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Oct 20/90
Letter from Chf Kellogg to Bo of F Coms
Filed Oct [30?]/90
H W Miller Clk
per W B [Drom?] [Deputy?]
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Office of Chief of the Fire Department
[Seattle?] Oct 20th 1890
To the Honorable the Board of Fire Commissioners for the City of Seattle
Gentlemen
In compliance with your [report?] I herewith submit a complete list of the names comprising the present fire department with their ages former occupation nativity residence in the state date of admission into the department and the number of years experience in other fire departments together with an inventory of all the property and apparatus of every description in connection with the fire department and the value thereof.
The list of names enclosed include many who have served with credit for years in the layer paid departments of this country.
[Another?] portion have served faithfully in the old volunteer department of this City. All alike are firemen of which any department
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may justly be proud.
These names I specialy commend to you for retention in the department.
Many of them have been identified with the department since [its?] organization and have endured the vicisitudes of a tent life [through?] the winter.
I also submit the names of four men who have been acting in the capacity of substitutes. It has been the practice in the department to employ one substitute for each house to take the place of a regular when from any reason the regular member was off duty. There of the substitute proved himself worthy and apt in the department he was assigned to fill the first vacancy assuming these substitutes have been doing duty for several months and are every way qualified for promotion and I would urge as a matter of justice that they be engaged at this earliest practicable moment.
I desire to call your attention
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to the neccessity for a code of rules and [regulations?] for the guidance of the department and maintainance of a proper discipline. The present rules have never been adopted by any constitutional authority.
I would also suggest that a revision be had of the salaries paid to the firemen. The best skilled labor is a neccessity and is employed in the department. The present pay is much below that allowed by other departments and is inadequate for the service performed.
I would also call your attention to the fact that the fire boat is nearing completion + that the new chemicals ordered are now about due here. No provision has been made for a slip for the boat or houses for the engines. I would also suggest that the old head quarters building with the canvas cover and the [stores?] and such [other] material therein not required at new head quarters be sold as soon as the new head quarters are ready for occupancy.
Very Respectfuly
Chief Dept
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List of names acting as substitutes now in the department at the [several?] houses as follows
Employed at 3 [Engine?] House four months
Employed at old head [quarters] past nine months
Employed at No 2 Engine House past three months
Employed at Engine Co No 4 past four months