The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-28

LIVELY i INES aGAlS- HE ) IRE DEPART
MEST.-The streets were quite lively again
yesterday morning the horse-cars were rum
ming, and not Il few PERSONS took advantage
of the resumption of travel. But ore feam
of oxen as q substitute for horses was no
ticed, and the clear sky and delightful atmo-
sphere had the effect of bringing out gentle
men and ladies in large numbers. The side
walks were thronged with them from an
early hottr IN the morning, and Richmond
looked as though it Was indeed prospering
citT; Business of all kinds has pretty much
recovered tI'0n fhe stagnation cccasioned by
the horse plague.
In this connection it MAY be remarked
that the city has suffered considerably from
the epidemic, four valuable horses belonging
to the Fire Department having been victims.
Would it not be we'll for the City Council to
supply their places at once? Two have died
at the tfrck-house washington Hal) on
Broad street, one at the cneine-bouse on
Third between Broad and Grace streets; and
one at the Eighteenth-Strect engine-hotise OF
company C, between Main and Franklin. In
case of a serious fire the Department would
find itself in q crippled condition, and per-
haps a great loss of property would be the
result. The Chief Engineer Of the Fire
Department has recently visited tl,e North,
and was in Boston Oh the occasion OF
the second fire. There he noticed The
successful operation Of the floating steam
tre-cn"nes. and believes Richmond to lie
peculiarly adapted to their successful opera
tiDn, having water front OF two miles. One
of these engines might be placed i'll the
basin and one in the dCclf. The power OF
these machines is immense, and the propert%
from the Tredegar Works east to Twelfth
street and lis far nCrth as the Capitol Square
would be comparatively safe. 2 c0mmunl-
cation has lately appeared over the Signature
of :. .lIechauic" on this subject. He says:
81 would cali TO the attention Of the pro-
Der authorities (aud your chief engineer is
equally impressed with the importance ef
the ncasure) the use of a floating steamJirc-
engine, which, being kept in the basin, could
be made a7aiIable By the locks all along the
waterfront, The saId5 bCis, that works the
force.pllmps would work the propeller Of
the boat. Three men could manage IT, ana
steam being kept up ut low pressure all the
time the boat would be ready to move lmme.
diatelr al atai'm was given. The boat would
carry sufficient hose to ptit Oh one or more
larcc streams Of water in the most 1mp0f-
tant business part OF the .itE in 2 very short
time. The cost of such a machitic per year
would be very little, if any, more than that
of keeping up an ordinary steam hre-englne,
while 1t would be great deal more efhcent.
/ hope our city authorities will look into this
matter, which Is really of great importance.
Wh;lh on this subject I would also make one
more suggestion to apply to the engines we
NOW have; which is the Importance OF keep
ing the water in the boiler warm, thus say
ing sonic tfve or more minutes in making
steam enough to start TIC eugins:"
Richmond las been particularly fortunate
since fhe appearance of the horse malady !:
for we have had no serious fire, and the
heavy machines have not been hauled over
the streets by hand, as would have been ne
cessary in case of a serious fire. Were the
floating steam fre-engues brought into re-.
ouisition the city could dispense with about
half the present number Of horses.