The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-24

The fountains to average three
months in the year and three hours
per day.
This presents all the facts l think
are necessary for a pretty fair appre-
hensiOn Of the system, and to guide
the judgement as to their utility In
Indianapolis. The objections against
the system may be fairly stated as
these:
l. Natural prejudice against new
system.
2. The prejudice against the rotary
pump.
3, The possibility of breakage of
machinery.
4. The great wear and tear caused
by the complex system Of cogs.
>. The apprehended expense per
annum Of running the machinery.
8. The danger OF bursting the PIPES
by the direct pressure"
Z. The fact that the system has
never been introduced into so large a
city as indianapolis.
1t will be seen that the majority of
these objections can only be answered
By en- investigation Of the system at
some place where it has been longer
ia operation. Peoria was an eminent
ly poor place to 80 20 judge Of the
durability or the cheapncss of the
system. The other objections can
only be overcome by the opinions of
scientific engineers, and in some peO-
pie the ouly complete GntidOie will be
the end OF life OF narrow bigotry
aHd conservative prejudice
THE TESTS.
Two tests were given, one in the
morning aud one IN the afternoon.
The first was TO throw two one inch
streams from q fire. plug near the
works. Either of the streams was
much better than can BIO thrown by
any Of our fire engines. Then both
streams were united into one through
an inch and -eighths nozzle.
This was thrown two hundred and
thirty four feet horizontally, aud YER
tically one hundred and seventy FIVE
feet
In the afternoon the test was made
on Adams Street, In the city. Fire
hose was attached to several plugs,
ana where | stood, nearly opposite
the Peoria Hotel, | did not see that
the addition of other streams made
any dimlnution IL the force or volume
Of the one just ID front of me. The
number was increased until there were
eleven streams playing simultaneously.
Then all but three or four were cut of,
and an inch and seyen-eighths stream
was thrown over the comb of the roof
Of the hotel, a building about as high
as the Blackiord Block. | Judge the
stream would very easily go over the
Journal building. This throwing was
kept up for about three quarters of an
hour, when the plugs were closed, and
the examination concluded So far
as I was able to make inquiry, the
people Of Peoria are we'll pleased with
the system, but they know nothing
experimentally about it. The test sat
isfed US of one thing: that it Is On
excellent fire protection. Peoria sad
" needs this, for the first thing which
attracts the notice of a visitor IS the
number of ruins left from large and
destructive c0nfagIations.
The Mayor. the Council and the
citizens Of Peoria did everything TO
render our visit pleasant and profit
aole' No complaint can be made
against anybody, except it may be
against the committee itself, which
lalIed 70 have some one at the works
during the test In the afternoon to
note the action Of the machinery. the
speed OF the engines and the amount
Of steam or water pressure Had
these been known an Important and
valuable piece of information would
DO possessed, Of which we are now
ignorant. ~"