The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-19

d!Rablement OF eieher engine or either pump,
rendering it impossible at any time to impede the
water supply. the pumps consist Of . gang Of
twelve plsJons and tao ~rotaries. The gang OF
piston pumps are arranged each eccentric to the
other, or SO rosatIng in their discharge that oes.
satton In the low OF water into the mans is al
most dispensed with, it being the design to use
the gang pumps strictly for domestic supply.
while the rotary pumps are reserved Tor use In
the event OF connagrstion or emergencies arising
from temporary d~lsablement Of the gang. By an
engineers automatic action the pressure OF the
water in the pipes Ia regulated, and q steam
alarm whistle ID operated, by which the sudden
demand for. water is conveyed to the source OF
supply, and additional motive power Of steam is
simultaneously supplied by automatic action also.
All this notifies the engineer perhaps miles dis
tant nom the scene OF the connagration) OF the
necessity OF setting his gage to q fire pressure.
No stoppsge occurs, and the rotary pumps, al
waygready for immediate use, are applied to af.
ford she additional power IS long as required for
the EFFICIENCY OF the case, and the additional
minutes. I enclose you q photograph OF the
works and machinery in the Oily OF Saratoga,
kindly given me by one OF the city onlcials,
through whose courtesy and intelligent descrip-
lions ] sm greatly lndeo'e q for most Ut the In
formation herein feebly conveyed TO You.
After this gentleman hal explained the work.
Ing OF the system to me, and the opposition
when It had at fret encountered, he remarked
thas tts value wse not appreciated by all, and
that the cost OF the works, some $500, 900, had
been more than saved to the city since their con-
structlon, by the saving Of property which other.
wfse would nave been destroyed by fires, which
the superior power and promptness of these
water works over the old engines enabled the
citizens 70 extinguish with comparatively small
loss where each ire rlglnated, and in no iustance
had the lnfe extended beyond it.
."If,0 said he, syou could only witness q Gre
during your stay among Us you would be con.
vtnced OF the valuable protection which these
works AFFORD In 81 combustlblea place as Sara.
toga.n The very next day I had the Opportunity.
4 nre broke out sbout ten O'Clock in the morning
in alarge stable filed with hay above and horses
below. so rapidly was IL consumed that the
horses were burned before they could be rescued.
Being only q couple OF squares from my hotel /
reached tina IRE before q single engine arrived,
and saw the roof fall in. Four streams from the
hydrants Of the water works literally drowned
out the IRE and prevented 1t from spreading to the
frane residences within q few feet OF the burnt
bulldog on either side. Such was the over
Whelming power OF the wat.r that, although the
fool had fallen In, the posts and part OF the plates
were Kept In place and their charred remains
sctnany left standing, with parts or the weather
Doafolng IN the came condition projecting from
tnem, VIII the nre extinguished. 80 that the en-
Rtnoe ol tne nre dep irtment returned to their
houses without being brought into use, having
n0L got 70 me nre In time to render assistance.
Inc dwellings, on either side had been on fire
from the intense neat, anG the living fakes from
the burning stable; but as 'soon IA a strsam
from the hydrants was Turned on them thew were
extinguished. Indeed. the mower Of
the Jets OF water nom these hydrants. fmningina
~ the board covering OF the stable while on Dire,