THE DEPARTMENT NEWS

—The Automatic Fire Service Company of Milwaukee has delegated Mr. Shaffer, patentee of its automatic fire alarm, to solicit orders throughout Europe. He starts at once for England.

The Northwestern Firemen’s Association will hold its tournament at Seattle, Washington Territory, July 2 to 6, inclusive.

— Fire Marshal Swenie of the Town of Lake recently had his shoulder broken in two places by being thrown from his buggy, while responding to an alarm of fire.

— Denver. Col., proposes to purchase two Silsby fire engines.

—Chief Esterly of Quincy, Ill., was a recent visitor to Chicago.

—Among the recent visitors to Chicago were : A. H. Runge, first assistant chief, Minneapolis ; J. H. Tried, chief at Dubuque, Iowa ; J. J. Galligan, chief at Omaha, Neb.; Chief Hathaway of the Duluth (Minn.) department; Alderman Drady, chairman fire committee, Des Moines, la.; Thro. Hunker of the Hayward (Wis.) fire committee ; Mr. Crippen of the Neolia (Iowa) fire department ; E. W. Simpson, chief of the Springfield (Ohio) fire department ; H. F. Miller of the Mount Vernon (Ohio) fire department.

—Nashville, Tenn., recently purchased soofeet each of Keystone, Maltese and Eureka fire hose.

—Captain Newman of the Cincinnati salvage corps has been visiting the Chicago fire patrol lately, acquiring information which will enable him to more successfully establish the salvage corps of his city.

—A Georgia paper says of the Augusta paid fire department that it is “ something of a new enterprise here—and is a big item too. Heforc 1887 Augusta’s fire fighting apparatus was not of the best, and it was manned by volunteers. Insurance rates, in consequence, were very exorbitant and proved a drawback in real estate investments. • This year, at a great outlay, the department has been perfected and has earned recognition from the insurance companies in substantial reductions in insurance rales, saving thousands of dollars annually to propertyowners in this respect alone. The department is splendidly managed and competently manned.”

—The fire alarm telegraph system at Harrisburg, Pa., is reported as being sadly inefficient.

—The New York Fire Commissioners have dismissed the charges of incompetency made against Superintendent D’Oenchof the building bureau.

—San Francisco fire department estimates for the coming year, including the fire alarm system, are $118, too.

We have received the second issue of The Eureka, edited by Tandy & Salter of Chicago. May their scissors never grow dull !

The San Francisco fire committee recently authorized the purchase of two new La France steam fire engiues.

—-William Shandon has been elected chief engineer of the Henderson (Minn.) Fire Department.

At Glyndon, Dak., the other day, a man was found dead in his wagon, having been struck by lightning. The electric bolt passed through the man’s head, fused a nail to a pencil in his vest pocket, and melted a pocket knife and played other pranks with articles on his person.

An area of twenty acres in the business part of Danbury, Conn,, was burned over on June 18. The losses are put at about ft 50,000. The insurance is only about $60,000.

—Haverhill, Mass., has ordered from J. Hinman. agent at Boston for the Fire Extinguisher Manufacturing Company of Chicago, a combination chemical engine and protective wagon, a duplicate of the one recently furnished to the Lawrence department.

—One thousand dollars in prizes will be offered for competition at the firemen’s tournament at Jamestown, N. Y., June 25.

—There were several serious fires at Indianapolis, Ind., on the night of June 13, destroying the Indianapolis Veneer Works, Stone & Co.’s cabinet factory, the Indianapolis Stove Foundry, various other smaller frame factories and lumber piles. The losses are estimated at about $150,000. Chief Webster was prostrated by the heat and had to be taken home.

—A meeting of the executive committee of the Massachusetts State Firemen’s Association was hetd at the office of Secretary E. F. Martin, at Boston, June tS, to perfect arrangements for the convention at Haverhill, September 5 to 7.

—During the month of May the Bangor Extension Ladder Company of Bangor, Me., shipped

among other orders, twelve of its ladders to New York, four to Newark and one to Rahway, N. J., and two or three to Western cities.

