The Portland daily press., 1869-05-08

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HYDRANTs
The following description of the hydrants in
use ip Montreal, and on which favorable re-
port was made to the ty Council on Thurs
day evening, may be of interest to our read
ers We preface the description by the state
ment that the committee considered this one
superior to the Lowry, Bigelow, Aver and
McLelland hydrants, and also the johnson
and Winslow hydrants, invented by citizens of
Portland.
Your committee visited Montreal, and
through the kindness of the Chief Engineer OF
the Fire Department there, examined their by
drants The hydraHt in use there has been
used in that city for about sixteen years. 1t is
combination of inventions of Americans
with improvements by Mr.. Bertram and others,
as your committee have been informed. 1t has
proved salts factory to the department. Mr.
Bertram has visited the principal cities of the
United States, also of England and Scotland,
searching for the best hydrant He prOnOunces
the one in use in Montreal to be the best in the
world. 1t is a post hydrant of heavy cast iron,
with open cylinder, diminishing from o base OF
10 inches, to cap, 20 inches, and from base to
seat of valve to inches in diameter, which is
the size of all the connections in Montreal
The valve is a leather cone, adjusted to brass
seat and operated by rod and screw through
the top of the post. The waste valve is placed
%
and is of brass, and is governed by lever at
tached to the rod of the main valve. The con-
Meeting pipe from main to post is inches in
diameter, and laid not less than feet below
the surface of the street From the connect
ing pipe to top of sidewalk is built brick
chamber or well, diminishing at the TOP to about
2 IL feet by 1 IL feet. Near the top is placed
cast iron frame to hold inch plank cover,
and this again covered by cast iron cover,
with scuttle in the same for access to the
oh 1tnrf nr- 10Th
majority of hydrants in Montreal are made
with two outlets or for two streams, although
some have three, and there was one hydrant
with eight outlets This hydrant was 16 in
ches in diameter, placed directly over "a inch
main, giving very satisfactory test of pres
sure between that and the sidewalk hydrant,
and we were informed by the Chief Engineer
that the difference was 'simperceptible" In
consequence OF the great depth OF frost in
Montreal sometimes 8 feet,) these hydrants
catch with trost consequently they are oblig
ed to thaw them by jet of steam from small
portable boiler constructed for that purpose
The last winter no trouble from them was ex-
perienced. With care, in the very coolest
weather these hydrants have Deen ready for
Immediate use: They are made in Montreal,
by Messrs McDougal & Co., and cost there
$45. This includes iron frame and surface
plate. Those in Montreal are cast feet in
length and weigh about 500 pounds.
These hydrants can be manufactured, as we
understand, here in our city or elsewhere. The
cost will be. without iron frame and surface
plate, about $50.
The reasons then for unanimously recon-
mending the post hydrant are that it is no
more liable to freeze up if properly cared for
than the flush hydrant it is less expensive
than the Lowry" it is as durable and it can
be put in operation sooner. For these and
other reasons your committee unanimously
recommend the passage of the following order
The reports signed by Aid. Carter and Plum
mer and Councilmen Fox, Harmon, Henry
and Novas