Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-11-29
1ir., K.c.pe.-A Newell Apparatus.

IFrom the s. F. Bulletin, November 27th.1
At this time any invention which
promises to add to the prevention o.
loss by fro Is worthy Of attention ; and
if a cursory examination prove 1t,
claims to have foundation, they de.
serve to be put to a thorough test. We
have been shown an invention Of j,
w. Mackenzie, of this city, which he
claims will do much toward saving
Hives and property at fires. It con:
slsts of an iron tube or pipe extending
along the cornice of a house on all
sides convenient Of access. The tube
Is open at the lower side, and contains
an Iron ball which revolyes on inner
wheels. To this ball Is attached an
iron strap which comes through the
open slot Of the pipe. A tackle Is Mt
tached to this strap, by means of which
q llfe-car may be raised or lowered at
will and at a moments notice. The
ball, by Its power Of revolution inside
the tube, is under the most complete
control of persons standing on the
ground below, and with the life-car
attached 1t can be moved from point
to point and from window to window,
all around the house. Any practical
fireman will sec In a moment the i'm
mense advantage such an apparatus
would secure. 1t is f1re-proof, and
can be worked by two men with case.
The saving Of lives Is not the onlyiuse
which the inventor claims this escape
can be put to. Every large building
should be provided with an ample
supply Of hose. 10 attach 1t to q ny
drant and carry the nozzle up to the
fire in tho life car would be but the
work of a few minutes. The police or
insurance patrol being aware Of this
means might oftentimes be able to ex-
tingulsh q fire before the arrival OF
engines. Had this apparatus been
attached to the Harpending buildings,
aud by 1t had the tiremen been en-
abled to ascend Immediately TO the
roof with their hose, there would have
been no necessity Of charging tho I'm
mense loss of property partly upon
the lack of adequate ladders.
Another advantage Is found In the
fact that It offers q mode Of ingress and
egress other than by s~tairways. Lad
ders are unreliable, and stairways In q
fire are VIGOROUSLY so. Firemen will
remain In q building much longer If
they have a sure way Of egress when
necessity compels. The apparatus Is
freproof, and so long as the wall to
which 1t is attached stands Is Is ready
for use. The inventor has been for
years a seafaring man, and, like all OF
his occupation, he makes = hobby OF
ropes and pulleys. He argues, and
with great force. that 1t would be as
foolish for a captain to discharge cargo
from the hold Of his vessel by dis
pensing with pulley power, and COM
polling his sailors to pack 1t up through
the hatchway on their backs, as 1t is to
ignore the pulley power In case OF
fires and compel flremen to carry the
hose up stairways or up ladders. The
invention has been tried In New York
city and Brooklyn. and has been found
to work with perfect success. At tho
Globe Hotel, Milton street, Brooklyn,
1t was submitted to q tost under the
direction of the Common Council. The
car was raised to a tifth-story window,
and two men were lowered to the side
walk. II was then ran along to an
other window on the opposite side,
where four men were received and
similarly landed. The time occupied
In saving the six men was less than
two minutes. The inventor has q GER
tificate from the Department for the
Survey and Inspection OF Buildings OF
New York, recommending the appa-
ratus. IS .