Report of a special committee of the City Council, on the improvement of the Fire Department / and also, on the best means of obtaining an additional supply of water for fire purposes, for the city of Halifax, N.S.

by Halifax . City Council. Special Committee on the Improvement of the Fire Department

The Committee, also, take this opportunity of stating, that they do not hold themselves accountable for any communications, anonymous or otherwise, upon this question, which may have appeared in the newspapers.

The Committee have directed their attention to the several papers submitted to them by the Council; as follows:

1st. Memorial of Edward J. Longard; received by the City Council 11th March, 1859.

2nd. Memorandum of Alderman Twining; submitted 9th August, 1859.

3rd. Letter from Hon. Wm. Young, A. Scott and H. Hartshorne to His Worship the Mayor, dated 12th September, 1859.

4th. Letter from the Secretary of the Halifax Water Company to His Worship the Mayor, dated 13th September, 1859.

The Memorial of Mr. Longard, proposes a scheme for supplying the City with Water, for Fire purposes, exclusively;—the supply to be drawn from the Birch Cove Lakes.

The Memorandum of Alderman Twining suggests the appointment of a Committee, to enquire into the expediency, and feasibility, of purchasing the Water Works, and property, of the Halifax Water Company.

Messrs. Young, Scott and Hartshorne’s Letter has reference to the late Fire, and makes certain suggestions, relating thereto, such as, the laying down of additional Water Pipes, the use of Steam Fire Engines, and the enlargement of the Fire Companies.

The Communication from the Secretary of the Water Company embodies a proposition from the Company, agreeing to adopt the suggestion of Messrs. Young, Scott and Hartshorne by “laying down a 12-inch pipe from the Ball Court, at the south end of Gottengen Street, to Brunswick Street, and thence continued south along Barrack Street to Sackville Street; and lead 6-inch branch pipes therefrom, down Sackville, Prince, George, Duke and Buckingham Streets, to Sackville Street; laying a new 6-inch pipe along Hollis Street, between Sackville and Buckingham Streets; the branch pipes to have a suitable number of fire-plugs attached to them, and to be used solely for fire purposes; for the annual rent or sum of three hundred and fifty pounds.”