—The Buffalo Fire Commissioners have redistricted that city, and made new assigntnerys of the several companies. In addition, two new companies have been put in service.

—A widow named Mary May has been arrested in New York, charged with setting fire to the residence of her sister in Brooklyn, with whom she had quarreled.

—The Wisconsin State firemen’s tournament was held at Madison last week. About 600 firemen were present. At the annual meeting of the association officers were elected as follows : C. W. Harvey, Beaver Dam, president ; A. C. Taft, Madison, corresponding secretary ; O. F. Roessler, Jefferson, recording secretary. W. R. Fay, Oconomowoc, treasurer. President Harvey was chosen delegate to the convention of the national association at Minneapolis..

—A Mrs. Haley of Chippewa Falls, Wis., is awaiting trial for arson. Her house, on which there was $2500 insurance, was recently burned, and two boys now say that she emplo3’ed them to fire it.

—A telegram from Ottawa says: “ The Canadian Underwriters Association, with headquarters at Montreal, has advised insurance companies not to take any more fire risks in the city of Hull, Que.”

—On Wednesday of last week there were five outbreaks of fire on one floor of a Boston house. The tenants were arrested, but released for lack of evidence.

—A committee of the Buffalo Board of Fire Underwriters is earnestly discussing the question of how to prevent natural gas explosions, such as the one which recently occurred there with such disastrous results.

—The works of the Salem Lead Company at Salem, Mass., were burned June 14. Much valuable machinery and a quantity of lead and lead pipe were destroyed. The losses are put at $100,000 to $125,000, covered by insurance.

—With each weekly number of America it becomes more evident that Chicago has brought forth at last a high class periodical which has every reason for living and flourishing. It is one of our exchanges which is taken home to be read.

—An unknown man on Wednesday of last week was seen to throw some small object among a number of cotton bales on Pier No. 9, North river. It was picked up later and proved to be a dynamite cartridge.

—J. P. Barrett, city electrician of Chicago, was in town this week and called at the FIKE AND WATER office. How many difficulties might be smoothed away by having one capable, conscientious man such as Professor Barrett in a like position in New York city.

—If Sherman, Tex., chooses to go to the expense of keeping on hand 2000 feet of good fire hose, the State Board of Fire Underwriters will put it on the list of first-class cities, which will reduce its rates twenty-five per cent on frame, and eleven per cent on brick buildings.

—One man was killed and four others seriously injured by an explosion of gasoline in a warehouse at Zanesville, Ohio, June 16. The building, which contained several barrels of gasoline, besides oils, paints, etc., was wrecked and burned. How the explosion occurred is not known.

—A remarkable number of fatal and destructive electric storms were reported from different Slates on June 14. William Bellas, a prominent citizen of New Columbia, Pa., was killed by

lightning while sheltering himself under a tree ; near Clarkfield, Minn., a house was struck and two children killed ; at Lindsay, Neb., the electric fluid passed down the chimney of a house and killed a child sleeping with its parents, who were unharmed. A man was killed at Norman’s Grove, Neb., and another at Lynden, Wis.; while numerous buildings were struck and burned, and several lives lost in other States.

—It is expected that the new electric alarm apparatus of Methuen, Mass., will be* in working order in two or three weeks.

—Says The Webster (Mass.) News of 8th inst.: “Each succeeding fire with which Webster is visited proves one thing. Either the water supply of Webster is insufficient, or else there is lack of force for the handling of it. Could a supply of water have been promptly secured and used, the fire of Tuesday morning would have been an insignificant blaze, instead of a severe conflagration.”

—Wcstville, near New Haven, Conn, is trying to get eight hydrants placed on Main street, will soon organize a fire company, and wants the electric lights to burn all night. Good for Westville !

—Lewiston, Me., has ordered the placing o fourteen new hydrants, where they will give the best protection against fires.

— Bridget Boyle has been arrested in New York charged with firing the tenement in which she lived.

