The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-24

Oseom I1ro Bm8anos
Association was held Ia the Nepsuae Hal, P!tsa-
burg, on N ,ndsy evening. August IA, sSS4. The
follo~iDg report from the Committee % examine
Tas "a
GKNTIHhEN:-The un6essgoeH your v nmitsee
appointed st your last stated nseang, In accord
ance With resolutions adopted TOR that purpose,
eeded tn ths city OF Cinei natl 70 examine tne
steam drs engine now In nae IN that city aad beg
leave respectfully to rrSor that upoa their arrival
10 Cincinnati they inside tn mselves kcown TO bis
| honor, Mayo SDebsker by wn0m shey We Q m)st
court ousiy received and tfea'ed and wee at once
aforr ed every opportunity TO examine "S.ean Fie
Engine No. L." which has been In use In that CITY
Tor some time also the steam Are engine "Ci 1.
zeh's Gift" then on exhibition Ia the Ne haaics'
Ipstitufe aud IN making Their ex m'nation Of the
latter men Toned apparatus, they wsrs kiidy aided,
and nu;n Information was Obtained from NJ. Lat
to, Il Ingenious inventor, aud his partnsrs, and
from the genrlemany clerk Of the insttutt. After
which, Miles Gyeenwood, Esq, the able Chief En-
giDeer, calico ont at an early hour in the morning
the entire fire department. CT Cincinnat aud caused
the steam fire engine, called the Citizens
Gir," to be put 10 full peraton. Your COM lttee
cannot spesk In terms woich would DC too lauda
tory Of the fire department OF that cty it Is indeed
the most admirably arranged add conducted they
have ever i'd the plea Of examining and Is In
every respect THAT l. snould os possessed OF az ad
mirably situated alarm bell, in fourtsea minutes
the entire. department. Consisting OF steam lire
engine and thirteen hand engines, situated in dtef
cate d by the bell. Inc chief engineer hal thu ii re
in the steam engine lighted, and IN seven minutes
shet rev water. The engine may be briefly de-
scribeo tlns:--
II is a double acting engine with two nine in,h
cylir deis, wOf king two six iGcn pumps, two feet
s,roke-msking about ten revolutions To the minute.
The two hino wheels Of the engise (while the ap-
paratus is staionary) acting as ay wheels to the
bnd axle, being made fast to tho vheels by
sIeeve coupling in the cen re, assists In propellng
the appa atus when In progress to and om fire.
| In hri1a 10 FRI tUa
| inside, the water being III the tube and the fire
passing around it. A "do:tor" is used TO supply
the eng're with water; there IL also an air pump
to form vacuum ia the oolec, 10y meaosof whiei
| wbichis worked by two men from the instant the
fire is started until the cam ooeraes on the "doc
tor" In front Of the engine is large tank, cou-
tsinirg sufficient supply Of water for the doctor"
by means Of which the engine can be worked uati
the suctoDs are attached On each side of the tank
Is q column, ten inches by about four aod half
feet In length, used as air chambers, which
are colnecsep at the bottom by . semicircular
four IL Oh pipe (around the tank) with six outlets
openings TO make attachments; belo Y, by means Of
different pipe, are two large openings for larger
attscl meDts. TaCs the engine Is enabled to throw
SIX three quarter inch streams, or two one and q
quarter inch streams, or one two inch stream to al
most any required distance. The general appear.
ance OF the engine can BE- best understood from the
Telegraph representation here with att ached which
Is eedpgly accurate. II is that Of large loco-
motive-its weight is four ons-it rests upon three
WI cells, and can be readily drawn by four horses.
