, 1863-08-11
The Trial of Steam Fire Engines In
ISnElunu-3kepor1 of Chief Engineer
HARRIS, OF Chicago.

harris, or ClienGo.
To McsErs B. IL Skinner, J, 81. McV1cker,
Gage Il Drake, Stiles. Burton, Gage j. Waite,
Walters &: Rogers, Lewis, Page s. Co., and
others:
GENTLEMEN: To you, who, with others,
so kindly aided me IN the arrangements in
my wilt to London, with q view Of ftuprov-
ipg mS knowledge Of fire apparatus, and the
management and conduct Of the same o.
fires, 1t Is hut proper that on my return
sloull make brief statement Of the results;
proceeded to Boston. I immediately put
myself in communication with George q.
Allen ESQ.,, Secretary Of the Bos :on Fire De-
partment. who, with Chief Engineer Bird aud
Ex-Chitf. Engineer Barufcotc spared no labor
70 promote 1hs onect Ct my ff Unasf
thoroughly tie euglAe houses. apparatus,
ard the IRE alarm telegraph. Of the latter,
It's necessity and It's Falue, I cannot speak too
highlE.,
On e., Of, left b no1aop p.ge per
chief steward: and Mr. McAnister, chief ensi-
reer, all Of whom take great pleasure In
thanking Tor their kind attention during the
voyage. Upon arriving In London was re-
ceiyel with the utmost courtesy by our fel-
tary Of the American Legation. To Mr. Will
son it ii bat just to say mat WAS mainly In
dehted for the uniform courtesy and attention
which received from every London official
with whom came In contact, Of with whom
had any business. The value Of such assist
ace can only be tully appreciated BY those
irc access to rublic officers IN foreign coun-
try. btr. Wilsnn, with al tho pride Of couu-
try, aud proud also Of his own city, was un~
tlIing IN his Efforts to have the humble repre-
sentative Of the Fire Department Of Chicago
treated with respect and attention; and he
succeeded most at1!m55.aely, foT pever in any
more attention, or greater effort to facilitate
my object, than received from the various
officers, high and low, in London. With Mr.
Wilson called on E. H. Shaw, esq, Snperin-
tendent Of the London Fire Engine Depart
mcut, at lis office. That officer gaye mo
dtatc1y ordered to Lave the floating steam en-
gine on the Thames worked for us, that VIC
might have q practical exhibition Of the use-
fulacss Of this important branch Of the ser
gfce-
found several Americans In London, to
all Of whom am greatly indebted for acts OF
kind assistance, 1nh for those little courtesies
that made my stay there 80 personally agree
able.
The Secretary Of the Royal Society for the
ordered special exhibition Of the fire escape
at Whitehall place, in order that I might
haYe IN opportunity Of witnessing the practl-
cal working Of this valuable Invention THIS
Society, it should be stated, ispure}y humane
| Units 0bjects, ard Is supported by voluntary
contributions, and Is independent Of the fire
brigade, bnt works In conjunction With it: I
have brought home with inc copies Of print
| cd drawings Ct the machinery, with full In
otructions as to their use and manage
| IDent, ard think that with some modiBea-
| tions the escape might at no distant day be
Introduced into our ire department With
| profit and advantage Tho official reports Of
The operations Of the Society daring the last
| Jear, copies Of which have brought with
| me, show how valuable have been Its efforts
| in saving life. I saw the distribution ofmed-
| als, &C., to those who hare saved life during
| found that steam fire engines in England
\ are yet in their inflncy, there being up to
| this time only three In use, and these arc In
London. Tie object Of the exhibition OF
| steam fire engines which attended was to
to 3npom the panhc b1 1fba tRa
offer of liberal pfemin1ns to manufacturers
| Of locomotives and other steam machinery,
| to ind1ce imp1 1oyementB and other changes,
| that the Impc1ftctions Of those now In use
| might be eremenie3. The exhibition was, how
ever, g very small utr*ir-not as great IS we
wee but seven engines present; Of these,
tho were Of American mike; bnt the Manhat.
tan engine, No. S, from New York, in pro-
ceeding to the place Of exhibition, was upset,
and so Injured that it could not be worked
until repaired; the other hrst-class American
engine did work, and was successfully leading
| iii It's competitors, when unfortunately the
bead Of the cylinder blew off, and she WIS
forced to withdraw from the contest.
The award Of premiums was as follows:
lat. TO the patent steam fire engine Of
Mees1s. MetriWe eather & Sons, Of Lougacre,
ESQ.
I'd. To the steam fire engine Of Shand,
Mnaon & Co., Of Blacbtriars road, 21Oo
.Seto1l Czass-To the small steam fire engine
Of Shand, Mason s Co., ESQ, and to Lees
engine, G1OO. Though found that even IL
London the steam fire engines hare made bni
little psogre=s, and that In their use 80 well a.
u.auu1actnro this country leads England at 8
long dista1ce, still, from the working anc
discipline and general management Of ths
London Fire Department., learned muct
practical Information that could not haTt
| Obtained except by personal obse1vation.
! Upon returning to New York I was yerJ
| kindly received By Chief Engineer pecsel
| and Estietant Engineer Miller, and to thost
| gentlemen was Indebted for an opportanisJ
| Of inspecting mary ladder arranggements, N
model cf one Of which have orouent nou1'
With re, and which can be seen at my ouace
| on IaS:lle street, near Washington.
In concIusion, let me renew my thanks TO
tle k1nLne.g and 1ibera1ity which enabled M
/ tomaIe this visit to London and elsewhere
ord let me assure you, and our citizens gen
| etnlly, that "a my purpose WIS to be bette
Informed, that might discharge my dutIe
more lenefcia1ly to the public, q recollectio
| oFropr kfudr rss IN this m arfjcr1ar and nf th