The Fire Chief’s Final Warning

To the Hon. T. T. Minor, Mayor of the City of Seattle: I herewith submit my fourth and last annual report as chief of the fire department of the city of Seattle. The rapid growth of our city has necessitated the abandonment of our former primitive methods and the adoption in their stead of an organization more in keeping with the progress of our town. The volunteer fire department is not creditable to our city, neglected alike by the city and those having them in charge. The time taken by the volunteer in reaching the engine house is often fatal to the speedy extinguishment of the fires. Millions of dollars would annually be saved thereby could the department have been on hand a minute or two earlier. It is claimed, and with much propriety, that this city has outgrown the present volunteer organization. Certain it is that no part-paid and part-volunteer system can safely be inaugurated; the volunteer is always jealous of the paid member, and a constant clash is the result. I would recommend the immediate and thereafter the annual inspection by the United States of the boilers of the steam fire engines now in this city. I would also suggest that the authority of the chief be extended to embrace the control of the engineers in charge of the engines, with power to employ and discharge. With no power to enforce discipline, no discipline can be enforced.