A.   Donohoe. 
Headquarters,   Engine   House,    4   Bulfinch   Street. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  4,  6,  8, 
Ladders  1,  24,  Water  Tower  1. 


Fire  Department.  83 

District  5. 

District  Chief,  Albert  J.  Caulfield. 

Headquarters,  Engine  House  26-35,  Mason  Street. 

Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  7,  10,  26, 

35,  Ladder  17,  Recue  1. 

Division  2. 
Deputy  Chief,  Henry  A.  Fox. 
Headquarters,  Engine  House  22,  Warren  Avenue. 
This  division  comprises  Districts  6,  7,  8,  11. 

District  6. 
District  Chief,  Harry  M.  Hebard. 
Headquarters,   Engine  House   1,   Dorchester   Street, 

South  Boston. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  1,  2,  15, 
43,  Ladders  5,  19,  20. 

District  7. 
District  Chief,  Frank  A.  Sweeney. 
Headquarters,  Engine  House  22,  Warren  Avenue. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  3,  22,  33, 
Ladders  3,  13,  15,  Water  Tower  2. 

District  8. 
District  Chief,  Frank  J.  Sheeran. 
Headquarters,  Ladder  House  12,  Tremont  Street. 
Apparatus  Located  in.  the  District. —  Engines  13,   14, 
37,  Ladders  12,  26. 

District  11. 

District  Chiej,  James  F.  McMahon. 

Headquarters,    Engine    House    41,    Harvard    Avenue, 

Brighton. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  29,  34,  41, 
51,  Ladders  11,  14. 

Division  3. 
Deputy  Chiej,  Walter  M.  McLean. 
Headquarters,  Ladder  House  23,  Washington  Street, 

Grove  Hall. 
This  division  comprises  Districts  9,  10,  12,  13,  14,  15. 


84  City  Document  No.  11. 

District  9. 
District  Chiej,  Joseph  H.  Kenney. 
Headquarters,  Engine  House  12,  Dudley  Street. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  12,  21,  23r 
24,  Ladder  4. 

District  10. 

District  Chiej,  Francis  J.  Jordan. 

Headquarters,  Engine  House  18,  Harvard  Street, 

Dorchester. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  17,  18,  52, 
Ladders  7,  29. 

District  12. 

District  Chief,  John  N.  Lally. 

Headquarters,    Engine   House   28,    Centre    Street, 

Jamaica  Plain. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  28,  42, 
Ladders  10,  23,  30. 

District  13. 

District  Chief,  Michael  J.  Kennedy. 

Headquarters,   Engine   House  45,   Corner   Washington 

and  Poplar  Streets,  Roslindale. 

Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  30,  45,  53, 

Ladders  16,  25. 

District  14- 

District  Chief,  Allan  J.  Macdonald. 

Headquarters,  Engine  House  46,  Peabody  Square, 

Dorchester. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  16,  20, 
46,  Ladders  6,  27. 

District  15. 

District  Chief,  Joseph  A.  Dolan. 

Headquarters,  Engine  House  48,  Corner  Harvard 

Avenue  and  Winthrop  Street,  Hyde  Park. 
Apparatus  Located  in  the  District. —  Engines  19,  48,  49, 
Ladder  28. 


Fire  Department. 


85 


FIRE   STATIONS. 

Location. 


Location. 


Number 
of  Feet 
in  Lot. 


Occupied  by 


Dorchester  and  Fourth  streets 

Corner  of  O  and  Fourth  streets 

Bristol  street  and  Harrison  avenue 

Bulfinch  street 

Marion  street,  East  Boston 

Leverett  street 

East  street 

*  Salem  street 

Paris  street,  East  Boston 

River  street 

Saratoga  and  Byron  streets.  East  Boston, 

Dudley  street 

Cabot  street 

Centre  street 

Dorchester  avenue 

Corner  River  and  Temple  streets 

Meeting  House  Hill,  Dorchester. ....... 

