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ANN'"^^ '^: ^" ■^"^■^ORT

.FIRE DEPARTMENT

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YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1930

PRINTING DEPAETMEN'f-'

ANNUAL REPORT

FIRE DEPARTMENT

AND WIRE DIVISION

CITY OF BOSTON

YEAE ENDIISTG DECEMBER 31, 1980

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CITY OF BOSTON

PRINTING DEPARTMENT

1931

OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

Edward F. McLaughlin,

Fire Commissio7ier.

Herbert J. Hickey,

Executive Secretary of the Department.

Henry A. Fox,
Chief of Department.

George L. Fickett,

Superintendent of Fire Alarm Division.

Walter J. Burke,

Superintendent of Wire Division.

Edward E. Williamson,

Superintendent of Maintenance Division.

Albert J. Caulfield,

Deputy Chief in Charge of Fire Prevention Division.

William J. McNally, M. D.,

Medical Examiner.

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[Document 12 — 1931.]

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

FIRE DEPARTMENT

FOR THE YEAR 1930.

Boston, March 30, 1931.

Hon. James M. Curley,

Mayor of the City of Boston.

Dear Sir, — I have the honor to submit herewith the

report of the activities of the Boston Fire Department

for the year ending December 31, 1930, as required by

section 24, chapter 4, of the Revised Ordinances of 1925.

Fire Loss.
The total fire loss of 1930 in the City of Boston,
estimated by the insurance companies amounted to
$5,151,541. There were sixty-five (65) fires where the
loss was over fifteen thousand dollars each. The out-
standing fires in this group were as follows:

January 15, North Harvard street, Harvard
Athletic Association $119,446

March 1, 227 and 229 Washington street, Thomp-
son's Spa 105,034

June 6, L Street Drawbridge 250,000

July 4, 141-153 Medford street. Palmer, Parker

Company et al 193,133

December 10, 96 Essex street. Economy Um-
brella Company et al 159,960

December 24, 11 Columbia street, John Hether-
ington & Sons et al 116,043

2 City Document No. 12.

During the year there were 8,701 alarms of fire of
which 4,593 were box alarpis and 4,108 were still and
automatic alarms: 698 false alarms were received
during the year. There were 28 arrests and 25 con-
victions of sounding false alarms.

Fire Prevention.

The personnel of the Fire Prevention Division was
increased during the year in order that the work of this
division might be more effective.

During the year all classes of buildings, with the
exception of one and two family dwellings, were in-
spected by the inspection force.

Number of inspections (initial)

Number of reinspections

Complaints reported

Conditions corrected by personal contact
Conditions corrected by service of order
Number of personal inspections by officers of

Prevention Division

Oil burners inspected

Oil burners reinspected

Oil burner defects corrected ....

Fire

361,246

24,835

10,224

22,111

520

2,852

2,482

807

861

Reports of hazardous conditions were sent to other
departments as follows:

To Building Department 2,727

To State Fire Marshal 39

Eight hundred and ninety-four notices were sent to
owners and occupants to correct hazardous conditions
and 520 personal services and orders of reinspection
were made by the constable attached to the Fire Pre-
vention Division. There were twenty prosecutions for
violations of the fire prevention laws.

One hundred and sixty-five fires were reported as
suspicious and forty-one from unknown causes. In-
vestigations of these fires were made by attaches of the
Fire Prevention Division. These fires were also re-
ported to the State Fire Marshal, Police Commissioner
and the Boston Board of Fire Underwriters.

The number of inspections made by district and com-
pany officers during the year, in addition to those of the
Fire Prevention Division were as follows:

Fire Department.

Building inspections ....

Theatre inspections ....

Schoolhouse inspections .

Public building inspections

Inspections at Long and Deer Islands

Car house inspections

Total number of inspections made by Fire Prevention
Division, district and company officers (includ-
ing initial and reinspection of all types of build-
ings)

62,760

4,178

3,848

909

24

108

464,036

Eighteen thousand, three hundred and eleven dollars
and twenty-five cents was collected in fees for permits
issued by the Fire Prevention Division.

During the Christmas holiday season a detail of fire
prevention inspectors was maintained in and about the
shopping and high value districts and other locations
where there was congestion due to shopping.

Buildings.

On Monday, November 10, 1930, the Fire Depart-
ment occupied the new fire station erected in Bowdoin
square. Engine Company 4, Engine Company 6,
Ladder Company 24, Rescue Company 3 and Water
Tower 2 and the District Chief of District 4 moved
into the building on this date.

The buildings formerly occupied by Engine Company
6 and Ladder Company 24 were turned over to the Public
Buildings Department. The building formerly occupied
by Engine Company 4 and Water Tower 1 was demol-
ished in connection with the new fire station. Rescue
Company 3 was transferred from its temporary quarters
at Engine 50 in Charlestown. The new station is a
first-class modern fireproof building, erected at a cost
of $347,905.03, excluding the land.

