HEADQUARTERS FIRE DEPARTMENT,
OLD CITY HALL,

SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 1, 1888

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

GENTLEMEN : According to the law governing the Department, the under-signed, Chief Engineer, has the honor of herewith submitting for your consideration the following report of the operations of the Department under his charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888.

Therein will be found a full list of the officers and members comprising the force, a record of the alarms responded to, and fires that have occurred during the year; the loss by fire and the amount of insurance on property affected; the aggregate of insurance paid; also such suggestions and recommendations that appear to me necessary to increase the efficiency of this branch of the municipal service.

During the past year the Department responded to 353 first bell alarms, 7 second bell alarms, and 204 still or verbal alarms, making a total of 564.

The total loss by fire as determined by Lieutenant O'Kell of the Underwriters' Fire Patrol was $728,932 76.

Amount of insurance paid $514,542. 73
Actual loss to property owners $214,390.03

NOTABLE FIRES.
October 19, 1887, 8:45 p. M., Station 51. This alarm was for a fire on a corner of Folsom and Beale streets, a locality in which there is -always danger of a great conflagration when a fire breaks out, in consequence of foundries and mills in frame structures and many lumber yards there situated. The fire had its origin in the engine-room of the Fulton Iron Works, where crude petroleum was used as fuel for the furnaces. The flames spread so rapidly that the men employed were unable to do anything toward checking them, and they had barely time to escape without injury. The petroleum stored on the premises added such vigor to the fire that the many streams of water had, for a time, but little effect, and the building in which the fire broke out was destroyed. This fire also involved the car-shops of Ira Hammond, adjoining. The loss of machinery and patterns of the Fulton Iron Works was very heavy. The fire was under control in one hour. Loss estimated at $50,000.

November 25th, 1887, 12:00 M., Station 156. Alarm for a fire in that portion of the city known as the Potrero. The district in which the fire took place is bounded by Napa street on the north, Sierra on the south, Michigan on the east and Illinois on the west, and in close proximity to the extensive works of the Union Iron and Pacific Rolling Mills.

The fire originated on the corner of Michigan and Napa streets, in the kitchen of the residence of Augustus Schultz, and it quickly communicated to the buildings and cottages close by. The apparatus of the Department was promptly on the ground, but the supply of water from the mains was wholly inadequate to enable the engines to render effective service.

The fire-boat arriving shortly after the alarm, a line of hose was run from it to Engine No. 9, another from the engine to the fire, the whole forming a line 2100 feet in length. This stream was used most effectively. It served to check the advance of the fire, which would have set fire to the Union Iron Works. The supply of water being limited, and having to be forced up to high ground, proved a serious obstacle. About forty buildings, mostly cottages occupied by mechanics, were destroyed. The loss was estimated at $50,000.

May, 11th, 1888, 8:40 P. M., Station 36. An alarm was sent in from this Station for a small fire on the roof of a shed on Beale street, near Folsorn. Nearly all the apparatus of the district was at this place when an alarm was sent in from Station 156, corner of Fourth and Berry streets, which is in the same district. This being mistaken for a second alarm from the first station caused some confusion and delay. A second alarm was sent in from Station 156, and that brought sufficient apparatus to the fire, which was raging in the South Point Planing Mills, owned by A. M. Jewell & Co., on Berry street, near the Southern Pacific Railroad Company's yards. The adjoining buildings being filled with light and highly combustible material, caused the fire to spread rapidly, and communicated with Hooper & Co.'s cigar box factory, Pope & Talbot's lumber yard, and many buildings fronting on King, Haggin and Berry streets. The loss estimated at $40,000.

CASUALTIES.
 In view of the dangerous duties the members of the Department have to perform, and the great risks they take in the discharge of those duties, the casualties, I am pleased to say, have been few during the year. The following is the list of the most serious:
July 8, 1887, Thomas Tierney, Hoseman Engine No 1, broke knee-cap.
October 8, 1887, William Mulcahy, Hoseman Hose Company No. 5, dislocated a shoulder-blade.
January 19, 1888, John J. Mahoney, Foreman Engine No. 5, broken ankle.

MORTUARY.
During the year the following members and employees of the Department died:
            July 3, 1887, Albert Rissland, Foreman Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, died of consumption.
            July 5, 1887, Charles Kelley, Messenger at Headquarters, died from the effects of a pistol shot at the hands of Tobias Langan.
            July 15. 1887, William H. Lodge, Hoseman Engine Company No. 12, died of abcess on the liver.
            July 20, 1887, Edward Farrell, member of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1. died of consumption.
            November 2, 1887, O. F. Baker, Hoseman Engine Company No. 1, died of heart disease.
            November 25, 1887, Martin J. Nagle, Driver Hook and Ladder No. 2, was accidentally killed by being run over by the apparatus while going to a fire.
            January 19, 1888, Peter Louisdeck, member of Hook and Ladder Company No. 2, died of tumor on the liver.
            January 20, 1888, William Eyre, Clerk of the Corporation Yard, a native of Pennsylvania, died of consumption.
            April 1, 1888, Martin Mendies, Hoseman Engine Company No. 1, died of erysipilas.
            April 24, 1888, Augustus 0. Imbrie died of heart disease.