Harvard  street,  Dorchester 

Babson  street,  Dorchester 

Walnut  street,  Dorchester 

Columbia  road,  Dorchester 

Warren  avenue 

Northampton  street 

Corner  Warren  and  Quincy  streets 

Fort  Hill  square 

Mason  street 

Elm  street,  Charlestown 

Centre  street,  Jamaica  Plain 

Chestnut  Hill  avenue,  Brighton 

Centre  street,  West  Roxbury 


521  Commercial  street,  on  land  of  Public 
Works  Department. 


8,167 
4,000 
4,000 
6,098 
3,265 
2,269 
1,893 
2,568 
4,720 
1,886 
10,000 
7,320 
4,832 
5,713 
2,803 
12,736 
9,450 
9,440 
7,683 
9,000 
10,341 
7,500 
3,445 
4,186 
4,175 
5,623 
2,600 
10,377 
14,358 
12,251 


Engine  1  and  Ladder  5. 

Engine  2. 

Engine  3  and  Ladder  3. 

Engine  4,  Chemical  1  and  Tower  1. 

Engine  5. 

Engine  6. 

Engine  7. 

Engine  8. 

Engine  9  and  Ladder  2. 

Engine  10. 

Engine  11  and  Ladder  21. 

Engine  12. 

Engine  13. 

Enpine  14. 

Engine  15. 

Engine  16  and  Ladder  6. 

Engine  17  and  Ladder  7. 

Engine  IS. 

Engine  19. 

Engine  20  and  Ladder  27. 

Engine  21. 

Engine  22  and  Ladder  13. 

Engine  23. 

Engine  24. 

Engine  25  and  Ladder  8,  Rescue  1 

Engines  26  and  35. 

Engine  27. 

Engine  28  and  Ladder  10. 

Engine  29  and  Ladder  11. 

Engine  30  and  Ladder  25. 


86 


City  Document  No.  11. 

Fire  Stations. —  Concluded. 


Location. 

Number 
of  Feet 
in  Lot. 

Occupied  by 

Bunker  Hill  street,  Charlestown 

8,188 

Engine  32. 

Corner  Boylston  and  Hereford  streets. .  .  . 

5,646 

Engine  33  and  Ladder  15. 

4,637 

5,668 

Engine  36  and  Ladder  22. 

Corner  Longwood  and  Brookline  avenues, 

5,231 

Engine  37  and  Ladder  26  . 

4,000 

Engines  38  and  39. 

4,010 

Harvard  avenue,  near  Cambridge  street, 
Brighton. 

6,112 

Engine  41  and  Ladder  14. 

Washington  street,  at  Egleston  square.. .  . 

3,848 

Engine  42  and  Ladder  30. 

5,133 

Engine  43  and  Ladder  20. 

Washington   and  Poplar  streets,   Roslin- 
dale. 

14,729 

Engine  45  and  Ladder  16. 

4,875 

Adjoining  South  Ferry,  East  Boston 

11,950 

Engine  47,  fireboat 

Harvard    avenue    and    Winthrop    street, 
Hyde  Park. 

9,450 

Engine  48  and  Ladder  28. 

3,412 

14,475 

5,230 

Engine  50. 

9,889 

9,300 

Corner  Callender  and  Lyford  streets 

7,200 

Chemical  11  and  Ladder  29. 

Corner  Walk  Hill  and  Wenham  streets . .  . 

11,253 

Chemical  13. 

1,676 
3,923 

Ladder  4  and  Chemical  10. 

4,290 

Ladder  9. 

4,311 

Ladder  12. 

2,134 

Ladder  17. 

8,964 

Ladder  18  and  Tower  3. 

3,101 

Ladder  19. 

6,875 

3,918 

Ladder  24. 

Headquarters  Building,  Bristol  street,  15,679  feet  of 
land. 

Water  Tower  No.  2  is  in  Headquarters  Building. 


Fiee  Department. 


87 


OTHER  BUILDINGS. 

Bureau  S.  &  R.  363  Albany  street,  8,000  feet  of  land. 

Veterinary  Hospital,  Atkinson  street,  64,442  feet  of 
land. 