Extensive alterations and repairs were made at the
quarters of Engine Company 9 and Ladder Company 2,
Paris street, East Boston, and a reinforced concrete floor
installed.

The old building, formerly occupied by Ladder Com-
pany 5 on Fourth street and temporarily used by this
department as a storehouse, was transferred to the
Public Buildings Department.

City Document No. 12.

Fire Apparatus.

Thirty-six motor vehicles were purchased, tested and
placed in service, viz, :

10 American LaFrance combination hose cars (booster pumps).

1 American LaFrance combination pump and hose car.

2 American LaFrance aerial ladder trucks.

1 American LaFrance 85-foot aerial trailer.

2 Federal chassis with special type bodies for rescue cars.
9 Hupmobile sedans.

4 Hupmobile coupes.

1 Mack emergency truck.

1 l|-ton Brockway truck.

1 2^-ton Sterling truck.

4 Ford cars with pick-up bodies.

Eleven (11) pieces of major equipment, ten (10)
smaller cars and three (3) trucks were traded in as part
payment for the new equipment.

The motor equipment at the present time consists of
the following:

Pumping engines

Steam engines (tractors) .

Hose cars

Aerial ladder trucks

City Service trucks

Water towers

Chief officers' cars

School car

Rescue oars

Fuel cars

Portable lighting plants .

Wrecking car

Motorcycle (fire patrol) . .

Commercial trucks

Emergency cars (Ford) .
Ford coupes

High Pressure Service.

The records of the two high pressure stations for the
year are as follows:

OLD QUARTERS OF ENGINE COMPANY 4, BULFINCH STREET,

REPLACED BY NEW FIRE STATION IN

BOWDOIN SQUARE.

Fire Department.

Station No. 1.

Station No. 2.

Total alarms to which pumps responded

Water discharge recorded on Venturi meters *

267
104,000 gallons

216
413,000 gallons

* Owing to the construction of the Venturi meters, they do not record flows under 600
gallons per minute.

Hydrants.
The following is a list of the hydrants in service for
fire purposes as of December 31, 1930, showing the
number and different types of hydrants:

Public.

Private.

Ordinary post

Boston post

Lowry

Boston Lowry '.

Batchelder and Finneran post.

Boston

High pressure

Chapman post

Ludlow post

Matthew post. .■

Coffin post

3,874

133

2,734

22

873

33

403

5

2,813

5

123

112

451

S4

55

5

13

4

1

Totals.

11,361

382

Fire Alarm Service.

The Fire Alarm Service of the department has been
maintained at its usual high standard. In order to
increase the efficiency of the operating force two addi-
tional men were appointed.

A change in the manner of striking alarms received
from the Boston Automatic Fire Alarm Company was
made. Upon receipt of an alarm the Boston Automatic
Fire Alarm Company transmitted the signal directly
to the stations in the section where the fire occurred.
It was deemed advisable to abandon this method and to
strike the signals to the Fire Alarm Headquarters.
Upon receipt of the signal in the Fire Alarm Offi.ce a
special signal was sounded on the tappers to all depart-
ment stations.

More fire alarm boxes than usual were installed during
the past year. Of seventy-seven put in service fifty-

6

City Document No. 12.

nine are owned by this department, three by the School-
house Department and fifteen by private owners.
Sixty-eight of the old sector boxes were replaced by
boxes of the latest type. All street boxes and posts
were painted.

Considerable work was done in the Fire Department
Stations in order to maintain the electrical equipment in
the department in an efficient working condition.

A contract was made during the year to furnish
equipment for ''floating" storage batteries and for
2,500 cells of batteries to replace batteries worn out in
service. The power equipment consisted of 130 recti-
fiers, 2 motor-generators, switchboard apparatus, rack
for supporting rectifiers, and incidentals. With this
change in method of supplying electric current to the
system many beneficial results are expected.

Opeeating Records.

First alarms
Second alarms
Third alarms
Fourth alarms
Fifth alarms

Total .

4,593

104

23

5

2

4,727

Box Alarms Received but not Transmitted.

Same box received two or more times for same fire . 379

Adjacent box received for same fire .... 309

Received from boxes but treated as stills ... 7

Total

695

Still Alarms Received and Transmitted.

Received from citizens by telephone .... 2,794

Received from Police Department by telephone . . 247

Received from Fire Department stations . . • 1,128

Received from boxes but treated as stills ... 7
Mutual aid alarms (adjacent cities and towns) treated

as stills . 55

Emergency service treated as stills .... 128

Total . 4,359

Still alarms received by telephone for which box

alarms were afterwards received and transmitted, 306

OLD FIRE STATION OF LADDER COMPANY 24, NORTH GROVE

STREET, REPLACED BY NEW FIRE STATION IN

BOWDOIN SQUARE.