Upon the death of Mr. Wm. Eyre, Mr. Imbrie was retired from the active duty of Assistant Engineer. The Board of Commissioners, in recognition of his former services as an old and honored member of the Department, appointed him Clerk of the Corporation Yard, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Eyre. He had been worn out by his long service, and as his health was East failing, the less arduous duties of Clerk were therefore more suitable.

CORPORATION YARD.
The relief apparatus of the Department for service consists of 5 steam fire engines, 1 hose carriage, 4 hose carts and 3 relief trucks.             During the year 22 horses were purchased, 6 horses that were declared of no further use for the Department were sent to the stables of the House of Correction, and 2 more, for the same reason were sent to the stables of the Industrial School. These animals will be used in and around those institutions; 4 horses, having received fatal injuries during the year, were killed, and 3 died of disease. The horses now in service are distributed as follows:
To engine companies, 54; hose companies, 9, and hook and ladder companies 10; for the Engineers, 10; relief horses in Corporation Yard stable, 11, making a total of 94 horses in service in the Department at the close of the year
Twenty-one hydrants were set (new locations) and 54 reset, making a total of 1,514 hydrants in use by the Department.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

PERMANENT FULL PAID DEPARTMENT.
The necessity of this Department being made a permanent full paid one has been forcibly presented to me during the past few years.

The experience in all large cities shows that the maintaining of permanent men in the Fire Department (and I think that the time has arrived when this Department should be composed of permanent men only) is a necessity to the safety of the city. This city is almost entirely built of wood, and the danger of destruction by fire is imminent. A permanent force on duty at each house, to respond promptly to all alarms of fire is the proper way to guard against a serious fire. As the Department is now organized, each engine company has three permanent men on duty, and the hose and hook and ladder companies two men each.

The "call men " follow other occupations for a livelihood such as demand their undivided attention, and for this reason it is not to be expected that this class of firemen, when hastily summoned from their regular employment, will have the information and experience as to the best methods of performing a duty so diversified as that of successfully extinguishing a fire. On the contrary, the permanent members of the force are engaged in no other business, but are obliged to devote their whole time and attention to the duties required of them in their respective positions; and it is from them that the public have a right to expect a higher degree of efficiency, because of their opportunities to inform themselves as to the best methods to be employed in the protection of property from damage by fire and water. I also recommend that the Department be increased by the disbanding of such hose companies as may be deemed advisable, and the organizing of engine companies in lieu thereof, thereby greatly increasing the Department in point of efficiency, and at a comparatively small increased cost. The city has greatly outgrown the Department, and now we find the property-owners constantly petitioning the authorities for the protection which is guaranteed them by the Municipal Government.

I deem it essentially necessary for the protection of property by fire in the Western Addition, and also in the southwestern portion in the vicinity of Commorfordville, that an engine company be located in each of the districts named. Water facilities are ample, but there are no engines near by, and if a fire breaks out great loss may occur before the nearest engine could be placed in service.

I have heretofore called the attention of your Honorable Board, in my recommendations in Report for 1885-6, to the necessity of a Water Tower* and I desire' to respectfully renew that recommendation. I have improvised a water tower on each truck company by affixing a flexible pipe and cotton hose to the Hayes extension ladders which are in connection with Siamese at the foot of the ladder. This is a success as far as it goes, but a water tower, with all the improvements, I deem a necessary adjunct to the proper equipment of this Department.

I would further recommend that a suitable building, to be used as a stable, be erected on some lot belonging to the Department, for the keeping of relief horses and storage of forage, to be distributed as the requirements of the Department may demand. The stable now used is in a remote part of the city, a long distance from the center, and requires considerable time to send horses or forage there from when required by the different companies.

The building now used as a stable is a part of the repair shop, and I would suggest that it be altered so as to increase the capacity of the repair shop, where all work necessary for the apparatus of the Department can be done with greater facility.

I also recommend that Engine Houses Nos. 1 and 7 and Hook and Ladder No. 4 be repaired and made suitable for the requirements of the companies.

In closing this Report, I desire to tender my thanks to the Honorable Board of Fire Commissioners for the active interest you have manifested in all matters pertaining to the success of the Department, and I desire also to thank the officers and members of the force for the alacrity manifested on all occasions in complying with my orders.

I also desire to express my thanks to his Honor Mayor Pond and the Board of Supervisors for the interest they have manifested in all business pertaining to the Department.

To the Chief of Police and members of his force, to Fire Marshal Charles To we, to Captain White and Lieutenant O'Kell of the Fire Patrol, and to Superintendent Rankin, Fire Alarm Telegraph, I am under many obligations for the manner in which they have assisted the Department in the discharge of their duties on all occasions.

Respectfully submitted,

DAVID SCANNELL,
Chief of Fire Department.

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