Coal  station,  Main  street,  Charlestown,  2,430  feet  of 
land. 

Building  No.  11  Wareham  street,  used  by  the  Fire 
Alarm  Branch  as  workshop  and  storeroom,  8,500  feet  of 
land. 

Building  No.  618  Harrison  avenue,  used  as  a  depart- 
ment garage  and  repair  shop  and  a  school  for  chauffeurs 
and  officers,  3,816  feet  of  land. 


Expenditures  for  the  Year. 


Personal  service: 


Permanent  employees 

$2,543,748  61 

Temporary  employees 

981  80 

Unassigned 

4,522  90 

•t>4,i¥±\j,4Q6    ol 

Service  other  than  Personal : 

Printing  and  binding 

$53  75 

Postage        .... 

943  90 

Advertising  and  posting    . 

260  30 

Transportation  of  persons 

949  95 

Cartage  and  freight    . 

429  92 

Hire  of  teams  and  auto  trucks 

2,634  50 

Heat 

2,471  18 

Light  and  power 

20,436  69 

Rent,  taxes  and  water 

3,555  36 

Premium  on  surety  bond 

15  00 

Communication 

2,673  84 

Motor  vehicle  repairs  and 

care 

18,191  16 

Motorless  vehicle  repairs  . 

2,210  50 

Cleaning      .... 

5,600  57 

Medical        .... 

25  00 

Veterinary   .... 

900  00 

Fees,   service  of  venires, 

etc. 

580  00 

Boiler  inspection 

149  00 

Photographic  and  blueprinting 

2,339  45 

General  plant 

95,901  93 

Horseshoeing  and  clipping 

3,249  55 

100,0/  1    00 

Carried  forward $2,712,824  86 


88 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Brought  forward 

$2,712,824  86 

Equipment : 

Cable,  wire,  etc. 

$16,216  06 

Electrical     .... 

14,052  40 

Motor  vehicles    . 

284,144  11 

Stable  .        .        . 

1,965  70 

Furniture  and  fittings 

7,263  06 

Office 

3,067  39 

Marine         .... 

8  70 

Tools  and  instruments 

27,698  31 

Wearing  apparel 

33,798  75 

General  plant 

1,097  23 

389,311  71 

Supplies : 

Office 

$6,821  20 

Food  and  ice 

842  56 

Fuel 

108,363  86 

Forage  and  animal     . 

6,099  15 

Medical,  surgical,  laboratory- 

192  49 

Laundry,  cleaning,  toilet  . 

2,337  82 

Motor  vehicle 

27,626  77 

Chemicals  and  disinfectants 

2,394  85 

General  plant 

3,778  72 

Cloth 

121  00 

158,578  42 

Materials : 

Building 

$21,076  24 

Electrical     .... 

3,548  92 

General  plant 

33,649  44 

58,274  60 

Special  items : 

Pensions  and  annuities 

$260,314  69 

Workingmen's  compensation 

834  67 

261,149  36 

$3,580,138  95 

Wire  Division: 
Personal  service : 

Permanent  employees 
Service  other  than  personal: 

Printing  and  binding,  $929  00 

Postage        .        .        .     220  00 

Advertising  and  post- 
ing   .        .        .        .     126  70 

Transportation  of  per- 
sons ....  2,849  22 

Premium    on    surety 
bond         ...         6  00 


801  65 


Carried  forward 


),801  65    $3,580,138  95 


Fire  Depar 

Brought  forward 

Communication          .     297  21 

Motor  vehicle  repairs 

and  care.          .        .       50  00 

Fees,    service    of    ve- 
nires, etc.         .                2  00 

Photographic          and 

blueprinting             .         2  10 

General  plant              .       20  85 

rMENT. 

$80,801  65 

4,503  08 
1,196  25 

2,175  20 

35  52 
600  00 

89 
$3,580,138  95 

Equipment : 
Office    .        .        .        $1,162  30 
Tools      and      instru- 
ments      .        .        .       33  95 

Supplies : 
Office..        .        .        $1,790  60 
Motor  vehicle             .     381  95 
General  plant              .         2  65 

Materials : 

Electrical     .        .        .       $9  90 
General  plant              .       25  62 

Special  items: 

Pensions  and  annuities 

89,311  70 

Building. 
a  Company, 

Building. 

