The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-20
&irtnrnnh 4ispatrt,
TiEsDAY GORlsINo =. .MAROa -, 1890


! cal cOlumns. with . pertinacity proror tione,
toin great importance. We believe the pub
lie mind is pretty decidedly made mp, and tina
in short time we shall see the last OF our OF,
world machines. Peace TO their ashes. The,
have done good service In their DAP, but the,
-m0st give way. with sAs advance Of tnteiii
i. hook upon them with vensration, as interest
ing relics OF the past. They served, anon,
other valuable purposes, to call into ac,ivit,
an amount OF zeal aud public spirit Oh tn
part of those who worked them, which wa
truly admirable. bat which would have lai,
dormant aud unknown, but for their agency
We had occasion lately to witness the opera
tons of some Of them during the day, wher
tho nre broke ont at Stuart's factory. Never
did men labor harder than the hrenen on thai
occasion. They worked rs il their very lives
depended on it. They did not halt = moment
even TO take breath. If we had entertained
any doubt before, this spectacle would have
convinced us that bone and muscle and sinews
and hearty good will cannot, all combined
supply the place Of steam and iron. All hap.
piness TO our firemen here and hereafter. No
community ever boosted of = more Jealous OF
more philosophical body Of citizens. Hard
work, no pay, and, sometimes, scanty thanks,
were what they had to pat up with But their
zeal was never cooled, or their exertions
abated, in the least, by considerations like
these.
Regarding the question OF introducing steam
engines AS already settled, we have made en-.
qulries relative to cost, DC, and we give the
result 1t is not new, for we believe 1t hns al.
ready been brought before the public in our
local columns. Nevertheless, it will do no
harm 10 republish 1t. The information comes
from the firm who have just constructed the
engine for the Emperor Of Russia-alluded tn
by us the other day-Messrs. ErTiNGxR *
EDMOND. .-E-t.-
The price of such steam fire engines as have
thus far been in operation, ranges from 1880
u 81 .3oO 1t ia thought that one costing about
%, 500 would answer the purposes of this CITY
as wei as any other. Such an engine would
weigh about 6.W0 pounds, and could b. drawn
with ease by two horses or three mules. One
such engine is equal in iency to at least four
OF those now in use here. One great ad vantage
tho steam fire engine Possesses is, that it can.
not be affected by the weather. The fire kept
up TO generate the steam prevents it from
freezing, no matter how cold the air NAV
-
.h,ae understands what a tremendous advant-
'ge this is. The immense havoc occasioned
y the "great fire y" in New York. was attri.
outable to the intense cold of the weather.
inc engines could not be worked, being
'hoked up by the constantly accumulating ice,
ana the nremen could not work them in con-
seq uence OF the suffering of their hands. The
lorce necessary TO work such an engine con.
lists Of
me engineer, at a salary Of Sem
Four assistants, at dollar day-that is, ssl, %"
apiece year. or for the whole four i AGO
Total Observation-Disclosures. S24u
Ihree engines will be necessary for this
ity, the united cost of which will ne 1885,
We understand the annual cost of the fire
rigade does not fall far short Of $1,000.
We take the liberty Of suggesting that, when |
he steam engines shall have been decided on. |
he city also determine to build n fire.tower.
IN institution of that sort has always been n
'ant In thls city, and that want has been
everely felt. We propose, therefore, that a
'wer one hundred feet high and thirty feet
quare, be built at the intersection of Broad
no ilth streets. We suggest this spot for
ariety of reasons, which we submit to the
ubiic In the first place, the ground is pub.
6, and the city will not have to- pay for it,
MS Is most important point. Weallknow
ow private individuals are accustomed 10
o"gs government Of any kind, whenever
he latter is compelled to have property which
le former own, regardless of price. Now
e DO not wish to see anybody make fortune
ut OF the City Government. and we therefora
lggest this public ground AS proper location.
ne streets, there, are one hundred feet vida
mat building like THAI proposed would
ave room enough, even if We should have
iIiion OF inhabitants, which, we take it. we
ait NOT nave 1or several years to come. In
nolin, In Paris, and, we believe, everywhere
sc IN Europe. 1t is the custom to place mon.
nenls IN the streets, ana we cannot but think
at the equestrian statue Of WASHINGTON
ould have shown better on Church Hill at
q Intersection of Broad and some other
rect near the brow of the hill Another ron.
1oF choosing this location is that il is The
gnest ground that can be gotten with refer.
&c 10 other advantages which it possesses. {
ON tower one hundred feet high. placed {
mat spot, one may look all over the whole
y OF Richmond. fire could break out 70. =
lere, without being instantly detected. 7
rd reason is, that this spot is in the imme. /
'te neighborhood of all the import ant build.
Is of the city. For example, the Monument ]
FIRST Baptist new Methodist, First Presby.
lah'aho 81. Fanl's Churches, and the Catho-
Chapel; the Capitol, the Governors House
CITY Hall, the Medical College, the Powha. :.
House, the Central and American Hotels,
Fredericksburg depot and all the banks. :.
I Iar oH-Within drive of ten minutes to
1arthest OF them-and down hill all the
y, ne the Exchange, the st. Charles and tho "
nmbian, the Danyille and the Central de- =
=, the Mechanics Institute ana The most :,
enslve and costly -four mills in the world. =
e course is either down hill or on a dead :
81 10 every part Of the city except Church :.
l. We have heard the hills objected but -
solng to fire from this spot, the engine -
uld GO down these hills, and not up them,
maj II Is ali the better for every part of the =,
IN except Church Hill. Aud to Church -
], ny httching on an additional mule or =.
J, ~ could 60 n within two or three =,
'utes OF the time it would take to 90 =
the depot OF the York River Railroad "
I'm hill, 1t would run by its own impe. I"
IL would only be necessary to put a
pie brake ON tho wheels. We feel assured b.
everybody will bsstruck with the adyan. III
Oh sutha location. In the basement of IN
'ower the engine and horses should be b.
: IN the upper room OF the tower a an
'n"sn should always be on duty. AS M
4 IS ne should see q fire, he should sound ! ne
ON bell, which should be placed | &C
~ 1or mat purpose. As soon as he had in
1 lug. 'no alarm, he should run out signal ma
hung IN the direction Of the ara 40 800 Wv,
IN Nsw York, and all larse elite. hoe,-. 10,
lh.rooucfion Of the telegraph .ystem of
ne lower would cost eloom tn.
2 would cost siO,5oo. Thr.. ,,. on -"