Fire Department. 7

Still alarms received by telephone which were after-
wards followed by box alarms that were not pulled
(11 p. m. to 8 a. m.) 282

Automatic and A. D. T. Alarms.
Boston Automatic Fire Alarm Company:

Transmitted by company to this department . . 142

Department box received and transmitted in con-
nection with same:

Before automatic alarms 6

After automatic alarms 11

Automatic alarms transmitted which were followed

by box alarms that were not pulled ... 33
Automatic alarms struck after still alarms were trans-
mitted 1

American District Telegraph Company:

Received at fire alarm office ..... 85

Department boxes received and transmitted in con-
nection with same:
Before A. D. T. alarm was received .... 8

After A. D. T. alarm was transmitted ... 4

A. D. T. alarms transmitted which were followed by

box alarms that were not pulled .... 35

A. D. T. alarms received but not transmitted after

still alarms were transmitted .... 5

A. D. T. alarms transmitted to department . . 72

Summary of Alarms.
Alarms received:

Box alarms, including multiples . . . . . 5,422

Still alarms, all classes ....... 4,572

Boston automatic alarms 142

A. D. T. alarms 85

Total received from all sources 10,221

Exclude following:

Multiples 134

Box alarms received but not transmitted ... 695

Still alarms for which other alarms were trans-
mitted 588

Automatic alarms for which other alarms were

transmitted 51

A. D. T. alarms for which other alarms were trans-
mitted 52

1,520

Total alarms, with eliminations, to which apparatus
responded 8,701

City Document No. 12.

Multiple Alarm Fires.

With two alarms
With three alarms
With four alarms
With five alarms
* With six alarms

87

20

3

1

1

Mutual Aid Response.

To Milton .
To Somerville
To Everett .
To Newton
To Norfolk
To Marlboro
To Cambridge
To Dedham

31
15
1
4
1
1
1
1

Fire Alarm Box Records.

Boxes from which no alarms were received .

Box tests and inspections

Note. — All street box doors are tested weekly.

339

10,716

Total number

1,574

Owned by Fire Department

1,116

Owned by Schoolhouse Department

259

Owned by Boston Automatic Fire Alarm Company

52

Privately owned

147

Fire Alarm Boxes in Districts.

District 1

93

District 9

109

District 2

74

District 10

126

District 3

42

District 11

145

District 4

86

District 12

95

District 5

75

District 13

. 148

District 6

102

District 14

135

District 7

105

District 15

114

District 8

124

Division 1

370

Division 2

475

Division 3

728

And one in Chelsea.

* Five alarms from one box and one alarm fram an adjacent box.

OLD QUARTERS OF ENGINE COMPANY 6, LEVERETT STREET,
REPLACED BY NEW FIRE STATION IN BOWDOIN SQUARE.

Fire Department.

Summary of Work Done in 1930.

Approximate
Number of Feet.

Line wire used in new work and replacements . . 84,600

Line wire removed from service 11,000

Aerial cable installed 5,075

Conductors in same 21,050

Aerial cable removed from service 750

Conductors in same . . 4,920

Underground cable installed 30,154

Conductors in same 465,835

Underground cable replaced 5,900

Conductors in same 143,600

Conduits laid underground 4,331

Ducts in same 4,818

Ducts abandoned 1,024

Manholes built 2

Fire alarm boxes installed by this department . . 59

Fire alarm boxes installed by Schoolhouse Department, 3

Fire alarm boxes installed on private property . . 15

Fire alarm boxes relocated 4

Fire alarm boxes removed from service ... 2

Box posts installed . 33

Box posts relocated 8

Box posts reset or replaced by new .... 9

Cable post relocated 1

Cable post replaced with larger post .... 1

Cable posts removed 2

Underground cable boxes attached to poles ... 12

Underground cable boxes removed from service . . 6

Wire Division.

In accordance with chapter 240 of the Acts of 1926,
the following streets were prescribed for the under-
ground district for 1930, from which all poles and over-
head wires were placed underground, making a total
distance of four miles as prescribed by law:

East Boston. — Paris street, from Sumner street to Bennington
street.

South Boston. — N street, from Columbia road to East
Second street ; B street, from West First street to West Seventh
street; C street, from West First street to Old Colony avenue;
E street, from West Broadway to Old Colony avenue.

Dorchester. — Baird street, from Blue Hill avenue to Morton
street; King street, from Adams street to Neponset avenue.

10 City Document No. 12.

Brighton. — Winship street, from Washington street to
Chestnut Hill avenue; Mapleton street, from Murdock street
to Market street.