Engine  7,  New 

Payments  on  account : 

Contractors,  C.  &  R.  Constructio 
Advertising,  blueprints,  etc. 

$3,669,450  65 

$21,886  00 
4  32 

Engine  40,  New 

Contractor,  John  B.  Dolan  . 

Architects 

Test  borings 

Blueprints 

Advertising 

$21,890  32 

$7,200  90 

2,185  86 

163  15 

123  59 

5  00 

$9,678  50 

90 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Fire  Alarm  Signal  Station,  Back  Bay  Fens. 


Underground  work 

$2,713  36 

Test  posts . 

1,760  00 

Freights 

103  74 

Borings 

94  50 

Blueprints        .        .        . 

8  10 

$4,679  70 

Recapitulation. 

Fire  Department 

$3,669,450  65 

Engine  7,  new  building         .... 

21,890  32 

Engine  40,  new  building       .... 

9,678  50 

Fire  Alarm  Signal  Station,  Back  Bay  Fens 

4,679  70 

$3,705,699  17 

Income. 

Permits  for  fires  in  open  spaces,  fireworks,  blast- 

ing, transportation  and  storage  of  explosives 

$15,676  25 

Sale  of  old  material 

2,290  74 

Sale  of  apparatus,  etc 

1,530  68 

Sale  of  badges 

1,327  00 

Damage  to  hose  and  cable    .... 

190  12 

Damage  to  fire  alarm  posts  and  boxes 

612  59 

Damage  to  door 

7  91 

Damage  to  apparatus 

10  00 

Sale  of  manure 

4  75 

Refund  on  freight 

9  46 

Coal  penalty 

3  88 

Install  fire  alarm  box 

38  25 

Relocating  post 

58  80 

$21,760  43 

Wire  Division: 

Permits 

69,876  80 

$91,637  23 

Fire  Department. 


91 


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92 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Causes  of  Fires  and  Alarms  from  January  1,  1923, 
to  January  1,  1924. 


Alarms,  false,  needless,  bell 

and  still 1,016 

Alarms,  out  of  city 51 

Automatic    alarms,     false 

and  accidental 154 

Automobiles 364 

Brush,  rubbish,  etc 2,034 

Careless  use  lamp,  candle.  51 

Careless  use  matches  and 

set  by  rats 395 

Careless  use  pipe,  cigar  and 

cigarette 501 

Chimneys,  soot  burning .  .  292 

Clothes  near  stove 19 

Defective  chimney,  stove 

pipe,  boiler 87 

Electric  wires,  motors ....  173 

Fireworks  and  firecrackers,  46 

Gas  jet,  gas  stove 66 

Gasolene,    naphtha,    ben- 
zine   11 

Grease  in  ventilator 54 


Hot  ashes  in  wooden  recep- 
tacle   

Incendiary  and  supposed . 

Lamp  upsetting  and  ex- 
plosion   

Miscellaneous 

Oil  stove,  careless  use  and 
explosion 

Overheated  furnace,  stove, 
boiler 

Set  by  boys 

Spark  from  chimneys, 
stove 

Sparks   from   locomotive, 

engine 

Spontaneous  combustion . . 

Thawing  water  pipes 

Unknown 


95 

27 

18 
404 

73 

114 
140 

135 

66 
139 

41 
675 


Total 7,241 


1923. 


Fire  Extinguished  By 


W 


3 


January. . 
February . 
March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 
September 
October .  . 
November 
December. 

