CHAPTER XII.

THE FIRE DISTRICTS .WD THEIR PROTECTORS.

Distrirutiox of Appar.xtus axd Comi'.xxies into Fire Dis-jricts—The
Nature of the Proi'ertv Thev PRoiEcr—ORit.ix.xi, .Muxicir.xl axd
Modern Fire Districts—Coxsoliicxtion of Depaktmkx'is—Companies
OF THE First Fire District—Assisiaxt Engineer Lvxcii—Comp.vxies
of the Second  Fire District—Assis-i.xxt  Exgixekr Donox.vx—Com-

P.VNIES   OF   THE   THIRD   FiRE    DISTRICT—AssIST.XXT     EXGIXEER    O'NEIL—

Comp.\xh:s OF THE Fourth Fire District—Assisi-ax'I' Exgixher D.xlv

---CoMT.VXIES OF   THE   FiFTH   FiRE   DISTRICT----AssiST.XXT   EXGIXKER   ArIKI

—Servici:s   of   TllE    Men,   ix  \'olunteer and  Paid Dei'art.mexts—

E(;iUIl'.\IKNT   OF  THE   CO.MP.VNIES.

|HE forces that are marshalled under the command of Chief
O'Connor for the protection of this great city from fire, are
divided into five Fire Districts, each in command of an Assist¬
ant Engineer, responsible to the Chief for xvhat occurs in his
District. The Assistants have under their immediate command such
engine companies, truck and chemical companies, and other apparatus,
as are deemed necessary and requisite for the nature of the territor)-
covered by the forces under their jurisdiction. In some districts the
buildings are loxv and largely of xvood ; in others there are many loft)-
structures, some of them containing especially inflammable contents, and
more or less obstructed by electrical xvires and the xvay to them impeded
by car-tracks. All these considerations have their weight in determining
the Chief Engineer as to the equipment of each separate locality, so as
to utilize to the best advantage such facilities as the city can afford to
supply to the Fire Department. Except the outlying districts, all the
city districts have pretty much the same class of structures to deal xvith,
there being in each of them a certain amount of water front and of busi¬
ness and residential streets.     In  the centre of the  city is naturally found