To the Honorable the Board of Fire Commissioners of the City and County of San Francisco:

GENTLEMEN : In conformity with a rule of your Honorable Body, I have the honor to present to you this, the Tenth Annual Report of the San Francisco Paid Fire Department.

I respectfully present a detailed statement of the condition and working of the Paid Fire Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, together with such recommendations as my experience as Chief Engineer suggests, and which, if carried out, will, in my opinion, greatly increase its efficiency, and enable it to cope more successfully with fires

I have endeavored to present to your Honorable Body in this Report all the items of interest connected with the working of the Department during the fiscal year just closed.

In it will be found a complete Roll of the Department, including Number of Badge, Name, Position, Age, Residence and Occupation of every man attached to the Department proper, a list of men employed at the Corporation Yard of the Department and their respective positions, together with a detailed statement of the property in possession of the Department, including Engines, Hose-Reels, Hook and Ladder Carriages and appurtenances thereto, Hose, Horses and property at the Corporation Yard. Also, a list of the number and location of Hydrants and Cisterns, from which a supply of water can be obtained when required, together with a list of the number and location of Signal Boxes; record of the fires and alarms during the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1875, and ending June 30, 1876; the origin of all fires, as far as it could be ascertained; a statement of the losses by fire during the year; amount of insurance on property damaged or destroyed, and amount of insurance paid; the number of alarms responded to by each Company, number of times in service, and time at work on fires, and a statement of all such losses that exceeded two hundred dollar's. It affords me great pleasure to testify to the fact that during the past year the officers and members of the Department have by their promptness in responding to the calls of duty, and through their skill and daring in battling with the fiery element, maintained for the Fire Department that reputation for efficiency and bravery which it has enjoyed since its organization a reputation second to that of no other fire department in America.

During the year just closed a number of fires occurred which threatened destruction to a large amount of property; but the promptness and bravery of the members of the Department prevented any very serious conflagration in every case, with perhaps two exceptions that of Brittan, Holbrook & Co. and the Bay Sugar Refinery where a very large amount of property was destroyed.

In another portion of this Report will be found a statement of the quantity, quality and condition of all the hose in possession of the Department, and available for fire purposes, and how and where distributed; also, a statement of the quantity of hose in the possession of private parties, the names of said parties, and where the hose is kept.

CISTERNS.
In another portion of this Report will be found a tabular statement of the number, location and capacity of cisterns from which the Department can, in case of need, obtain a supply of water.

HYDRANTS.
The number of Hydrants erected prior to the 30th of June, 1875, was one thousand and seventy-three (1,073); during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, the number erected was sixty- nine (69) ; making a total of one thousand one hundred and forty-two (1,142) now available for the purpose of extinguishing fires.

DEPARTMENT APPARATUS.
All the apparatus of the Department in actual service is in good working condition; but in my judgment additional apparatus should be purchased, for while the number of steam fire engines and other apparatus in possession of the Department, and available for the purpose of extinguishing fires may be adequate for all ordinary purposes, I desire to say that our city, standing as it does almost entirely isolated from any point from which assistance could reach us, we would have to rely wholly upon the fire apparatus in our possession for the preservation of the city, or a large portion of it, from total destruction.

DEPARTMENT HOUSES.
The houses of the Department are in good condition, and comfortably furnished. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, two new houses have been erected, one for Engine Company No. 8 on Pacific avenue near Polk street, and the other for the new Hose Company, No. 6, recently organized by your Honorable Body, on McAllister street, west of Buchanan.

I would recommend that the old house of Engine Company No. 8 on Pacific street be repaired, and that a new Hook and Ladder Company be organized for service in that portion of the city, as in case of any large fires, the companies in the lower portion of the city experience a great delay in reaching fires in that neighborhood.

WATER SUPPLY.
I would again call the attention of your Honorable Body to the smallness of the mains on the City Front, from Front street to East street. Also on
Rincon Hill, and that section of the city south of Brannan street, from Sixth street to First street; also east of First street, from Harrison to Mission streets, as this portion of the city is composed of the most inflammable materials, such as hay barns, lumber yards and manufactories.