—The Larmon Hose Company has been organized at Cambridge, Washington county, N. Y. The trustees are Walter Gilbreath, Dennis Ford and J. W. Brownell.

—Reliance Fire Company No. x of Philipsburg, Pa., will parade July 4, in new uniforms now making by the Smith Manufacturing Company of New York.

—The Deluge pipe manufactured by Samuel Eastman & Co. of Concord, N. II., was tested last week at Portland, Me., by Chief Engineer Cloyes and the fire committee. A local paper says : “ In its capacity of discharging water there seemed to be no end. Four steamers were called out, two first and two second-class, delivering their entire capacity through this one pipe and nozzle at the rate of about 3000 gallons of water per minute. It proved all that is claimed for it, taking the water from all the engines at the same time, running with 200 to 230 pounds pressure to the square inch.”

—The North Dakota Firemen’s Convention was held at Grafton last week. Officers for the coming year were elected as follows : President, J. B. Winter of Grand Fork ; vice-presidents, Mr. Carmody of Hillsboro, and Wm. James of Pembina; secretary, Henry Rush of Fargo; treasurer, Joseph Hanley of Wahpeton. The next convention will be held at Fargo.

—Torrent Steam Fire Company No. 5 of Mobile, Ala., has exchanged its second-class Ainoskeag engine for a fourth-class Ahrens engine belonging to Robinson & Co., lumber manufacturers of Millville, Fla.

—The Trinity Church Corporation has given $500 to the New York Firemen’s Relief Fund.

—Chief Shay of the New York Fire Department has requested the fire commissioners to have red caps placed on the electric light globes nearest the fire alarm boxes. The matter has been referred to Commissioner Porter.

—The Iowa State firemen’s tournament was held at Clinton last week.

—The Gamewell auxiliary fire alarm boxes have been adopted quite generally in Fall River, Mass. A number of the large mills have already been connected, and the system is meeting with popular favor wherever tried. The State House in Boston has just been connected with the city fire alarm by means of auxiliary boxes.

—The annual parade of the fire department of Atlantic City, N. J., took place June ig. Several visiting companies from Philadelphia and other places took part.

—The life of a fireman in a large city is in continual danger, and he deserves all the kind words and badges that are showered upon him, but occasionally it is overdone. A fireman in a Western city, who had rendered efficient service in fighting the fire fiend, died recently. Some of his admirers sent a floral pillow on which was inscribed : “ He has gone to his last fire.” The widow scornfully threw it out into the back yard. — Texas Siftings.

—Water Tower No. i of the New York Fire Department was run into by a truck on Saturday and considerably damaged.

—Chiefs of various fire departments have been elected recently as follows : Birmingham, Conn., John Leonard ; Rutherford, N. J., John J. Dupuy ; Shreveport, La., A. S. Toombs.

—Firemen Hendon and Jones of the Chicago Fire Department, were seriously injured at a fire last week.

—Jos. J. Rabig, foreman of Protection Engine Company of Elizabeth, N. J., died last week. He had been identified with the department for twenty years. His death was due to lead poisoning, caused by drinking temperance beverages out of bottles which were cleansed by the use of shot.

—Merrimac Engine Company of Amesbury, Mass., has been dissolved, owing, it is said, to internal dissensions.

—Says the Boston Globe : ‘* Newton, N. H,, again suffers a severe fire loss, and still refuses to protect itself with fire apparatus.”

—The Mayflower Hook and Ladder Company of East Norwalk, Conn., has purchased a hose carriage and 400 feet of hose, to run in connection with its ladder truck.

—Scenes at the Massachusetts avenue fire : A young man running around wild with a lawn tennis racquet; acres of Mother Hubbards; the population of the city and some from Oakland ; four engines sucking at a dry cistern ; many sections of burnt and burst hose ; “ tongues of licking flame ;” a sky thoroughly “lurid” in every respect ; 194 persons who were the “ first man on the ground.”—Indianapolis Neios.