Jamaica Plain. — Centre street, from Holbrook street to the
Arborway; South street, from Centre street, a distance of
2,665 feet to a point within 65 feet of the Arborway.

In these prescribed streets, from which poles and
overhead wires were to be removed, there were standing
on January 1, 1930, a total of one hundred and seventy-
nine (179) poles (not including the trolley poles of the
Boston Elevated Railway which are exempt), owned by
the Edison Electric Illuminating Company, New Eng-
land Telephone and Telegraph Company, and Boston
Elevated Railway, supporting a total of five hundred
and thirty thousand eight hundred (530,800) feet of
overhead wires owned by the Edison Electric Illuminat-
ing Company, Boston Elevated Railway, New England
Telephone and Telegraph Company, Boston Fire Depart-
ment (Fire Alarm Branch) and Boston Police Depart-
ment (Police Signal Service).

During the year there were 107 fires and 10 accidents
due to electricity. The total of fire losses in so far as
could be determined was $146,222.93. The income for
the year for permits to perform electrical work was
$70,282.33.

Interior Division.

This division made inspections of all new installations
and continued its inspection of all installations in so far
as possible. Regular inspections were made of electrical
equipment of theatres, places of amusement, public
halls, miniature golf courses, etc.

Following is a table showing a summary of the work
of the division:

Notices of new work received ....
Number of permits issued to turn on current
Number of incandescent lamps inspected
Number of motors inspected .
Number of buildings in which wiring was com^

pletely examined

Number of inspections made . . .
Number of inspections made of theatres, places

of amusement and public halls
Fires in interior of buildings .
Fires on poles . . . . .
Fires in manholes

20,271

15,709

2,346,106

17,710

3,883
35,530

1,428

100

3

3

Fire Department. 11

Miscellaneous fires 1

Injuries to persons ....... 10

Exterior Division.

During the past year the inspectors of this division
have reported one hundred and seventy-seven (177)
poles decayed at the base and thirty-one (31) poles
leaning, or a total of two hundred and eight (208) poles,
which were replaced by new poles or reset by the various
companies at the request of this department.

Five (5) abandoned poles were also reported by our
inspectors and were removed at our request.

The following table shows the overhead work for the
year, from January 1, 1930, to December 31, 1930,
inclusive :

Number of new poles in new locations . . . 183

Number of poles replaced, reset or straightened . 875

Number of poles removed 200

Number of poles now standing in the public

streets 18,019

Number of defects reported 1,574

Number of defects corrected 1,475

(Other defects in process of correction.)

Number of notices of overhead construction . 8,851

Number of overhead inspections .... 17,457

Number of overhead reports 7,215

Amount of overhead wires removed by owners

(in feet) 1,776,910

Underground Construction.
The ducts used 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.

In side or residential streets, special underground
construction for electric light and power purposes
(110 and 220 volts), of a type known as the ''Split
Fiber Solid Main System" has also been installed.

The electrical approvals for underground electrical

construction numbered 4,103

Number of inspections of underground electrical con-
struction 9,004

Number of reports of underground electrical con-
struction ■ 3,065

12

City Document No. 12.

Table Showing Underground Work for the Year 1930.

Company.

1

o
O

o

01

a

o

1
O

°'3

is

i^

Boston Elevated Railway

1,874

27,627

85,961

7

Boston Consolidated Gas Com-
pany, successor to Charlestown
Gas and Electric Company.

595

3,408

43,284

7

22

Edison Electric Illuminating Com-

41,605

500,733

1,548,905

250

2,880

pany.

Boston Fire Department (Fire
Alarm Branch).

155

155

30,454

Boston Police Department (Police
Signal Service).

13,000

New England Telephone and
Telegraph Company.

15,163

70,791

165,729

38

118

Boston Low Tension Wire Asso-
ciation.

35

35

Western Union Telegraph Com-

606

2,071

7,368

2

pany.

Totals . .

60,033

604,820

1,894,701

304

3,020

Note. — "Split Fiber Solid Main Systems" of the Edison Electric Illuminating Com-
pany and Boston Consolidated Gas Company are included in the above figures, comprising
4,286 feet of conduit and 8,046 feet of duct for the former company, and 287 feet of conduit
and 574 feet of duct for the latter company.

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

December 31, 1930.

Company.

lie

"Sol

Capacity of
Incandescent
Lamps
in Kilowatts.

^ o.'S

o S &

& o

o
111

11

43,664
54,424

239,370
292,816

4,296

*

300
125
140

15

*

365,512

*

4,0C0

106

80

88,080
*

2,000
220

20

Edison Electric Illuminating Company,

Boston Consolidated Gas Company,
successor to Charlestown Gas and

64
1

620
500

400
363

1

1

Totals

99,208

532,949

4,861

15

369,698

90,300

87

* Unknown. (Meter capacity connected to lines of Edison system 1,101,810 kilowatts.)

