1893 April 29
There was an important conference held on Wednesday morning between Chief Sullivan of the Fire Department and the Fire Committee of the Hoard of Underwriters, of which the well-known insurance man, Robert Dickson, is chairman. The conference was the result of an invitation extended by the board to the new Chief, and its purpose was to learn the proposed recommendations relating to a greater efficiency of the Fire Department and enhanced protection to the outlying and rapidly developing districts of the city. The report of the Chief was, to say the least, alarming and surprising even to the underwriters themselves who are supposed to keep pretty well informed on such subjects, and justified the stringent endorsement of the changes and addition which was understood to be the intention of the Chief of the Fire Department to urge upon the Fire Committee of the board of Supervisors for their encouragement and approval.

CHIEF SULLIVAN TALKS.

Chief Sullivan recommends that an additional ten steamers be purchased, with five chemical engines and five trucks, and that 2000 new hydrants be located and placed in new and unprotected districts, and also that the number be largely augmented in what is known as the "mercantile quarter," which, according to the opinion of the Chief, is still without the number of hydrants that an assurance of safety demands.

Chief Sullivan was interviewed upon the subject if additional fire protection and with characteristic frankness gave his view. "I have no desire," he said, ''to court unnecessary publicity in this matter, but it is right that the public should know the truth of the whole of this important subject. I have no personal ambitions to serve, neither would I realize the slightest personal benefit from a large increase of the department. My only ambition is to serve the city to the best of my ability in the position I have the honor to hold, and I feel a profound responsibility for the safety of the property in our charge and which looks to us for protection, from convinced that the condition of the city in so far as protection from conflagration is concerned is far from being what ought to be, even were San Francisco in less favorable financial condition than it is now, and I was glad to avail myself of the opportunity to meet a committee of underwriters and confer with them upon the urgent necessity which confronts us of a substantial increase in the means we now have for coping with a conflagration. Now," said Mr. Sullivan, "1et us take a map of the city and look in succession at those portions which are without adequate facilities for the extinguishment of the fires that may occur. Take the important district included in North Beach, which is the location large manufacturing interests and the seat of a great lumber trade. In that whole district there is one hydrant an Bay street, near the wire works, and but one more in anywhere near close proximity. These hydrants are from 700 to 800 feet apart and nothing could save the buildings if a fire became well started. I regard North Beach as a wholly unprotected district.

RICHMOND DISTRICT

"The Richmond district is another important portion of the city, which is perhaps more rapidly being built up than any other section. I also regard it as practically unprotected. There is one chemical engine out there, but the nearest steamer is No. 15 at Octavia and Laguna streets and a long distance away. Richmond is also without an adequate number of hydrants, though there is abundance of water to draw from if hydrants were provided.

"The case of Ashbury Heights is one that is liable to be duplicated at any time. Here is a section of the city with 500 dwellings, occupied, most of them, by their owners, and built at heavy expense, yet before the last conflagration only live hydrants were available and no apparatus Now the number of hydrants has been doubled and a chemical engine purchased, but the nearest steam fire engine is now at McAllister and Buchanan streets, which with good luck and without accident could not possibly reach the scene of a fire under 20 to 25 minutes. At the last fire I had to make a lead of 2700 feet of hose with a chain of engines before I could get a stream on.

NOE AND EUREKA VALLEYS

"West of Dolores street, a most important district, embracing Noe and Eureka valleys, is another portion of the city without protection. There is no engine nearer than No. 13 at Twenty-fifth and Valencia streets, and the next nearest is No. 18 on Duncan street, near Sanchez. A chemical at Sixth and Folsom also included in the district, but the character of the locality, which is the most elevated in the city, forbids rapid prepress in case of an emergency. This district should have an engine of its own and the number of hydrants should be greatly increased. At present there are no hydrants in Noe Valley and but an occasional one in Eureka Valley.

SUNNYSIDE AND OCEAN VIEW

"At Sunnyside and Ocean View there is no fire protection whatever, and but very few hydrants." "The extensive and valuable district included in South San Francisco and the Potrero has two steamers a lone distance apart, with but few hydrants. It can hardly be believed that the truck located Eleventh and Market streets is one of the apparatus designed to protect South San Francisco and the Potrero, and that in case of necessity this truck could only get to either place by a long detour by the way of San Bruno road.

The foregoing are some of the districts that ought to have immediate attention. There are many others that need it bad enough, and which we call 'partially' protected, and if water facilities could be increased would be reasonably safe, except in cases of extraordinary emergency; but there cannot be said to be a single section, not even excluding the mercantile district, that can be said to be protected as it ought to be.

MORE HYDHANTS NEEDED.

"I advocate an increase of 2000 hydrants, as absolutely required. In the business districts hydrants should not be over 250 feet apart, and in outside districts not over 400 to 500 feet apart. To get proper work from any steam fire-engine it ought not to draw from a greater distance than 200 feet. On these long 600-feet Market-street blocks there should be one hydrant in the centers as well as at the corners, and on all the outlying blocks there should be from one to three, dependent on the size of the block and the value of the property to be protected. I have carefully estimated the number hydrants, and am of the firm belief that 2000 in addition to the 1900 already in use should be placed." Mr. Sullivan asked as to the water supply in case 2000 additional hydrants were added, and replied: "No difficulty need be anticipated on that ground, in case of an emergency the whole supply of Spring Valley could be appropriated until there is no settled section of the city where there is not plenty of water at an ample pressure, provided hydrants were provided."

