Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-04-20
Steam Fire Engines.

after experiment has been tried, in the coli.
strlction Of rc-enginrs. in the formation. ut
fire companies, and the organization nt fire lie
partmeuis. until as high Il degree Of efficiency
has been attained As may he supposed possible,
with the Use of engines drawn and worked by
hand But row,lyisn still obtains, fights and
riots are still attendants, and fires still oc,
cur and destroy thousands and millions OF pro
perty. Reimbursement is made 10 some ex
tent to the individual losers who lave prudent
~ availcd themselves of the security offered by
insurance companies; but every dollars worth
Of property consumed By fire is so much wealth
absolutely lost forever to the community, whc
tlIer The loss falls upon individuals or cnrporl
tions.
Although Richmond has not suffered Of late
years by any extensive 'onliagrations, yet fires
do frequently occur; and, although our fire de-
partment is as efficient US in most large cities,
yet, generally, the building in which the fire
originates is totally destroyed.
Within the last four years steam fire engines
have come into use. st. Louis Cincinnati.
Baltimore and Philadelphia have introduced
them, and, without attempting to speak in tie.
tail of the causes Of their popularity, il is Sutli'
cicnt to state, that, in those cities, the pre-
miuns upon fire insurance have been greatly
reduced We may, however, state that, steam
fire engines are drawn TO the scene Of tho fire by
horses, are worked at The fire by Steam--only
IL tcalnster, fireman and engineer being required
Thereby dispensing with hundred or more
men and boys, who. upon such occasions, are
frequently riotouS. The steam fire engine can
be taken 10 the fire and put to work in much
| less timc-will throw more water, and with
more force and efficiency than the hand lire
engine 1t never tires; and the proof fy ac-
tual experience, is that the fire is not only pre-
vented from spreading to adjoining property,
which is as much AS is usually attempted by
the hand engines, but, in most cases, is cxtin.
guished OIL the premises in which it originated
before much property is destroyed.
In other cities we have heard it charged
that either for the fun OF the thing,
or to give an occasion for the meeting Of two
or more hostile companies to have 1 row, Il fire
is oyigiantA that is. the torch Of the E'en'
diary is applied.
We ask the serious attention. OF orr City
Council and Of our people generally,to this sub
jcct-al the same time reminding them Of the
experiment made in our streets within Il few
weeks past of steam lire engine made 10y
Mcssrs. Ettengcr ,I Edmond, Of this city
At the time of the trial We gave Il brief np-
ticc, rcscrving for subsequent time more ex-
tended detail OF the experimental trial. which
we now give.
The engine was drawn To the rc-plns 'n
Main street. near the Exchange Bank, and the
fire lighted In ln minutes afterwards the
guagc showed ~ pounds Of steam, (enongh 10
Start the cnginc.) and in . minutes - pounds,
showing, that with i nrw boiler steam could
be gotten mp i'll remarkably quick time. Tie
steam was then turned nr. an'' Il Strc%in ni
water Through nnc.iucli n"HHi"J MAS thrown
high above the eagle OH the American Hotel;
and then down Main street Il distance OF 2l:
feet, solid stream, and scattering spray 2I feet
farther This test WAS deemed satisfactory; and
the engine was then taken 10 the canal to Slh.w
its powers while Sucking lis own water. an
l! inch nozzle was applied and Il solid stream
thrown POI feet AMI the spray Il feet farther. \
nozzle ! inrl in diameter was then put on. anf
a solid stream thrown llS feet. The last trSl
v-os two streams. which were thrown lSi feet
each.
Some doubt being manifested hy the Chic
Engineer and some of the city tircnIrn abon
there being sufficient water on Shockoc Hill
to give supply to the engine, It was Ihcn ia
ken to the corner of Bron,l and 9Th streets, whcl
n scyen.eighth stream was thrown about as higl
again rs Mr.. \. Pizzini'$ ncw store (foIlrStore:
hich.) All parties then f"'ing satisfied, (tht
Principal Engineer of the city Fire Brigade pro
nounciac the steamer equal 10, if not better
than all the engines in Richmond put together,
: the engine was returned to the shops Of the
: builders. The capacity Of the engine is enc
nine.inch steam cylinder, lilteer-inrh stroke,ano
two three and half inch diameter pumps
(eouivalent to one iivc-inch.pump.) Weight 0
engine 5000 pounds; with wood and water
ready for service $500 pounds. 1t can easily
be drawn by two horses. All the work wa:
polished, with the exception Of the wheels an'
the bottom OF the boiler around the irc-hox.
This engine was made for Harrison & vi
mans locomotive shop in ST. Petersburg, Rus
sia. On its way to its ultimate destination j
was exhibited and tried in Philadelphia, an'
the very best evidence Of its being 4 supcrio
engine, is that the Philadelphia newspaper
claim that it is q Philadelphia made engine, be
cause Mr. McCausland, under whose superin
tendence it was built, had been resilient .
Philadelphia, and because the running gear
was made in Philadelphia. The press Of olhc
work, and the short time allowed 10 fill tn
contract for the fire engine, made it ncceSSa
ry for Mcssrs Ettenger & Edmond to-harc
norton Of the work done elsewhere, and henc
the employment Of 4 Philadelphia shop Il
make the running gear, which is the least deli
cate part.
Messrs. Ettengcr Il Edmond are building HI
other fire engine and having enlarged thei
works they are now prepared to build fire ell
eines 10 meet any reasonable demand.
BY their advertisement in another column
and in the advertising Sheet our realers wi
7 see that they build other kinls Of inacbiner.
also It gives us pleasure 10 speak in iaV"r'
Bile terms Of this enterpri$ing firm.
The ISLAND or san JrAN.-The following
statement was made by Lord john Russell II
the British House Of Commons, on the :otI
ultimo in reference to tic San Juan question
urrL, o,1,, nroorncs which has been made