Fire Department. 13

Fire Department Band.

In May, 1930, a call was issued to the department
for members of the department who were interested in a
band to meet at the quarters of Engine Company 26.
The response to this invitation was beyond all expecta-
tions. Approximately one hundred and fifty men
attended the meeting and plans to organize the band
started. On September 17, 1930, the band made its
first public appearance on the streets of Boston in the
Tercentenary Parade, and for its accomplishment and
appearance won the admiration of the hundreds of
thousands of people who watched the parade. The
organization, instruction and equipping of this band
required no expenditure of the city's money and has
placed no financial burden on the City of Boston. The
expenses of the band were met privately by the Fire
Commissioner, assisted by those men who undertook
the purchase of their own instruments.

The establishment of a band in the Fire Department
has done much to increase the interest and efficiency
of the personnel in its work. The band has for its
purpose a constructive organization to perform some
beneficial service to the families of members of the
department who may lose their lives in the performance
of their duty. The raising of funds and the furnishing
of relief to the families of members of the department
who lose their lives in duty is a matter which has practi-
cally been left entirely with the firemen themselves.
A musical organization of the type and character
planned for the Fire Department Band will be the means
of assisting in raising of money for the relief of these
families.

The band has not been organized with any commer-
cial object in view, but solely for the purpose outlined
above and to appear on public occasions as a repre-
sentative organization of the Fire Department. In
addition it has for its purpose the aiding of any great
public charity or benefaction, when the times and cir-
cumstances require its aid.

Re commend ATI ons .

The principal objective of the Fire Department is
the protection of life and property against fire, with
the thought always in mind to bring about a substantial

14 City Document No. 12.

reduction in the fire loss. In order that these purposes
may be accomplished the department must at all times
be maintained at a very high state of efficiency. Today
the personnel and equipment of the department is in
first-class condition. Certain improvements are neces-
sary during the coming year to maintain this present
high standard.

1. A new fireboat should be built and placed in
service in the department to replace one of the three
fireboats now in service. Once each year the boats
are taken out of service for annual inspection by the
United States Steamboat Inspectors. Such repairs
as are required by the inspectors are made before the
boat is placed back in service. As the boats grow older
the annual repair bill becomes more and more extensive.
The replacement of one of the boats by a new boat,
more modern in type, will result in a tremendous
increase in the waterfront fire protection and reduce
the repair bill of the department. I urgently recom-
mend consideration of this proposition.

2. A new fire station should be built in the South
Boston district to provide quarters for Engine Company
2 and Ladder Company 19. These two companies
are housed in two old stations, inadequate and anti-
quated, without proper facilities for modern fire com-
panies and automobile fire apparatus. At Ladder
Company 19 the station is too small to place an aerial
truck in service and considerable delay is caused in
responding to alarms because of the narrowness of the
street. At Engine Company 2 there is not room
enough for a hose car so that the company has to
operate with one piece of apparatus. An up-to-date
fire station on a wide street will provide this section of
the city with the fire protection it should have.

3. A study of the causes of fires throughout the city
shows very apparently that many of the fires are due
to arson. This condition exists to such an extent
that it is a matter of grave concern, and it is prevalent
in the residential districts as well as in the commercial
and mercantile sections of the city. The Fire Com-
missioner is without statutory power to investigate
suspicious fires as this authority is placed elsewhere
by law. While an honest effort is being made to trace
arson in this city I believe that if the Legislature gave
to the head of the Fire Department authority to conduct
investigations better results would be obtained. I

Fire Department, 15

recommend, therefore, that at the next session of the
General Court legislation be introduced to give this
authority to the Fire Commissioner in the City of Boston.
4. It is a well known and accepted fact that constant
study and application are necessary to keep a person
properly equipped to perform the duties of his position.
The necessity for such training applies in the Fire
Department just as it does in any other form of employ-
ment. I have found however that no organized system
has been in effect in the Boston Fire Department to
keep the officers and men properly informed as to their
work. I propose to devote considerable time and
effort to establish a fire college in Boston which will
be without equal in the country. There is no doubt
that this can be accomplished with the result that
all members will be fully informed as to their obligations
and at the same time methods of operation in the
department will be standardized.

Respectfully submitted,

Edward F. McLaughlin,

Fire Commissioner.

16

City Document No. 12.

RECAPITULATION OF EXPENDITURES 1930.

