The New York herald., 1872-11-18
The Fire Question.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
While this question is receiving the best atten-
toa Of the press and the abest ana most pra ctical
men in the city ask permission to add some sug-
gestions to those have already made through
your columns respecting the availability OF the
ocean OF salt water that surrounds our city for
extnguishng fires OF great magnitude, or rather
TO render such fires impossible. The perusal Of
your editorials and other articles on the subject
leads me to do as you have done-namely, to
modify my plan 80 as TO embrace yours, or, If you
like, TO combine the two plans. You propose as
the better method, to obtain an adequate supply of
water, and to have it always ready at the right
places to lay a new set of water mains from our
ample Croton reservoirs. Thus, you say we
shall gain the double object OF providing more
adequate supply of water for domestic and other
city uses and for the Of the Fire Depart
ment. If l am not mistaken a new set
Of mains is being laid has been decided
on by the Water Board; but, as judge from those
have seen laid in Madison avenue, of inadequate
capacity to meet either OF these important objects.
But meanwhile say by all means let US have
mains enough TO turn to useful account all the
Croton water supply. If there is really enough
water to meet the necessities OF the city, waether
Tor domestic, manufacturing or fire purposes, or
all combined, in the name OF common sense let us
supply the means OF getting at 1t, OF making it
available. When these mains and the network
pipes OF adequate size are laid, then let us have
the engines suggested besides, to he used in the
ing the water head to height sufficient to throw
larger stream over and on TO the tops Of the high
est structures except church steepes viii be that
the water can be carried in large volumes where
the best steamers can only throw.a mere shower
or scotch mistu
Now, the idea OF using the ferryboats for ey-
tinguishing fires in the heart OF the city hold to
be quite untenable. II such boat were compelled
to carry donkey engine and forcing pump it
would be a very desirable precaution against fires
on board the vessel ITSELF and would often be avail
able in cases OF burning vessels at the docks
Hrag a f1n npn "
lalnsburg last July caused by the explosion OF a
petroleum tank. For these purposes, as perhaps
in many others near the docks, your plaB will be
valuable and ought to be adopted by the Legsla
turc, among other police regulations Tor the gov
New York and its outlying suburbs. fne reason
why the lerryboat plan cannot be made OF much If
any avail in the central ridge of the city, which is
very well marked by Broadway as far up as Nadi-
son square, Is that donkey engines such
as ferryboats could conveniently carry wond
not possess one-twentieth the power necessary
TO raise the needed supply OF water to q sufficient
height II need be could go into calculation to
method OF extinguishing fires even 500 yards
from the source OF supply. The towers which
supply London are, think, over orc hundred feet
high. As the surface OF Broadway varies from
twenty feet at Bowling Green to sixty fcet and
more at points above Wall street, we should re-
qure to have power SUFFICIENT TO raise an adequate
supply to an elevation about one hundred and
seventy-hve feet above low water mark To meet
great emergencies and TO provide against acct
dents there should be three or four engines and
these should have a capacity Of at least 500 hun
dTeu HOTses duu pumps anu MdcHlnery OF all KINDS
to correspond. As the chief cost after all Will be
the laying OF mains and distributing pipes, the ad-
ditonal cost OF providing means TO draw from the
ocean a neyer.ending supply TO be used only in
cases OF great emergency, would not be large.
There Is another advantage arising from the use
OF salt water. IL Is more efiicacious In quenching
flames than fresh water Everybody knows the
common remedy for stopping the flames In burn
ing chimney by throwing q lew handius OF salt on
the burning SCOT, which falls to the crate or fire.
place.
The views or General shaler on this question are
emlnently scientific and practical, as reported IN
to-day's HERALD. His proposal Is exactly IN con-
iormlty with mine ia the same number OF your
paper, and OF large number OF other scientific and
practical men whose views have been published In
your and other leading journals. 1t Is TO abolish
the present pretty toy steamers" as our fremen
delight 10 call the steam fire engines, and elevate
Wy adequate engine power, when and as needed,
sumcient salt water to quench any fire before it
reaches large proportions. III by this simple method
We can transmit by an upfaing law Of nature,
Wiich causes fluids to rise through tubes as high
~ lneif FOUNTAIN heads, We can transmit the power
W al poshts IN The city, then we render unneces-
saly tlc use ol locomotive or movable steam Are
cnElnes Further, II, by having an adequate sup
Ply "a Water 70 put out an incipient great fire. the
Cruue ana Darparous plan recommended 10y that
eminently 'ou logyi body OF rich merchants known
as the Chamber OF Commerce, OF "bowing up,n win
bec0Ine unnecessary. What science aims az and
wnat practice should implicitly follow IL preven.
ton. General Smaller Is a scientific man end seeks
10 turn 10 account as all scientific men DO the