New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-14
LOCAL NEWS.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE.
=, w,rvp SUPPLY TO BE EXAMINED.

The anxiety felt among mercantile classes
loo. tho water supply should fail In case of great fire,
iii tho General Importance OF the subject will result
49, an actiVe measures. Commissioner Van Mort
,h the Chief Engineer OF the Department OF Public
works will visit the district Of the Croton watershed
and the ground surveyed for new reservoir near the
middle division OF the Croton dam This reservoir VIII
contain 7OoOOOOOO gallons and the reservoir near
Boyd's Corners, which ia to DO rled next Summer VIII
contain sOOO,OOOOOO gallons.
sELF-PRoPELLING FIRE-ENGINEs.
While the horse disease was prevailing IN
this city the Fire Commissioners procured from tho
Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. on trial. reoehy
invented selfpropeling steam re-engne, the ioho"ns
description OF which unavoidaby omitted from 'no
article In relation TO the NewYork Fire Department.
Yesterday This improy apparatus Ia now IN
Marion-st between Prince and sprngsts' ana mas al
ready satisfactorily propelled itself to several cs ~
motive power is that by which It's pumps
| are worked, and is applied DS u'oou
Meeting from the pumpgear the rod whieh con
meets that gear with the steam chest ana attaching '
same rod TO one Of the rear wheels. This action, accom-
nshed by means OF simple lever, applies to the "hco
rotating power equal TO the combined strength Oh ho
horses and sufficient to propel the engine az my" '
OF speed. AS are not needed pole Is dispouu
WITH and its place is supplied by steering aP'i'eu'
operated by man sitting in the drivers seat ine
tires of the rear wheels are Of unusual thickness
| and supplied with heavy steel cogs. which take
firm hold of the ground or pavement III
other respects the engine similar to those ny
| horses and on reaching a burning building Is quchS
made ready for throwing water by reatachmg inc rou
| TO the pumpgear , !. 10, hoor tonnd
10 be capable OF propcing itself over uneven
up down hill, through mud of great depth ahp IN
short under any circumstances where IL cOlu 10 ="
by horses About 10 pounds OF steam, SUI
n eaSy k sG gS boilers BY means Of heater tina.
it is ready to Immediately upon the nrt slroKe Oi
horse but is TO be built for attachment 10 to
| engine, which has motive power adequate VI potIi,
| rha FIRE
financially able TO 2olaln S1r dspaptmant is
that this mode Of propulsion engines Will ultimately
Department has tTty5ve1 Of the ordlpary hrecngiGe5
in active service, which by the way, also have steam
kept constantly their boilers These thiryifeyeR en-
gies propelled by two hons s. and each " thtr NOS
tenders requires an additional morse, ahe ,'s sry
. kept III reserve.
MORE ABOUT THE SELF PPopELLERs.
, To TIE Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Fifteen years ago, four self-propclling
fre-englnes were built at the Novelty Works They
worked better than any other engines ever bnt; but
the Volunteer Grenen, foreseong that their organic
would DO broken up such apparatus to get into
general use, opposed them. When it became evident
that they would not prevent the use OF steamers alto
gethcr, they demanded handdrawn sieamers, and got
. tbep few years experience showed that these
engines fragile and inefficient, and horsedrawn
engines were adopted under tho influence of the old
prejudice that defeated the sefpropellers How much
better these hOrse -drawn engines than the hand
drawn were the fires in Chicago and Boston show
better than the opinions OF the nexpcrts who ordered
| them.
. when the seltprOpelers were built beard the opin-
ions OF many distinguished mechanical engineers, and
reflected mucn the subject, and my conclusion was
that where high aud deep buildings abound an engine
OF less than feet of heating surface in boiler OF the
locomotive form is not worthy OF confidence obserya
tions since that time have shown me tue lncdanhiy OF
the present engines 70 keep steady streams upon men
buildings. and am fuJ convinced that they have been
500 600 worse than ttNeles6that s II heavy self
piOpeers had been adopted the 1re IN bOst0n eouid
not have got beyond their control W10rk Is aD!e
like disaster whenever tie weather Is fhFofdOe 10
thc spreading Of IRE, and al inc tnsneS now "a use
could not stop fire beginning IN either Ol several places
region where 10 would cause the greatest loss 10
give reasonable security there should be 10 or more
heavy engines within five Of the principal
centers for the storing OF goods Horses cannot s!ley
draw such engines Ia SlhClnhatl tty h.ye
their horses and when they run fat the danger
The Tboe power can instantly act against Tic
notion and there is not the danger from slipping that
Moreover the speed OF horses II insufficient; in case
like that Boston the engines should hayo ran az 20
than horses could heavy ongnes 1T miies az az
On the Concentrates 81 I'VE or Six engines in half the
standing all tine with charcoal fires and steam at
pressure enough TO with they would start instantly,
! ana miles at the highest speed; and the engines
OF ncghboring towns could arrive before IRE had
OF course we have no hydrauts sufficiently largo to
supply such engines that was an argument as1nst ae
died nstei OF curtailinR engines to suit tine defect.
Lastly warehouses; should closed artigt, and means
Of evolving carbOnc acid should be kept, that
fires could be suIi0cated without damaging goods.
| Neto- York, Nov. 10 1872. j. X. FISHER
HOLLY system OF WATER WORKS.
TO ne EdiiOr Of The Trtbune.
SIR think an eifectual protection from
such fires have recently devastated Chicago and Bos-
ton is be found ~ the employment OF what Is known
the Holly system Of waerworks, now in successful
operation In many Of The inferior cities OF The country
| for their entire water supply. Here in New-York 1t
could be used adjunct to the CrotOH In extngls-
ing bres by the Of salt water from two rivera
The principle OF the system the producton\of tho re-
Gurcd pressure and head by the Of Adequately
constructed steam machinery and works independent OF
and better than locomotive fire engines, requiring no
reservoir and only land enough 10 place the seanpOHer
upon BY its every hydrant acts as AN engine throw"
distances not exceeded by the best fire apparatus
! IN
| As trustee Of the Memphis water.wOrks Company,
have had occasion to examine Into this matter, ana
speak confidently aud understandingly on the sub
iect and shall be glad To furnish others with full
technical diagrams and KplauatiOns. think 1t entirely
susceptible Of proof that, had Chicago Boston been
provided with water-WOrks constructed this
of proper size and power, such cOna graons
occurred would have been possible. l. l.. W.
| Nce York. Nov. -, 1872