Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-11-15

IirTi1, ~. N y on III STINT ~ uLYNuA.
The following letter, though no: ia
tended for publication, is replote with
so much interest To- those who have
taken piide in our fire organizat inn
that we give it place in our columns.
It will be seen that Mr.. Williams, m-
though he has been absent for years,
has not jnst the interest he has evr
felt in our local advancement:
NEWARK. y. J., Oct. Is, 1873.
/ NE. CHAs. DUH,IIsTER: Dear Sir: Ga
Friday last, having some leisure and
feeling interest in the Fircmen's Parade
and Tournament, to be held on that lav
at Poughkecpsic, n. Y, 1 took the
Hudson river cars and proceeded to
that city. Thinking that possibly you
and the members of Columbia Engile
Go. might be pleased with an account
OF the same, take the liberty of for
warding one.
The day was perfectly charming, ore
of those whose delightful Indian sum
ncr hours have SO Justly earned for this
month the title of tho browning glolv
of the year. The sun, rising in un-
clowded splendor, still kindly yelled its
warmer rays behind thin mist, which,
hanging over the landscape, half shrout-
ed the distant valleys of the Hudson
with the peculiar hazy view of this sea-
son OF the year, SO suggestive of the
half revealing, half concealing"
glimpses of the mountains of til ose
Gentle invitations to explore their
windings," which so naturally arise in
the mind at view of such charming
vistas.
The hillsides, touched by the early
frosts, were all afame with beauty,
while the river, Clown which an EN-
pires harvests glide," unruflled by a
breath of air, with perfect truthfulness
milrored upon its surface its eyer-shift-
ing views of bold headlands, smiling
fields, or picturesque valleys, which so
continuously line it's borders
Arriving at poughkecpsie, we found
the city full of strangers. A very large
number of visiting fremen with their
apparatus were present. The process
sion, with more than dozen full brass
bands, was just forming The line of
march was through the principal streets
and was one of the must imposing
of the kind, that had ever seen. The
various engines, trucks and hose-car-
riages, with their highly polished sur
faces, commanded and justified, in de-
tail, my most careful study. 1 can give
you but feeble idea of the beauty of
the procession, when l can only use the
general term while speaking of its de-
tail, that in matters of music, uniform
and finish of apparatus, it was in every
respect faultless. Many of the machines,
particularly the hose carriages, were
perfect mechanical types of airy grace
and beauty
was much interested while talking
with the foremen of the various compet-
ing companies. Nearly all of these en-
gines had taken prizes at previous tour
nanlents, and their prestige was such
that but few of the companies on the
ground dared enter the the list against
them. Each engine was placed upon
a platform, with 4 cistern in the rear
kept full by means of hydrant stream
level with the platform, and was re-
quired to draft its own water with two
lengths of suction (fiftcen feot). You
will note that they did not Wi the water,
but simply used their suction to supply
pumps nearly level. They were each
allowed fifteen minutes of time, after
placing the engine, and were required
fn fhrN,r1, wv g
hose, useing such nozzle as they pleased.
They all used the square shouldered
nozzle, and worked all the men that
could possibly be got on them. Ishould
JUDGE about one hundred each. They
all double banked their brakes along
their entire inside lengths, and two of
them had their decks covered with men
who while they served to further ballast
the engine, also added power to the
brakes by pushing down upon them
with their feet They all used about
two tons of railroad iron piled through
their wheels to keep them steady. A
board platform, like sidewalk, with
feet marked thereon, was laid across the
park, and the farthest possible drop of
water-not spray-was taken as the
throw. Distance measured from the
end of the pipe. The following is the
result:
Columbia No. 1, of Pcckskill, New York
piano engine, Jas. Smith & Co., New York
builders pumps inch cylinders and o inch
inch stroke 14O feet I'd throw, using l5-lGtl,
inch nozzle, inch stroke, 164 feet.
Eagle No |, of Hyde Park, New York, pi
ano engine, l.. Button & Co, Waterford, n
y, builders: pumps % inch cylinders and
~ inch stroke (same size engine as yOurs)
LIST throw, using inch nozzle ~ inch stroke
l7o feet "a throw, using 15-lGth inch nozzle
inch stroke, 165 feet.
Hudson River, mol, of Coxsacc, y. Y, pi
ano engine, i. Button & Co., builders, pumps
10 inch cylinders and lie inch stroke: list
throw, using q inch nozzle, 81. inch stroke
!63 feet; "a throw, using l inch nozzle, 81.
inch stroke 176 feet.