REPORT. CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, CITY HALL, January 2, 1871. TO HIS HONOR THE MAYOR, AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOSTON: Gentlemen, — By the ordinance of the city it becomes my duty, as Chief Engineer, to present the Thirty-third Annual Report of the Fire Department, being the eleventh since the introduction of Steam Engines. I submit for your consideration a detailed statement of the organization, its workings and condition, with statistics which I trust will be of interest to every member of the government. The items of interest presented and forming a part of this report, will be the organization of the department, a full and complete list of its members, their age, residence, and occupation, with the number of their badge. Also, a list of the hydrants and reservoirs where water can be obtained in case of fire, a list of all fires, the loss and insurance on the same as far as could be ascertained, together with such other information as the experience of the past would seem to suggest. Upon assuming the duties and responsibilities of this office, I instituted a thorough and rigid investigation into all of the working details of the department, and issued such orders as in my judgment were demanded to place the same on a systematic basis, and secure to the city prompt and vigilant service of its members, and I have the satisfaction of stating that for good order, sobriety, discipline, and efficiency, the Fire Department of the city of Boston, as now organized, is excelled by no other in this country. The Department as now organized has one Chief, fourteen assistant engineers, and a secretary, who are elected annually by concurrent vote of the City Council in the month of February or March; four hundred and fifty members, who are recommended by the Board of Engineers, appointed by His Honor the Mayor, confirmed by the Board of Aldermen, and hold their position as firemen during good behavior. They are divided into thirty-eight companies, as follows: Twenty-one steam engine companies, ten horse hose companies, and seven hook and ladder companies. The Board of Engineers are assigned for duty by the Chief in the several fire districts. The following table will show the assignment for duty: North Section of the City; line from Leverett, Green, Court, and State Streets, to the end of Long Wharf. Line, South of Leverett, Green, Court, and State Streets, North and West of Boylston and Beach Streets. Line, South of Boylston and Beach Streets, and North of Dover DISTRICT 8. Dorchester. Capt. S. H. Hebard. RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES. The expenses of the past year have been as follows: For sal aries of the members as per vote of City Council, $197,476.31. For salary of Inspector of unsafe buildings, which is charged' to this Department, $1,017.25. For the purchase of new apparatus, horses and harnesses, $33,137.46. For the expense of the Committee on Fire Department, $5,317.79. For the Parade of the Department upon the anniversary of the settlement of Boston, $3,355.53. For appropriation made by the City Council for the relief of injured firemen, $675.00. For the purchase of hose and repairing, $26,347.36. For the use of water for the extinguishment of fires, charged to the appropriation of this department, as per vote of the City Council, $54,990.00. For repairs on hydrants and reservoirs, $3,388.86. For the furnishing of supplies, such as fuel, gas, hay, grain, oils, etc., $88,473.51. The receipts of the department the past year for the sale of manure, condemned hose, old material and horses that became unfit for service, amounts to $4,125.81, which has been paid in to the City Treasurer. For a detailed statement of the expenditures of this department, see table of expenditures. FIRES. During the past year the number of fires have exceeded the number of any previous year during the organization of this department, there having been four hundred and ninety-seven, an increase of one hundred and twelve over the previous years. Yet we have to congratulate our citizens that of this large |