Totals 


87 
106 
106 
122 
94 
151 
93 
97 
94 
116 
75 
73 


22 

25 
35 
78 
42 
52 
50 
39 
38 
96 
46 
34 


56 
86 
86 

102 
95 

112 
67 
79 
62 

102 
75 


40 

46 

62 

219 

95 

119 

135 

97 

124 

170 

69 

47 


27 
43 
31 
30 
29 
38 
49 
41 
38 
47 
30 
37 


69 

56 

105 

284 

65 

62 

55 

52 

77 

101 

99 

82 


44 
34 
31 
41 
48 
45 
44 
38 
29 
43 
33 
39 


1,214 


:57 


1,010 


1,223 


440 


1,107 


469 


Fire  Department.  93 

Fires  Where  Losses  Exceeded  $15,000. 


Date. 

Location  and  Owner. 

Loss. 

1 
Jan. 

923. 

10 

13 

13 

14 

15 
19 
20 

22 
12 
16 
21 

24 
27 

27 

27 
2 

13 

29 

30 

1 

6 

7 

10 

14 

15 

23 

25 

2 

6 
26 
30 

58  and  60  Summer  street,  Abrahams  Company  et  al 

516,711 
35,221 

Jan. 

36  and  38  Hawkins  street  and  7?  Chardon  street,  S.  M. 

25,783 

63  Mt.  Veinon  street,  H.  M.  Sweet  et  al 

105,250 

17,965 

140-148  Harvard  avenue,  W.  P .  &  J.  Cotter  et  al 

49,201 

Jan. 

73  and  75  South  street  and  170-180  Essex  street,  L.  Schapiro 

150,646 

1 18- 128  Lincoln  street,  R.  E.  McDonald  et  al 

598,816 

Feb. 
Feb. 

35-39  Arch  street,  M.  Steinert  &  Son  Company  et  al 

41,760 
23,446 

Feb. 
Feb. 
Feb. 

132-138  Worcester  street,  S.  &  A  S.  &  F.  E  Pelonsky  et  al. .  . 
530-540  Atlantic  avenue,  F.  P.  Bennett  &  Co.,  Inc.,  etal... 
326-330  Washington  street,  Dorchester,  Norfolk  Lodge  of 

55,980 
28,424 

29,336 

Feb. 

1110-1130  Washington   street  and   106-112   Dover  street, 

30,655 

Feb. 

25,889 

Marcr 

524  and  526  Rutherford  avenue,  New  England  Newspaper 

37,216 

Marc! 

132  and  134  Washington  street  and  1  and  3  Dock  square, 

46,888 

Mare! 

Rear  81  Bristol  street,  J.  F.  Paul  &  Co.  et  al 

25,299 

Ma  ret 

17,978 

April 

131-137  Washington  street  and  53-57  Brattle  street,  Leopold 

19,858 

April 
April 

266-270  Border  street,  Acme  White  Lead  and  Color  Works, 
11-17  East  street  and  711  Atlantic  avenue,  American  Hide 

56,492 
57,549 

April 

20  and  22  Purchase  street  and  361  and  363  Atlantic  avenue, 

37,302 

April 

185  and  187  State  street  and  82  and  84  Central  street,  The 

175,035 

April 

125-131  Federal  street,  H.  S.  Hunnewell  et  al 

29,903 

April 

22,588 

April 

116-124  Merrimac  street,  H.  Traiser  &  Co.,  Inc 

103,710 

May 

217  and  219  State  street  and  114  Central  street,  Webster 

340,816 

May 
May 
May 

84-88  Hawley  street,  Kennedy's  Clothing  Company  et  al .  .  . 
121  and  123  East  Dedham  street,  P.  H.  Graham  &  Sons  et  al., 

20,736 
25,658 
16,467 

94 


City  Document  No.  11. 

Fire  Losses. —  Concluded. 


Date. 


Location  and  Owner. 


Loss. 


