The Indianapolis daily herald., 1865-12-12
Anew Mode of Ex,lngui.bing fires.

New Mode OF ENtinguisbingf Fires.
All are more or less familiar with the histO-
~ Of the improvements made in the direction
of cxtinguishing fires. The old hand bucket
was superseded by the hand engine, and this.
though made very elective by the thorough
organization of the workers. has in turn been
forced 10 yield T. the superior qualities of the
steam fire engine, whose usefulness has re-
Gently been much increased 10y the employ
ment of the fire alarm telegraph. which cna-
bles the force 10 concentrate on Il conn1s.ration
in space Of time surprisingly brief.
AL these appliances seem now about To be
thrown into the lumber closet By one Of those
contrivances whose very simplicity indorses il
as the acme OF perfection 80 nearly allied in
appearance to the simplicity of ignorance. yet
20 widely different In II results. Ii l. not im-
probable even that the long array of ladders.
and fire escapes, and robes, and axes. and
hooks in Use i'm some places much more penti-
fully than with us. will ultimately bc thrown
aside - useless, thrown out 10y the invention
recently made.
This i nothing more than the discovery Of
the fact that water charged with ten times IL
weight of carbonic acid l. a complete eXtn.
guisher % fire. The compound j. cheaplv
made and used with facility, being put into a
-Inall reservoir, which man carries easily on
his back 20 any place required. without more
hindrance 20 aetivccNertion than that causcd
BY carrying an ordinary knap>ack. Arrived
at the place ot action. al that The fireman has
10 do i 10 turn a coek. aid direct the jet by
AANAAA1 ~ u AtNANlt AAht anu AiHAtAIlttt upon
the fire, the machinery inside giving the power
OF 4 forcc-pump capable II throwing the jet
forty feet high. The material l. n Harmless,
10 lifs health or property as an ordinary s,id-
litz powder. j. ready lor instant use. and the
longer IL has been stored IN the vessel the more
effective Il j. in action
lie idea Is holityel % have originated with
Sr. Amsden, ~ Liverpool, England. who
has also invented th' machines for using II ef-
fcctually. and instituted numerous eXperi-
fft4afff in h. q A
authorities of Liverpool. London, and ether
places. We clip the following secount Il ono
" these TRIALS from the London Morning Id
rertser.
IA square framework a roush iiml'er-
boards, e4ual Ia size O. an ordinary cottage.
open al the top. and with DOORWAY also open
10 one end. wa pleniihully Stored with slaves
II tar-barr,l~. slabs Of old dTs timber, loose
straw anu hay. and over al tar turpt utine pe-
troleum which water does not touch 40 all
when in fAlne. were plcniifuliy poured. This
mass q easy tSniahlr and gunhu>tihlc mate
nal Wa st frc o.. and within one minute the
hAmes went hieh into the ar. and the heat -
80 intense that the numerous company Of gtfl-
ticman who had assembled O. witness The eN-
pertinent. hastily r'tr.affd - every available
corner O. prevent th.ir flre, from being biz
tered oy il. Four of Tie C&iincteur> were then
sct q work. aud 20 se. med lor about minute
ald q half rs tan-uh thf experiment would te
iluu. bat almost Immediately afterwards
the u.ina~ ~uA>il.,i. and within i've minutes
irom tile time tle Are Was hludlesl. IL was CON-
pletely eNtiuEui>hel. hy ouiy four of these en-
tlues, anI lUsd thr bearer, been able % ap-
prosch it ur-irsr. in a shorter time than They
were able, from The extreme heat and intensity
" ihe tQli4-f4tln. there can he little doubt
That Z worid have b. n >uirlurl ia less time.
Bur i j obvious tA-t iu oriinarv cases 10
would uot = nrc,~s ~ eithr In dwelling
houses. chambers. warehouses. or docks. 20
have recourse O. even such means. anI that af
the art aisrn of tire one ~ these portable en-
gnss carried O. lhe spot would eXtiuguish IL
4luIo-t a. & stlfaneuti~It