Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-09-08
WILMINGTON. DEL. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER s, 1873
our yylImLnatea FIre CerapanIss.

TRIAL, OF THE FORCING CAPACITIES Or TIE WATks
iwiTCH AND FAME BrEkHKRs-sUoCEss OF ZEE
wkTER wTToH, AND THE RECORD IT hADK-gU-
BIIATIoN OVER THE RESULT. f.-s,
On Saturday afternoon. trial Of the forcing
capacities Of the Water Witch aud Fame Fire
Companies steamers was made at the slutce
ditch on Towneend's road, on the South Side.
The trial vas made under challenge to the Fire
Department by the Water Witch Co.. for purse
of $1,000 and the championshiP, and undertruies
and regulations which had previously been
adopted. The affair had been In contemplation
several wseks, and to the firemen Of the city and
their friends, very numerous, the event was one
OF great importance, and drew together crowd
of people variously estimated at from 3,0OO to
4,0J0. tI444.iA r4t-.-t
Both the steamers were on the ground before
noon, highly polished and burnished, and fairly
glstening in the sun, and both went out fully
confident OF success. The Fame and the water
Witch Companies have, probably, the strongest
forcing steamers in the Department, and 1t has
been the especial pride OF each to boast the capa-
biities OF their steamers, in good natured way.
Each company was also ready and willing for the
trial, and when the challenge was first put forth
the Fame gladly accepted 1t in the confident hope
of being declared the champion" in the Depart
ment. 5s@
The preliminaries to the trial consisted simply
of toss for the order in which the steamers
should play, which was won by the Fame, 30 that
at 12 05 P. M the contest was opened. George
Chance was the referee selected by the Wkter
Witch, and David Hayes By the Fame. while they
selected as third party Isaac O. Pyle, William
Green having declined to accept the position
by reason Of business engagements. The oper-
ators of the engines we're Water Witeh-En-
eineer, John Leonard, of the Olapp q Jones
Manufacturing u o.; Fireman. Nathaniel Hender-
son; Pipeman, James Rose. Truck D., OF Phils-
delphia. and John Lee and James Hulley, OF Will
mington. Fame-E Engineer, William Blake; Fire
man, Jefferson Butler; Pipemen. Joseph Pid-
geon, Of Philadelphia, and Wm. McCrea, OF this
city.
two In number, and OF one half hours duration.
When, therefore, the Water Witch went to the
ditch it played away quietly ct first. and as the
contest was not to be decided upon the
greatest length OF stream which could be thrown
Tor the greatest length OF time, but upon the
ability to project solid stream of water the
| greatest distance without regard to the duration
| Of time, it made few pop squirts, the great
| est of which was 286 feet, inches. at the ex-
piration OF the half hour, the Fames steamer was
advanced to the ditch, and began to work gently,
bat during the trial 1t made five pop squirts, "
the greatest of which was 26I feet, inches, and
| on the last was disabled by breaking the guide
| OF the piston. ..-. ,
| to the Water witch steamer but it WAS not ready
| to be retired yet, nor indeed. hs d it performed
i it's bost work. The contest between these steam
1 ers had awakened an interest not only In Will
4 mington, but in Baltimore, 'Philadeiphia and
New York, and sporting gents in these cities had
| risked to no uncomfortable amount upon the re-
suit. Many Of the bets were made not simply
upon the result Of the contest between the
steamers. but upon the ability OF the Watel
| Witch to throw g solid stream OF water 290 feet
while some had even taken risks on ite ability tC
throw wafer 800 feet The steamer was, there
fore. put to the ditch second time and remain
ed in operation another half hour, so that !
performed all that the company owning It hAt
stipulated, making number of 'pop squirts,
the greatest of which was 30i feet . inches, ant
which entitled 1t to q record. 1t is now th
champion steamer in the Fire Department o.
wilmington. and is likely to remain so. Ills
the Clapp & Jones pattern.
After the contest had been decided, the steam
ers we're returned to the city, the Water Witcl
| with oolors flying, and with two brooms stAndn
erect, denoting that it had swept all from befer
it: A large crowd OF the members snd trisno nsIl
| to Sixth, when it turned OF to proceed to It's er
| gine house in Shipley street. The coming OF tn
victorious steamer was heralded by the Waite
Witch bell and by the less sonorous jinglng @
the bells Of the hose carfiage, the Delaware Fir
Co. Joining in with them, and when the steame
arrived in front of the engine house 1t was greet
ed with prolonged cheering, bringing to th
scene crowd which filed up the entire street
In the evening, the Water Witch Ccmpan
employed band OF music, with which it seIe
naded all the other Companies in the Depart
ment. The best of feeling prevailed, and eve
between the two rival companies no har'
thoughts were engendered, SO far as we ca
learn The victory is generally regarded as on
fairly achieved, and is in this spirit accepted
the Fame Co. While the serenAde of the Fam
Co. was in progress, ex-Councilman VIM. Z
Quinn made speech to the crowd.
The Committees OF the Water Witch and Re
lance Companies meet, this evening, to arrang
friendly trial between the steamers Of thes
companies respectively.