—There were thirty-two fires and alarms in Detroit, Mich., during the month of May. Value of property endangered, $243,425 ; loss, $3498 ; insurance, $148,350.

—Speaking of the recent fatal fire in London, The Standard of that city says : “ A serious fact has transpired in connection with the Edgeware Road fire. It appears that the firemen with the escapes had arrived at the station with their machines, and had just lowered them when the messengers ran up with the news that the premises were on fire in Edgeware Road. The firemen, instead of responding to the call, gave an abusive answer. Captain Shaw, who had this reported to him had the men before him on Saturday’, and on the evidence of a civilian and police constable suspended the men.”

—The business part of the town of Vermillion, Ill., was destroyed June 16 by fire.

—An $80,000 fire was caused by lightning at Fall River, Mass., June 16, the Anawam mill being totally destroyed.

—The volunteer fire department of Meadville, Pa., has concluded to disband August 1. The action was brought about by a public expression in favor of a paid department. The volunteer department is well equipped. The town has good water service, and can easily’ make the change.

—At the meeting of the New York Fire Commissioners on Wednesday a letter from President W. E. Andrews, of the Standard Gaslight Company, asking that the permit asked for by that corporation to store naptluha in tanks at the foot of East 115th street be delayed no longer, as the company was suffering a daily loss, was referred to Commissioner Croker for action. The commissioners said that the residents of the neighborhood objected to the tanks, and the inspector of combustibles reported them as dangerous.

—The headquarters of the delegates to the Connecticut Slate Firemens Convention at Norwich, August 6 and 7, will be the Wauregan House.

—Verdicts for $8400 each have been given to Earnest Lasche and John Jeffers against the city of Brooklyn. They were respectively clerk and kerosene inspector in the employ of the fire department, and were illegally discharged in 1880.

—The fire department of Flatlands, L. I., will parade July 17, after which it will picnic at Canarsie. The proceeds are to go towards the purchase of an engine.

—The value of the two fire boats Chicago and Geyser, was demonstrated at a large fire in the lumber district of Chicago last week, where, although the land engines did good work, the boats are reported by the local press to have virtually saved the day, keeping the losses down to $50,000.

— Edward A. Taft, western agent of the Boston Woven Hose Company at Chicago, is having an excellent trade in fiie department supplies. He has also furnished the following departments with new uniforms : Nevada, Joplin, Fayetteville, Chillicothe, Columbus, Parsons, Springfield, Rich Hill, Clinton, Carthage and Holden, Mo., and Gold Hill. Nevada.

—Chief Ziller of Austin, Tex., writes : “ The

Holly system of water supply is working with great satisfaction, so that we are able to cope with fires successfully so far. The fire department is in good working trim. It consists of four hose companies and one hook and ladder company, each hose carriage having 600 feet of cotton hose.”

—The Southwestern Firemen’s Association held its convention and tournament at Carthage, Mo., on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Officers for the ensu ng year were elected as follows: President, Geo. II. Thomas, chief of the Carthage Fire Department ; vicepresident, A. P. Elder, chief of the.Ottawa (Kan.) Fire Department; secretary and treasurer, H. II. Mitchell of Springfield. The next convention will be held at Clinton in June, 1889.

—Fire alarm signal boxes are to be put, this summer, in all the Boston school-houses of four or more rooms.

—Forest fires have been doing great damage in Newfoundland. One day last week four persons perished in them.

—At Somerville, Mass., the committee on police has reported in favor of adopting the Wilson’s police signal system, with twenty-five boxes, at a cost of $3,488.88.

—A Providence (R. I.) Jewess, named Freeman, a few nights since saturated her bed with coal oil and set fire to it, burning herself and child to death. She is believed to have been insane.

—At the test of the new No. 5 Silsby steam fire engine which was recently delivered to the fire department of Wilson, N. C., a stream was

thrown through 1006 Icet of hose and a iX*i»udi nozzle far above a ninety foot mill stack, and then horizontally 240 feet. The townspeople arc much pleased with their acquisition.