This engine is much superior to the original one,
and is yet susceptible OF improvement. La speak
Ing Of the e1aIioLs of the engine your ,mnittee
only state what they saw and are entirely satisfied
that Il necessity had required II, water could have
been thrown much more speedily. With regard to
the entire success Of the steam engine your COM
mittee beg to quote from the report OF the Chief
Engineer of the Cincinnati Fire Department for the
year ending April l, 1864. In speaking of the old
apparatus, or Steam Efgins No. :" and the one
now known as tue " Citizens Gift" he SAYS
" The present steem engine has been in the ser
vice Of the Fire Department for over sxtsen
my last report Of the practicabiiity Of this engine
for proteciing property from destruction by fire, it
must now DO removed. The trium plant SUCCESS Of
this Invention bas 50 completely satisfied every
that has seen it IL operation, not only Of
greater security 20 property but in point Of
my far beyond anything nov in use. This has been
20 manifest that have beer enabled, through the
hberality Of some Of our citizens ami Insurance
companies, to raise sufficient sum TO pay for an
other new steam engine, which has iast been flo.
ebed and 10 now in tho service Of the city. The
one authorized to be contracted for by your body,
the Chairman ofstbe Comn,stee on Fife DeD artmeut
and myself thought proper defer coat acting for
urul The one recently built was finished and tested,
ctsiribg to Re IL In usc 80 that II any improve
Dents were TO be msde we could avail ourselves Of
them IN The construction OF me Lev uta,rized
TO BE- built by The resolution Of your body,n from
which spears that the authorities AMI people OF
that city aIe 20 fully sssisfeo Of tbs usefulness aud
economy OF the siear, i-e engine, that they viii
soon lie possessed VI three Of said engines.
From tho sane valuable report we learn that tie
eypsnss OF the entire department Of Cincinnati for
last year was sII2I2 GO. from which we m W &c.
duct sl2 .2.5 o3, which was uci1entsI; the dspart.
nett u conducted on the pay system- Tue ex-
reIEes OF the steam fire engine, with which we haze
rarticularyts and 10 the examnsticn Of which wo
arc Greeted including all incidsata expenses, the
exl ehse o. boises, &c, s7,516 81. The cost OF
Me q CINE would be about $40 900. The expanse
Therefor FOR the rst year would be about $l7576 a.
this would be in the opinion of your committee
liberal ssiieate OF the expense. The engine would
OF c)uTfc have to bc ia the bands O. competent
engineer, ard assistants employed and paid FOR that
purl oe all OF which expenses are included in the
foregoing estimates. the steam fire engine would
&c equivalent TO five or six oil our present hand
engines, ard could he well supplied with water by
III &C OF our city plugs in place Of the suction nov in
ne IN Cincinnati, for which purp.se additional
pings (airescy much nseded) would be indispsnsar
bly, Necessary.
The expense at frs. seems to be large compared
with tie present appropriations Of the city, bu. sl
linss 3cnsdeted-eXlen fe OF purchasing % many
lets FOR PR sent engine housesthe vast amount
noay contributed voluntarily by citizens, &c,
twill perhaps 10 'ouud 10 be better OF economy to
lrosue suii'ci.nt number OF steam IRE engioes.
THIS y, however question vhici shonld be left TO
The visdcn 81 councils, and one over whioa they
have exclusively the control.
As metnoe ,f sxtingriahing fires the steam fire
engine hiss 10 equal. Six streams, sach has oaou
described, all throwing NJ once and with equal
force. At any distance from the engine, with ua-
oeas,Lg ste adiIess, Is desideratun never before
achieved and the force and efctt OF the single two
Inch stream must he seen TO be realized. Such
column Of water thrown steadily has more effect
& an an w Il be imagined.
Ycur committee therefore unhezitatingly recon-
mend 10 you, and through ycu 70 councils, an ap-
preparation for the purchase AMI support OF a. least
ono steam fire cr4rinc-believing Il - be Ia every
say hest calculated for the exungushm OF fires,
and as anorng the lsrg-.t security TO tns lives and
properly Of their fsllow-eitizens. Ia addition to
which, Il viii (parials at eas;) relieve Tat l.rys
and meii,orious class OF their tclo T-cit1eas Uho
have SO lorg 50 ger erousy aud 50 faithfully dis
CHARGED the orerons lsbors Of active Ersmen from
the most laborous pxrs Of ther duties.
Your committee beg issc to 10 arm their acsnow-
l0lement &c Mayor SneibaKsr for copy OF the
ool aces Of Cil cinpaii, and TO Miles Grcen sool,
Esa.. for copies q his repor. as Chief Esgineer,
wh.cb Gre herewith delivered - Jon. With request
has they be transmitted 10 councils.