Fire Department .... $4,642,216 53
Wire Division .... 103,225 10
Fire Station, Brighton . . . 19,964 74
New Fire Station, West End Dis-
trict, Building .... 330,597 53
Fire Station, West End District,

Site 361,209 01

New Fireboat 44,864 41

),502,077 32

ANNUAL REPORT OF REVENUE, BOSTON

FIRE DEPARTMENT, YEAR OF 1930.

Income.

Permits for fires in open spaces; fireworks;
blasting; transportation and storage of ex-
plosives; garage and gasolene storage, etc. . $18,311 25
Sale of old material (condemned hose) . . 419 66

Sale of old material (junk) 613 89

Sale of badges 505 75

Property damage (cable) 137 40

Property damage (fire alarm boxes and posts) . 904 29

Property damage (fire apparatus) . . . 692 85
For labor performed by this department in June

and July 262 11

For refund on cable refels in July .... 60 55

Sale of coal, tires, old lantern beds (miscellaneous) , 104 00

Wire Division:
Permits

Oil 75
70,282 33

Total

5,294 08

Fire Department. 17

CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT.
Henry A. Fox.

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 Chiefs, Henry J. Power and John J. Kelley.
Headquarters, Ladder House 8, Fort Hill Square.
This division comprises Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

District 1.

District Chiefs, Thomas E. Conroy and Henry Krake.

Headquarters, Ladder House 2, Paris Street,

East Boston.

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

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

District 2.
District Chiefs, Philip A. Tagite and Hamilton A.

McClay.
Headquarters, Engine House 50, Winthrop Street,

Charlestown.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 27, 32, 36,
50, Ladders 9, 22, Rescue 3.

District 3.
District Chiefs, John J. Kenney and John F. Good.

Headquarters, Ladder House 18, Pittsburgh Street.

Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 25, 38,
39, 44 (fireboat). Ladders 8, 18, Water Towers 1 and 3.

District 4-
District Chiefs, Avery B. Howard and John F.

McDoNOUGH.

Headquarters, Engine House 4, Bulfinch Street.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 4, 6, 8,
31 (fireboat), Ladders 1, 24.

18 City Document No. 12.

District 5.
District Chiefs, John F. Watson and Dennis J.

COUGHLIN.

Headquarters, Engine House 26-35, Broadway.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 7, 10, 26,
35, Ladder 17, Rescue 1, Water Tower 2.

Division 2.
Deputy Chiefs, Thomas H. Downey and William F.

QUIGLEY.

Headquarters, Engine House 22, Warren Avenue.
This division comprises Districts 6, 7, 8, 11.

District 6.

District Chiefs, Michael J. Teehan and Edward G.

Chamberlain.

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 Chiefs, Napeen Boutilier and Michael F.

Minehan.
Headquarters, Engine House 22, Warren Avenue.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 3, 22, 33,
Ladders 3, 13, 15.

District 8.

District Chiefs, Louis C. Stickel and Daniel Martell.
Headquarters, Ladder House 12, Tremont Street.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 13, 14,
37, Ladders 12, 26.

District IL
District Chiefs, Thomas H. Andreoli and Cornelius J.

O'Brien.
Headquarters, Engine House 41, Harvard Avenue,

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

Division 3.
Deputy Chiefs, Walter M. McLean and Frank A.

Sweeney.
Headquarters, Ladder House 23, Washington Street,

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

Fire Department. 19

District 9.

District Chiefs, William H. McCorkle and Edward

J. Locke.

Headquarters, Engine House 12, Dudley Street.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 12, 23, 24,
Ladders 4, 23, Rescue 2.

District 10.
District Chiefs, Francis J. Jordan and Charles H.

Long.
Headquarters, Engine House 17, Parish Street,
Meeting House Hill.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 17, 18, 21,
Ladder 7.

District 12.

District Chiefs, Timothy F. Donovan and Joseph W.

Shea.

Headquarters, Engine House 28, Centre Street,

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

District 13.

District Chiefs, Charles A. Donohoe and Patrick

J. V. Kelley.

Headquarters, Engine House 45, Corner Washington

and Poplar Streets, Roslindale.
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 30, 45,
Ladders 16, 25.

District IJf..

District Chiefs, James Mahoney and James F. Ryan.

Headquarters, Engine House 46, Peabody Square,

Dorchester,
Apparatus Located in the District. — Engines 16, 20,
46, 52, Ladders 6, 27, 29.

District 15.
District Chiefs, John P. Murray and Michael D.

Sullivan.
Headquarters, Engine House 48, Corner Harvard

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

20

City Document No. 12.

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22

City Document No. 12.

Causes of Fires and Alarms, from January 1,
1930, TO January 1, 1931.