May  31 

June  20 

July  5 

July  16 

July  IS 

July  19 

July  28 

Aug.  24 

Sept,  13 

Oct.  6 

Oct.  8 

Nov.  1 

Nov.  16 

Nov.  17 

Nov.  17 

Nov.  18 

Nov.  22 

Nov.  30 

Dec.  7 

Dec'  10 

Dec.  15 

Dec.  17 

Dec.  18 


35  and  37  Wareham  street,  American  Slipper  Manufactur- 
ing Company  et  al 

76  and  78  Batterymarch  street,  Estate  of  Moses  Kimball 
et  al 

131-137  Kingston  street,  Star  Manufacturing  Company  et 
al 

199  Harrison  avenue,  Boston  Shoe  Polish  Manufacturing 
Company  et  al 

374-394  Congress  street,  Thomas  Kelly  Company  et  al 

Mill  stieet,  Storehouse  No.  30,  W.  Ellery  et  al 

318  Broadway,  Boston  &  Albany  et  al 

628-636  Washington  street  and  1-9  Essex  street,  Hyman 
Brothers  et  al 

67-73  Sudbury  street  and  9  Hawkins  street,  Capitol  Uphol- 
stering Company  et  al 

118  Western  avenue,  Griffith  Keiver  Company  et  al 

160-166   North   street,   Bay   State   Upholstering  Company 
et  al 

694-702  Washington  street  and  2-12  Kneeland  street,  Freed- 
man,  Levine  and  Freedman  et  al 

605-611  Washington  street,  Weinberg  Brothers  et  al 

65  and  67  Purchase  street  and  173  and  175  High  street,  S. 
M.  Fay  Estate  et  al 

209  and  211  State  street,  The  Murray  Company  et  al 

1612-1620  Blue  Hill  avenue,  Price  Brothers  &  Mission  et  al, 

107  and  109  Kingston  street  and  105  and  107  Essex  street, 
Samuel  Lieberman  et  al 

85-91  Essex  street,  B.  &  A.  Skirt  Co.  et  al 

605-611  Washington   stieet,  Massachusetts  Skirt  Company 
et  al 

2S8-294   Devonshire   street,   Northern   Commission   Com- 
pany et  al 

S89-S99  Dorchester  avenue,  Samuel  Levitt  et  al 

30S9-3099  Washington  street  and  1  Beethoven  street,  D.  W. 
&  S.  W.  Littlefield  et  al 

6-14    Congress   street   and   43   State   street,   State   Street 
Exchange  et  al 


20,319 

35,979 

17,425 

16,579 

1,269,300 

78,048 

46,143 

27,266 

31,336 
35,183 

16,233 

21,093 
15,363 

79,459 

123,072 

59,358 

15,943 
49,130 

17,586 

24,414 
15,515 

27,360 

16,138 


Statistics. 

Population,  January  1,  1924  (estimated) 
Area,  square  miles         .... 
Number  brick,  etc.,  buildings 
Number  of  wooden  buildings 


847,942 
47.81 
34,957 

78,825 


Fire  Department. 


95 


Fires  in  brick  and  stone  buildings 

1,784 

Fires  in  wooden  buildings     . 

1,364 

Out  of  city 

51 

Not  in  buildings 

2,872 

False  and  needless         .... 

1,170 

7,241 


Fire  Loss  for  the  Year  Ending  December  31,  1923. 

Building  loss  insured $1,830,951 

Contents  loss  insured 4,110,798 


j,941,749 


Building  loss  not  insured 
Contents  loss  not  insured 


Total  loss  buildings  and  contents 
Marine  loss 


$101,473 
243,078 


344,551 
5,286,300 


$14,121 


Yearly  Loss  for  the  Last  Fifteen  Years. 


Year  ending 

February 

1,  1909         ... 

$3,610,000 

u 

« 

u 

1,  1910 

1,680,245 

a 

a 

a 

1,  1911  (11  months)  . 

3,159,989 

a 

u 

January 

1,  1912 

2,232,267 

a 

a 

a 

1,  1913 

2,531,017 

u 

a 

a 

1,  1914 

*3,138,373 

a 

u 

a 

1,  1915 

3,013,269 

a 

a 

a 

1,  1916 

3,004,600 

a 

a 

a 

1,  1917 

t2,372,489 

a 

a 

a 

1,  1918 

£3,981,227 

a 

« 

a 

1,  1919 

2,822,109 

a 

a 

u 

1,  1920 

2,577,584 

« 

a 

(< 

1,  1921 

3,139,566 

a 

a 

ft 

1,  1922 

4,010,201 

a 

a 

ft 

1,  1923 

3,304,595 

a 

u 

ft 

1,  1924 

6,286,300 

*  Does  not  include  marine  loss  of  $1,116,475,  steamship  "Templemore." 
t  Does  not  include  marine  loss  of  $101,312,  steamship  "City  of  Naples"  et  al. 
%  Does  not  include  marine  loss  of  $75,660. 

