The New York herald., 1872-11-18
Water Towers Along the Rivers.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The recent terrible confagrations in Chicago and
Boston naturally set people to thinking whether
they are similarly exposed II SO, whether there is
any remedy. 1t Is acknowledged on all hands that
New York is as likely to be destroyed by fire as any
other city, and that in such case the loss would
probably be greater than that OF all the others COM
bined. The experiments made recently on the
Equitable Insurance building demonstrate the
utter nefllciency OF the means. of prevention of a
connagration at the disposal OF the Fire Depart.
pant. The spray that can be thrown on a building
OF such height is worse than useless, it literally
adds fuel to the flames. Any chemist can demon
powerful engine help the matter in the least, as
the supply OF water furnished by the Croton pipes
down town Is too small to furnish anything more
than a spray at 100 feet or over OF elevation.
1t is EVIDENT then, thai II we are to be sae at ALL
the supply OF water must come, not from the
Croton, but from the rivers on each side. 1t would
seem as ii the Creator designed this city above all
others to have the means OF safety nom fire, and
has therefore placed an ocean OF water all around
ii. But, like al His good gtts, 1t must be used in
order to be useful. The question, then is. how can
this ocean OF water be used so as TO protect the
city from the dcvouring fire most enectually and
economically Many plans have been proposed,
several OF them IN some OF their features re-
sembling what wOuld now suggest, but none that
have seen, az 1t appears to me- quite satisfactory
in all their aspects.
Erect, say six towers on the East ard North
Rivers, of not less than one hundred and fifty feet
high. at proper distances. with apparatus TO keep
them constantly full OF water Let a main or large
pipe be laid all along the west and east sides OF the
city, from which let smaller pipes be laid to
another MAN, TO be laid along broadway, N as
many streets as may be deemed best; think
every street would be best, Let pipes lpe raised at
suitable distances, OF four i've inches diameter,
as high as the tops OF the houses With hose
attached TO those pipes the heavy pressure OF fifty
feet Or more would in a few moments deluge the
roof with food Of water that would speedily ex-
tinguish the nre, and certainly prevent its exten-
sion TO other buildings. Hose attached to the hy-
drants in the street, with the pressure OF column
Of $50 feet, would soon drown out the fire below.
i have an idea as to the apparatus for
supplying the towers with water which shall
not state at present, but which, IL 1t work as am
assured 1t viii by gentleman knighted by Louis
Napoleon for his scientific knowledge, Ii Is not
best TO give to the public unsoueht. That this plan
would cost good deal is true, but when we take
into account the savings from safety ron fire,
lower insurance, watering the streets without
wagons, aud consequent cleanliness, &C &C., II
would lie found emincntly cheap, even II IL were to
cost fifty millions, as one such lire as has occurred
recently would probably cost ten times as much,
without producing any safety, and then would cost
as much as II would now. | feel confident that
plan like what ! have indicated viii fnally be
adopted, 1t is, in iy mind, the best aud cheapest
that can be adopted. ] hope II VIII be adopted
before 1t is too late, PHlLANTHRQPUS.