INSURANCE VIEWS

Robert Dickson, chairman of the fire committee of the Board of Underwriters and member of several important insurance companies, was interviewed on fire protection and the needs of the city for additional apparatus and stated that "the committee of the underwriters were very happy to meet Chief Sullivan and discuss with him the plans which, it is understood, he is to submit to the Board of Supervisors for the rehabilitation of the department. Both as a citizen and as an active insurance man," said Mr. Dickson, "I am strongly of the opinion that the present facilities for extinguishing conflagrations are inadequate to the actual needs of the city. I live, for instance, at the corner of Baker and Haight streets, and 1 have estimated that in case of fire it would take the nearest engine from twenty to twenty-five minutes to reach us. And there are other sections of the city that are even worse than mine.

"The growth of the city outside has been so gradual and steady that it can hardly be realized, and these new localities are almost entirely without fire protection. The public do not think, perhaps, of the utter helplessness of these new districts against fire, until some calamity occurs like those lately at Ashbury and Pacific Heights.

"This city is not regarded among insurance men as a first-class risk. Sacramento is better off than we are on account of the superior facilities it possesses for extinguishing fires. Our department is a fine one and accomplishes wonders, but it is neither large enough nor does it have engines or hydrants as it ought to have.

SULLIVAN’S PROPOSITIONS

"Chief Sullivan proposes to recommend that engines, trucks and chemicals be added to the apparatus and that 2000 new hydrants be placed in addition to the 1900 now in use. The last recommendation is surely in order. I do not think there is sufficient hydrant supply on any one block in the whole city. The outlying districts arc absolutely without them, and the risk of a disastrous conflagration is always thought of as a dreadful possibility by every insurance man. The recommendations of Chief Sullivan are entitled to the highest consideration. He is a man of experience and judgment and conscientious in the discharge of his duties. He knows the absolute need of the city in his department better than any one else. The underwriters have not yet acted upon the Chief's report, and must consider it. We all hope that a large addition to the fire-fighting force will be made."

Referring to the effect of additional hydrants and an increase in fire apparatus upon insurance rates Mr. Dickson said, "that if the Fire Department was increased according to the hopes of Chief Sullivan there would be an immediate reduction of rates. Of course it is impossible to say to what extent, but I guarantee the citizens of San Francisco would save enough money every year on premiums to pay not only interest on the $300,000 required, but leave enough for a good size sinking fund in addition."

WATER SUPPLY SUFFICIENT

Regarding the sufficiency of the water supply Mr. Dickson remarked: "So far as the available amount of water is concerned and it's general distribution no city in the country is situated any more advantageously than is San Francisco. That question has been eliminated from the calculations of the insurers beyond a doubt. There is an abundance of water everywhere. What is needed is more hydrants and more engines.

Such is the judgment of men who perfectly understand the unenviable position in which this city is placed regarding protection from conflagration, and it believed that the larger number of owners of real estate and insurance men fully agree with their conclusions. But no sooner is a proposition made to increase the number of hydrants for instance than the old cry that such an increase would expand the income of the Spring Valley Water Works is raised, just as tough such a question can justly be considered when the safety of the city is imperiled. That company certainly deserves some encouragement for the stupendous efforts it has made to overcome natural obstacles and supply San Francisco with a supply of water both exhaustless and pure.

RENTS NOT EXORBITANT.

The rent of a hydrant of $30 per year is claimed to be exorbitant and oppressive, but this cannot be regarded us much when comparisons are made with other cities of the country, and which are given below. It is a fact that the Water Committee of the Board of Supervisors in neither of the schedules of rates presented for adoption deemed the $30-rate too high when they considered the service. Placing a hydrant in any new section adds to the security of those who live near, besides the valuable assistance the flow gives in enhancing the health of the locality in flushing sewers and in banishing germs of disease. But the charge of exorbitant and excessive rates cannot be sustained in the light or the rents paid by representative cities throughout the country which are situated at this city is and dependent upon a private corporation for the water supply.

EXCESSIVE FREIGHTS

The excessive cost of coal and freights ought to be also considered before arriving at a conclusion in the matter. New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago, Boston, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Detroit, with many of the other larger cities, own their own works, and consequently no comparison is possible, Those cities have no separate water accounts for the corporation.
Baltimore pays $50,000 to the water fund for fire protection though owning its own works.
Buffalo, N. Y., owns its own water works, but taxes itself $100,000 for fire protection.
Kansas City, with 1416 hydrants, pays $75.960 for the same purpose,
St. Paul,' with 1908 hydrants, pays a rent of $300 per mile on the city mains.
Pittsburg, with 1850 hydrants, pays a rent of $50 per annum on each; Seattle, $60; Tacoma, $60; Topeka, $50; Savannah, Ga., $50; Peoria Il., $41.60; Davenport, Iowa, $40; Council Bluff, $100 and $75; Atehison, Kans., $50 and $60; Auburn, N. Y., $50; Annapolis, Md, $75; Akron, Oho, $40 and $45; Duluth, $60, $80 and $100; Indianapolis, $50; Leavenworth $75; Memphis $50 t0 $80; New Orleans, $60; Oswego, N.Y., $50.

Toronto, Canada, pays $54,160 for fire protection, and Denver, Colo., with 1500 hydrants, $75,000 pet annum. Des Moines, Iowa, pays a rent of $635 per mile of pipe, and thus through a long list of minor cities, the rate in no instance is as low as in this city.

A change in sentiment regarding Spring Valley's rates will surely result from a fair consideration of those mentioned above. Even the most prejudiced must admit that it is possible to obscure its real position by persistent misrepresentation.
Source: San Francisco Call, Volume 73, Number 150, 29 April 1893 — TO FIGHT FIRE. [ARTICLE]

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