The Portland daily press., 1868-03-31
The Chemical Engine.

We publish below the report of the seve-
raj committees on the trial OF Lapham &
Clark's Chemical Fire Engine, which took
place on the 14th instant.. IL will be noticed
tina. all of the committees speak in the highest
terms of the machine. In addition to them is
the testimonial of John Sparrow, Esq, who
was fer many years Superintendent of the
Portland Company's Works, AMI whose testi-
mony is of exceedingly great value.
We learn that few of our prominent citi-
zens have taken stock in this machine, and
contemplate establishing in this city manu-
factory where thty will be turned out in such
quantities as may be ordered. We shall have
occasion TO refer to this subject again.
The Office of the Company is, for the pres
ent, at No. % Exchange street.
PORTLAND, March IA, 1868.
To the agent of the New England Chemical Fire
Engine Company,
Sir,-The undersigned, by request, were
present and acted as a committee on the exhi-
bition of your chemical fire engine to-day and
take pleasure in presenting to you the follow
ing report:
The first trial of the capacity of your engine
was on a pile of fifty barrels, one-half rosin
barrels and the rest lime casks, some As feet
high, partially filled with shavings and the re-
fuse of rosin and spruce gum; over the whole
of which large quantity of kerosene oil was
poured. When completely enveloped in flames
stream from your engine was played through
sixty feet of hose and quarter inch nozzle
pipe, upon the fire, which was Subdued in thir-
ty seconds, and practically suppressed in one
and half minutes. The same pile was then
rekindled, and when the wood work of the
barrels was thoroughly ignited, stream SINH
lar to the first was discharged upon the fire.
and it was completely e1tinguished in about
three minutes
(Signed) FRED. n. Dow,
IHos e. TwTTCHELL,
WARREN SPARROW,
JOHN E. Dow,
DAVID TUCKER.
CHIEF ENGINEERs OFFICE,
Portland, March A. 1868.
To the Agentof the Neao England Chemical Fire
Engine Company,
Sir.-The undersigned, Chief and Assistant
Engineers of the Portland Fire Department,
were present at the trial of your chemical fire
engine to-day, and at your request arranged
| submitted by the committee of citizens, we
| heartily concur. We furthermore cheerfully
| recommend the engines and the apparatus
| constructed on your principle, to the proprie-
| tors of manufacturing establishments steam
| boats and authorities having charge OF public
| buildings, to shipbuilders and shipowners, be-
| lieving that they will prove efficacious in ex-
| tinguishing fires, in diminishing the damage
| by water, and in preventing extensive confia-
grations.
(Signed)
f. G. MOODY, Chief Engineer.
| JOHN L. SHAW, Asst. Engineer.
| ANDREW j. CUMMINGS, Asst do.
WIN. III. AYERS, Asst. do.
| VIM. Ell. STEWART, Asst. do.
| PORTLAND, March q, 1868.
| This is to certify that ] have examined
Messrs. Laphap s. Clarke's Chemical Fire En-
| gine and its operation. | believe that the sys-
| tenn is founded upon well known scientific
| principles, viz: the destruction of oxygen and
| hydrogen gases, (the basis of combustion) by
| the Introduction OF carbonic acid gas This
| they manufacture effectively and continuously
| by the wise adoption of the mechanical ar
| rangement of the pumps and tanks, as shown
/ in their circulars.
| This arrangement gives them a very wide
range in supplying every want as regards ca
| pacity or power of the machines furnished.
They can be arranged for a single room, the
| house, warehouse, factory, village, town, and
| city, and must be Invaluable on board of ships
for extinguishing fires. The whole thing is sc
| simple that the management of the same may
| be taught in one lesson to any one of ordinary
| capacity. In fact the Importance and value OF
| the system can be easily and readily demon
| strated to parties wishing to purchase.
| The price of the machine and the right to
/ use them, understand, will be reasonable
| and have no doubt but that the Company
| will faithfully perform all the conditions thai
| they agree to. l would cheerfully recommend
them to parties wishing to supply themselves
with cheap and effective means of extin-
| gushing fires.
(Signed) JOHN SPARROW,
| formerly Supt. of Portland Works.
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