Hot ashes in barrel 90

Incendiary and supposed, 152
Lamp upsetting and ex-
plosion 6

Miscellaneous 585

Oil burners 70

Oil stove, careless use and

1,703
68

90

793

1,753

57

Alarms, false, needless, bell

and still

Alarms out of city

Automatic alarms, false

and accidental

Automobiles

Brush, rubbish, etc

Careless use lamp, candle,
Careless use matches, set

by rats 427

Careless use pipe, cigar,

cigarette 1,046

Chimneys, soot burning . . 407

Clothes near stove 1

Defective chimney, stove

pipe, boiler 72

Electric wires, motors .... 283

Fireworks and firecrackers, 54

Gas jet, gas stove 15

Gasolene, benzine,

naphtha 6

Grease in ventilator, oven, 41

explosion 22

Overheated furnace, stove

boiler 83

Set by boys 146

Sparks from chimney,

stove 138

Sparks from locomotive,

engine 31

Spontaneous combustion.. 195

Thawing water pipes 21

Unknown 54

Total 8,409

Fire Extinguished By

1930.

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January

102

23

110

32

69

71

45

89

22

107

35

65

78

37

101
115
106

96
102

98

39
53
40
26
40
21

161
164
162
115
120
106

99
174
87
66
83
55

98
84
104
60
63
49

131

158
77
57
43
51

41

55

36

42

July

46

August

47

September

100

33

137

110

51

58

51

126
109
118

33
26
22

162
139
135

88
63
38

66
44
70

65
99
87

44

60

58

Totals

1,262

378

1,618

930

823

975

562

Fire Department.

23

Fires Where Losses Exceeded $15,000.

Date.

Location and Owner.

Loss.

1930.

Jan.

2

7 Jackson street, Atlas Garment Company et al

$25,670

3

556-570 Washington street, E. Oilman et al

17,889

Jan.

12

37-41 Court street, F. X. McGrath et al

31,128

Jan.

13

121 Gove street, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church

15,040

Jan.

13

67 Broad street, High Grade Shoe Repairing Company
etal.

17,452

Jan.

14

20 and 22 Canal street, General Furniture Company et al.

36,080

Jan.

15

North Harvard street. Harvard Athletic Association. . . .

119,446

Jan.

29

Rear 80 Border street, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corpo-
ration.

34,000

Feb

1

20,037

Feb

9..

15,739

Feb.

12

220 Friend street, Massachusetts Gas and Electric Com-
pany et al.

18,733

Feb.

13

439 Albany street, Boston Elevated Railway

88,881

Feb

19

16,753

March 1

227 and 229 Washington street, Thompson's Spa, Inc. . .

105,034

1 6

il2

27,639

Marcl:

92-100 Portland street, Modern Curtains Company
etal.

18,376

March 22..

16,063

March 22..

22,975

March 23

21,182

March 27

556-570 Washington street, R. H. White Company,
etal.

63,068

April

6

195-205 A street, Economy Grocery Stores Corporation
etal.

46,713

April

22

34 and 36 India street, Natural Products Company et al.

66,191

30

32,390

May

8

53 and 55 Portland street, A. H. Morrison & Sons et al.

47,806

May

19

252 and 254 Congress street. United China Company

etal.

15,108

27

50,150

31

16,718

6

250,000

June

7

15-21 Bromfield street, J. Tarr etal

20,207

June

11

25-43 Kneeland street, Fashion Cloak and Suit Com-
pany et al.

16,129

June

23

104-112 A street, J. J. White Company, Inc. et al

23,297

24

City Document No. 12.

Fire Losses. — Concluded.

Date.

Location and Owner.

Loss.

1930.

June

25

June

28

July

4

July

16

July

29

July

31

Aug.

5

Aug.

8

Aug.

17

Aug.

19

Sept.

6

Sept.

18

Sept.

24. ...:.. .

Oct.

1

Oct.

10

Oct.

15

Oct.

18

Oct.

24

Nov.

1

Nov.

2

Nov.

2.

Nov.

7

Nov.

19

Nov.

20

Nov.

26

Dec.

4

Dec.

10

Dec.

13

Dec.

19

Dec.

22

Dec.

23

Dec.

23

Dec.

24

Dec.

27

107 and 109 West Brookline street, United Furniture
Factories.

Off Austin street, Boston & Maine Railroad

141-153 Medford street, Palmer, Parker Company el al

9-19 Braintree street, E. T. Ryan Iron Works, Inc.
et al.

217 Newbury street, M. E. Casey et al

146 Northern avenue. New York, New Haven and Hart-
ford Railroad et al.

7 and 9 Dixwell street, F. E. Burnes et al

221 and 223 Endicott street, Sneirerson Brothers et ah

60 Factory street. Park Mills etal

309-315 Huntington avenue, Rush Company etal

265 Tremont street, Shubert Theatre Corporation

19-27 Sudbury street. Prime Upholstering Company
et al.

