New-York tribune., 1871-11-15
xxr1NG UishIEc GREAT FIRES

L
| THE NECESSITY OF MORE POWERFUL ENGINES.
| TO ne Ediior or The TrtbHHc.
| SIR:, Any ono who has paid attention to the
progress Of large condagraOns must have observed
that tbs usual lemployed to extngush them have
almost invariably failed and the last resort to arrest
them involves the destruction Of large additional masses
Of buildings and property by gunpowdor. The ordinary
steam hreengne IL evidently unable to cope with OK
tensive connAatons. Given Of so many build
ingb in flames, by what sufficient quantity
Of water be projected to produce, under any cEcum'
| stances, o satisfactory efeotf
Floating steam freengnes Of considerable power have
been employed many cities with good effect especially
on the Thames Two out OF several instances may be
mentioned In which, 1t 10 believed London was saved
from the most extended destruction In the Tooleyst
fire. about u years nce several blocks Of largo ware
houses containing oil, talOw, and other inhammable
materials were consumed and suoh was Its fury and
obstinate character that would. without doubt have
spread over tho south side of the city but for the heavy
torrents Of water thrown upon 1t by the powerful hoa
ing engineA fire, few years later, included large
warehouse, also full of inAAmmable materials, near the
center Of the metropolis Iand adjoining the very large
city gas works. and was four large gashOders
that they baokened with the smoke and flames. An
imminent conhagration Of probably large extent
then sverted by the same powerful meanS partial
application Of the system has Ibelieve been made here
although not In the complete form to which refer but
the AreextnEushlng power which may be furnished In
floating machines.
Powerful engines, each capable Of throwing from eight
tuns Of water minute, can also be 10
constructed travel the streets and operate with
equal effect, Mounted the patent road steamer sys
tem, with rubber tire traction wheels, they could
traverse any street. propelled by their steam power
aud without injury to the roadway In such machines
there would not be the necessity that extreme Light
ness Of construction, combined with great power which
is essential TO engines constructed the ordinary sys
tem and drawn by horses, where increase Of siSe
power is mpractieabe because OF increase OF weight
Powerful hreenglnss this system would form
heavy artillery $50 to speak, OF the fire brigade the
ordinary engine only throwing some 800 gallons per
minute The pipes Of these machines poised In posi-
tion when necessary BY suitable mechanical facilities
could be directed with great precison and four or i've
suoh engines would have Irresistible effect in quench-
ing eOnnagration where the existing system would be
atiD in the Chicago River the destruction Of city
would have been prevented In New;Sork for 2 great
msnd and abundance Of hose the quantities
water needed could Dc drawn from the river the
fire. The cost Of such system would be trfing com
H sn9 gree Sss snd Of horses Would
not be part Of its expenses: .,,o..,o =, ,o.o.
In Sufcient quantities proving efficient security
against hre, may mention the case Of Brdgetown the
coscsed in large reservoir few miles Of city.
S & t SS% G sSS TO Of ns
any @ Pumping HSEeT S1 GSqrse ss not re
humber Of k0sests may be applied and any gwen point
completely inundated with water The town, previous
frequent and large res almost always Of inCendary
character All attempts this direction have now been
Tsu rom or other Ares are now no
| longer possible in the Barbadian capital. R.AR.
| Neto-Kork, Nov. II, 1e7L
| THE HOLLY SYSTEM OF WATER SUPPLY.
In these days Of fearful cOnfagrations, in
auiry Is naturally made whether there s by
which the progress Of fro be more effectively stayed
than by the present system Of throwing water from
ervOrs by Of reengnes which are frequently Of
little service A In every city supplied with water
works. the pipes are usually Of sufficient strength to
stand the pressure required to throw water upon any
building there s no why those pipes should not
be made available In putting out fires, and II seems
strange that the plan has not been moro generally
adopted In the usual reservoir system the pressure fs
not generally suCisnt for this purpose, but In the sys
tenn recently dsVised and patented BY Mr. BrdSsn Holly
Of LoCkpOrt n. w. It 10 claimed that this difficulty s OBJ
viated This system claims not only to supply water
direct from any river lake. other reservor TO the
highest part Of any building but also TO throw stream
Of water from any hTdrapt many streams - may
be desired % the l capacity Of the machinery, which
he 6Sesoh of pumping wstor in quantities suaOient
Ty denonstssted ent ne difficulty SsaEis y ksepRg
regular pressure Without reservoir o. stand Tho
%SisS ToSa a b. he
@ s e e ss AHS nd s ssS
the same, WsshsS The pps ss SSpTyns 100 er iSos
t0oO kalibnsdn given Tina Whom hydraat y opened
% throw Natex upon p1rplng building the pressure is
s sos ssa g 9S tSe ssaurSS SS
amonht WEsfe it FenAns vita more yAristaOh than
before Aefe Aee two 0cs Of puraps and engines one
Ycass thSf Ss 6s6nE used IA caSe Of accident % tho
etSes 1ss one ned aSr dHlly snppy has IN pssCas
j now ot water Ts Other, Hpy's Rotary Pump can be
dS5l rsS ana IN sStTs%S 9ossss Sct
V SSS SSs 0SS sS "a, !; ga
thrown upon the nasea every - 0oR % minutes com
n p9teA 70 81 eqna a eabe oontenta Of a tie aTaA-
be ctseEns snd tnAt ne wofks saved ths ely
u this plan a sapRyng with Wateri Its H.
tertRg proeeas VII purity AA wateg fnr batter thaxthe
reseryOlE 81 Setng eys!el cen: m ascurp4e more eon:
- Se IS &C & ts asss q SiStriSStSs isdh
n rsFtY eaqnoe elNels q AepelAsa On = tUnih, By
fhia piel, the ely 8ay6e snpgieA with NssSr
- nan khs WEaes Hass % Be- p1sd into
reservoir kgsP than he highest point Of dsekaTEo A
tho sxpqpse cf WAcAieesy Ppeh - A6Oat Gle sane
cost equal 1Sak ate q - G1a ia aaxi
N ,RAoefh h psAt ne englnes. tAe e8rfeHt
ta sAe Gee e 4 re ls oa &llAoS1
and th4 e. $4,000 esaanse ne fayhses sf
!. ~ - "a . have a4eDtea thlseys
plsss.t!, yssE oi thls
lows; Dayton ohiof CoVsAGson, XVI Columbus, Qaps
IndianaD5s ind; J2eksen, Enhi nuRAe, n X5 B2rhr
t6sE q. 10 Oen.beslana. ~ ey.ao6ses 2. n;
sessSns- - usnata g IeelpoEk 81 y .T3s
8; tss eaS ts e. I9ash kEildtns y
an0 a1naf uD1o NJ tnk R@aptW - nspstt .ih-