Note. —  January  loss,  1911,  amounting  to  $165,001,  deducted  from  previous  year  and 
included  in  calendar  year  January  1,  1911,  to  January  1,  1912. 


96 


City  Document  No.  11. 


Alarms  for  the  Past  Ten  Years.* 


Year. 

Bell. 

Still  and 
Automatics. 

Totale. 

1923 

3,239 
2,733 
2,359 
2,029 
2,733 
2,413 
2,252 
2,350 
2,847 
2,945 

4,002 
3,401 
2,888 
2,466 
2,690 
2,649 
2,526 
2,128 
2,590 
2,589 

7,241 

1922 

6,134 

1921 

5,247 

1920 

4,485 

1919 

5,423 

1918 

5,062 

1917 

4,778 

1916 

4,531 

1915 

5,437 

1914 

5,534 

*  Each  fire  is  treated  as  having  only  one  alarm. 


Roll  of  Merit,  Boston  Fire  Department. 

James  F.  McMahon,  District  Chief. 
Edward  McDonough.  Captain,  Engine  Company  6. 
Thomas  J.  Muldoon,  Captain,  Engine  Company  16. 
Thomas  H.  Downey,  Captain,  Engine  Company  22. 
Michael  J.  Teehan,  Captain,  Engine  Company  24. 
Joseph  P.  Hanton,  Captain,  Engine  Company  33. 
Dennis  Driscoll,  Captain,  Engine  Company  37. 
Frederick  F.  Leary,  Captain,  Ladder  Company  3. 
Carl  S.  Bowers,  Lieutenant,  Aide  to  Chief. 
Henry  J.  Kelly,  Lieutenant,  Engine  Company  32. 
Timothy  J.  Heffron,  Lieutenant,  Ladder  Company  9. 
Michael  J.  Dacy,  Lieutenant,  Ladder  Company  20. 
John  J.  Kennedy,  Ladderman,  Ladder  Company  13. 
Martin  A.  Kenealy,  Captain,  retired. 
James  E.  Downey,  Hoseman,  retired. 


Fire  Department. 


97 


Members  Pensioned  from  February  1,  1923  to 
February  1,  1924. 


William  L.  Kelley. 
John  J.  Driscoll. 
James  F.  Boyle. 
Thomas  A.  Quinn. 
Mellen  R.  Joy. 
William  S.  Abbott. 
John  M.  McEwan. 
John  M.  Shanley. 
Frank  P.  Elliott. 
William  Bowers. 
John  L.  Gannon. 
Frank  A.  Bailey. 
David  Isaacs. 


Michael  J.  McNamara. 
William  J.  Cox. 
Arthur  W.  Helmund. 
Benjamin  F.  Underhill. 
Edward  J.  Reavey. 
John  E.  Fleming. 
Thomas  Buckley. 
Edward  I.  McLaughlin. 
William  A.  Porter. 
John  Connell. 
Peter  J.  Donovan. 
Williard  R.  Pulsifer. 
Frank  Coyle. 


Death  of  Members  from  February  1,  1923  to 
February  1,  1924. 
Dennis  J.  Burnett.  I  District  Chief  James  J.  Caine. 

J.  Paul  Haynes.  I  Timothy  F.  Holland. 


Death  of  Pensioners  from  February  1,  1923  to 
February  1,  1924. 


Jonathan  M.  Morris. 
Charles  P.  Smith. 
Stephen  W.  Fletcher. 
J.  E.  Corea. 
William  H.  Guinan. 
Cornelius  H.  Leary. 
Charles  P.  Boudreau. 
Ex.  Commissioner  and  Chief 

John  Grady. 
Ex.  Chief  of  Department 

Peter  F.  McDonough. 
John  Flavell. 
Edward  J.  Lynch. 