FIRE BOAT.
I would again call the attention of your Honorable Body to the necessity of a Fire Boat for the use of the Department. This addition to the Department would afford protection to the shipping and property along the water front. Again, if the vessels moored at any wharf where a fire might be raging were aground, and could not be moved to a place of safety, this boat could be used to very great advantage, and assist the Department in preventing the spread of the fire to the shipping.

I would recommend that Engines 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10 be supplied with heaters for generating steam, so that the engine can have from twenty-five to thirty pounds of steam on at all times. This will enable them to throw a powerful stream of water on fires occurring in the immediate vicinity of their respective houses, and check them in their incipiency. The advantage gained by this improvement will be very great, as the localities in which these companies are situated are occupied to a great extent by mills, foundries, machine shops, etc., all built of inflammable material, which affords excellent opportunities for extensive and destructive conflagrations, and render it necessary to have a full supply of water in the start of a fire, which is not now afforded by the hydrant pressure in the section of the city covered by the companies designated.

MORE HOSE NEEDED.
I would recommend the purchase of ten thousand (10,000) feet of the best Carbolized Hose, as we should have a large quantity on hand at the Corporation Yard, from which the Department could draw in case of need, so that if an extensive fire should occur, at which a large quantity of hose might be destroyed, the Department could be supplied without delay with enough to replace that destroyed.

I would urge upon your Honorable Body the great necessity for immediately strengthening the Department by the organization of another Truck Company, to be located in the old house of Engine Company No. 8. on Pacific street, between Leavenworth and Jones; and also a Hose Company to be located in the northwestern portion of the city.

I would recommend the purchase of a large size Chemical Engine for service in the lower portion of the City, where fires occur frequently in the upper stories of buildings filled with valuable goods, and the danger of damage by water is great, when, as at present, it is necessary to run a line of hose to the upper floors and turn on water, which necessarily causes more or less damage to goods on the lower floors. This Engine could be used to advantage in these cases, and the damage to stock greatly lessened, if not wholly prevented. The force required to man the Engine will be a Foreman, Driver, and two permanent Hosemen.

I would recommend the purchase of a Fuel Cart for the Department, to be used for supplying Engines with fuel when at work on fires requiring considerable time to extinguish, as the Engines have carrying capacity for only a small quantity of fuel, and it frequently happens that valuable time is lost in obtaining an additional supply. An ample supply could be kept at the Corporation Yard, from which to draw when occasion requires, if the Department is furnished with a Fuel Cart to be used for hauling it to the Engines at any point they might be at work. I think it should be obtained without delay.

Before concluding my report, I wish to tender for myself and the Department our heartfelt thanks for valuable aid received during the year, which has been of great assistance to the officers and members of the Department, and has contributed materially towards the success which the Department has met with in battling with the fiery element.

To the Honorable the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and the Fire Department Committee of the Board of Supervisors, for their prompt attention to all requests made to them to provide for the wants of the Department; for their assistance in matters relating to the Fire Department, and for the cordial and prompt manner in which they have co-operated with me in my efforts to maintain the efficiency of the Department.

To Chief of Police Ellis and his department, for their valuable assistance at fires, and for the promptness with which they have responded when called upon to aid the Department.

To Fire Marshal Durkee, for the prompt and cheerful manner in which he has always responded when called upon for assistance, and for valuable services rendered by him at fires.

To Captain White, of the Fire Patrol, and his Company, for their hearty co-operation with the Department since the date of their entry into active

Also, to Mr. Urquhart, Superintendent of the Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph, and his Assistants, for the promptness and efficiency displayed by them in their Department.

To Mr. Lohse, Assistant Superintendent of the Spring Valley Water Works, for the prompt and efficient manner in which he has performed his duties in connection with the care and repair to water pipes and hydrants, which he has kept in excellent condition, thereby enabling the Department to obtain a supply of water without unnecessary delay at all times.

In conclusion, allow me to tender your Honorable Body my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the earnest support extended to me at all times during the year, without which my efforts would have been vain indeed. My every effort has been heartily seconded by you, and I shall ever cherish with feelings of gratitude the many acts of kindness and expressions of friendship on your part, assuring you that as long as you repose confidence in me by retaining me in the position of Chief Engineer of* the Fire Department, I shall spare no effort to prove to you that I am not unworthy of the trust reposed in me.

All of which is most respectfully submitted.

DAVID SCANNELL,
Chief Engineer.

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