Rear 368 Albany street, Cronin Lumber Company et al.

1044 Washington street, Apollo Theatre Company et al

479 Beacon street, Oscar Bauer et al

560 Harrison avenue, Phoenix Shoe Company et al

91 Summer street, Abbott's, Inc. et al

186-192 Portland street, Standard Upholstering Com-
pany et al.

594-616 Washington street, Marvin Shoe Stores et al.

25-29 Tremont street, Martin's Women's Shop, et al. . .

44 and 46 La Grange street, A. Steinert et al

153 and 155 Fulton street. National Distributing Com-
pany et al.

26-32 Atlantic avenue, Philip Goldstein Company et al.

34 and 36 South street. Old Colony Rynak Leather Com-
pany et al.

15 and 17 Columbia street, Adler Richards Company

et al.
133 and 135 Essex street, Glaser Brothers et al

96 Essex street. Economy Umbrella Company et al.
201-213 Essex street, B. Shir etal

55-63 Summer street. The New Hat Frame Company

et al.
102-106 South street, H. Goldberg & Co. et al

6-10 Beach street. Queen Quality Undergarment

Company et al.
392 and 394 Boylston street, George Gechijian et al

11 Columbia street, John Hetherington & Sons et al. . .

162 and 164 Lincoln street, Sobel Shoes, Inc., et al . . . .

$19,653

45,000
193,133
33,658

37,466

24,287

21,124
24,025
31,871
31,387
20,852
18,578

22,624
18,600
23,145
15,152
19,391
24,362

20,916
24,875
39,197
16,275

21,161

74,755

16,840
37,469

159,960
19,542
20,148
27,920
20,906
27,849

116,043
18,895

Fire Department.

25

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26

City Document No. 12.

Statistics,

Population, January 1, 1931 (estimated)

Area, square miles ....

Number brick, etc., buildings .

Number wooden buildings

Fires in brick, stone, etc., buildings

Fires in wooden buildings

Fires out of city ....

Not in buildings, false and needless

Total alarms ....

2,004

1,549

68

4,788

805,400
47.81
42,879
92,304

8,409

Fire Loss for the Year Ending December 31, 1930.

Buildings, loss insured

. $2,319,726

Contents, loss insured

2,273,936

Total loss insured

. $4,593,662

Buildings, loss not insured (estimated) . $328,798

Contents, loss not insured (estimat
Total loss not insured

ed) . 229,081

$557,879

Marine loss

$23,130

Yearly Loss for the Last Fifteen

Years.

Marine Loss not Included.

Year ending January 1, 1917

$2,372,480

1, 1918

3,981,227

1, 1919

2,822,109

1, 1920

2,577,584

1, 1921

3,139,566

1, 1922

4,010,201

1, 1923

3,304,595

1, 1924

6,286,299

1, 1925

4,735,595

1, 1926

5,407,070

1, 1927

5,199,965

1, 1928

3,694,642

1, 1929

3,887,250

1, 1930

4,129,926

" 1, 1931

4,593,622

Fire Department.

27

Alarms for the Past Ten Years.

Year.

Bell.

Still and
Automatic.

Totals.

1930

4,601
4,473
3,867
3,492
3,762
3,798
3,640
3,239
2,733
2,359

3,808
3,979
3,829
3,840
4,108
3,904
4,353
4,002
3,401
2,888

8,409

1929

8,452

1928

7,696

1927

7,332

1926

7,870

1925 ....

7,702

1924

7,993

1923

7,241

1922

6,134

1921

• 5,247

John E. Fitzgerald Medal.

John J. Leary, for 1922.
Daniel J. O'Brien, for 1923.
Thomas F. Kilduff, for 1924.

Dennis M. Condon, for 1927.
Joseph P. Hanton, for 1929.

Walter Scott Medal.

Dennis M. Condon, for 1922.
James H. Curran, for 1923.
Edward J. Crowley, for 1924.

Gilbert W. Jones, for 1927.
John J. Boyle, for 1929.

Carl V. Anderson.
Carl S. Bowers.
James J. Buchanan.
William 0. Cheswell.
Dennis M. Condon.
Walter P. Corbett.
Michael J. Dacy.
James E. Downey.
Thomas H. Downey.
Dennis Driscoll.
Joseph P. Hanton.
Timothy J. Heffron.

Roll of Merit.

Gilbert W. Jones.
Henry J. Kelly.
Martin A. Kenealy.
John J. Kennedy.
Frederick F. Leary.
John J. Martin.
Edward McDonough.
James F. McMahon.
Thomas J. Muldoon.
Edward J. Murphy.
Arthur A. Ryan.
Michael J. Teehan.

CITY OF BOSTON

PRINTING DEPARTMENT,