D.  O'Riordan. 
Lawrence  Scallan. 
John  K.  Weelock. 
Thomas  F.  Frazer. 
Thomas  W.  Gowen. 
James  E.  Nolan. 
Lemuel  A.  Withington. 
W.  H.  McDonald. 
J.  T.  Weston. 
Joseph  Riley. 
W.  J.  Muir. 
Charles  H.  Windhorn. 


98  City  Document  No.  11. 


BOSTON  FIREMEN'S  RELIEF  FUND. 


To  t  he  Members  of  the  Body  Corporate  of  the  Boston  Firemen's 
Relief  Fund,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Dear  Sirs,— We  hereby  certify  that  we  have  audited  the 
accounts  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  Boston  Firemen's  Relief  Fund 
to  the  close  of  business  August  31,  1924,  and  find  them  correct. 

The  deposits  in  the  banks  and  the  checks  drawn  thereon 
have  been  compared  with  the  accounts  received  from  the  banks, 
and  have  been  found  to  agree  therewith,  and  are  all  properly 
entered  on  the  books  of  the  treasurer. 

Income  from  all  sources  is  accounted  for.  Payments  are 
supported  by  proper  vouchers  or  by  paid  checks,  and  the  bal- 
ance on  hand  at  close  of  business  August  31,  1924,  is  correct. 

We  have  examined  the  securities  belonging  to  the  fund,  and 
find  them  as  stated  on  schedules  herewith. 

We  have  seen  a  bond  issued  by  the  Employees'  Liability 
Assurance  Corporation  to  D.  J.  Cadigan,  treasurer,  for 
$25,000.00. 

A  summary  of  receipts  and  disbursements  for  the  year  ending 
August  31,  1924,  is  appended  hereto. 

i       Respectfully  submitted, 

Amos  D.  Albee  Son  &  Co., 
Certified  Public  Accountants. 


Fire  Department. 


99 


Receipts  and  Disbursements  from  September  1,  1923,  to 
August  31,  1924. 

Receipts. 
Amount  received  from  Ball  Fund 
Interest  on  bonds    ....  $8,373  75 

Less  accrued  interest  paid    .        .        .        .       98  09 


Interest  on  Liberty  Loan  bonds  . 
Dividends  on  stocks 
Interest  on  deposits 

Donations 

City  of  Boston  bonds  matured    . 

American  Telephone  and  Telegraph  rights  sold 

West  End  Street  Railway  stock  sold  . 


Cancelled  checks,  not  used 


$27,496  46 

8,275  66 

2,059  32 

237  50 

209  91 

377  00 

11,000  00 

31  57 

47  46 

Balance,  September  1,  1923 


19,734  88 
28  00 

19,762  88 
9,559  64 

)9,322  52 


Disbursements. 
Death  and  sick  benefits,  gratuities,  medical  attend- 
ance and  medicine „  $28,028  10 

Salaries 800  00 

Treasurer's  bond    .        .        .        .        ...       .  62  50 

Free  bed,  Carney  Hospital 300  00 

Free  bed,  Peter  Bent  Brigham  Hospital    .        .       .  200  00 

Free  bed,  Massachusetts  General  Hospital       .       .  200  00 

Box  at  First  National  Bank  of  Boston,  vaults     .  10  00 

Auditing,  twelve  months 200  00 

Expenses,  stationery,  printing,  etc      ....  430  57 

Legal  services 849  50 

Bonds  purchased 20,144  10 


Balance,  Exchange  Trust  Company  Sav- 
ings Account       ....  $2,069  67 

Balance,  Exchange  Trust  Company  Check- 
ing Account        2,969  77 

Balance,  Beacon  Trust  Company  Savings 
Account 3,000  00 

Balance,  American  Trust  Company   .  58  31 


1,224  77 


8,097  75 
)9,322  52 


CITY   OF   BOSTON 
•RINTING  DEPAHTMENI 


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