Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-09-08


The exciting contest is over, and the vexed
question as 10 which steamer Is entitled to the
championship OF the Wilmington Fire Depart
ment, finally settled. The long ng-talk0d-Oe
competitive trial between tho Water Witch
and Fame s. F. E. Companies, for purse OF
$1,000, and the championship OF the city, cane
OF on Saturday, between 12 and O'Clock, ut
the old sluice. near TOwnsend's road, South
Wilmington, in the presence i0f nearly three
thousand interested spectators.
The judges EFe 9s0 Chance, of the Water
z: Pyle. who was selected BY tRe s9rst named
BY twelve O'Clock. both engines Nere upon
the ground, ,'anIi the, toes was Hl9dec ~ see
which company should take the first trial.
TAs WoS S%$s sS9 g sSc ssSe 'RS ESs
edglneer Of the water Witch was JOhii Leon.
ard, the efticient travelling engineer for the
Clapp d Jones Steam Fire Engine Manufac-
turing COmpanyi tgOman Nathaniel Aeneer-
adelpGia, and John Lee and James Uulley, of
the Water Witch. fil ! IFS - 90
Everything being In readiness, the judges
took their position In the field, south of the
slnice, and the engine was started. Three
"pOp squlrts." were made ia the half hour
allotted TO the ArsttriAl, and then Che longest
stream was measured, and found to have BEEN
thrown distance Of two hundred and eighty
six feet, and six and three -eighths inches.
The Water Witch was then Withdrawn, aud
the Fame made ready for action. VIM. Blake
was engineer, and Jefferson Butler freman.-
PhlladelphIa Fire Department. and VIM. Mes
Crea of the Fame.
The engine was started and five ''pOp
squirts" made during the half hour trial AT
the last trial the guide Of the piston rod, and
the piston rod itself broke, thus rendering It
m Ia IL
ger in service. The longest stream was
measured, and fOnnd TO BE- 26l feut, 8 inches.
The referees met Immediately afterwards,
and decided the contest in favor OF the Water
Witch engine. The large crowd received the
announcement with great composure, and
quietly left the grounds.
The Water Witch Was again brought up
for trial, and easily threw stream OF water
three hundred and one feet, and eight incbeS,l
This proved beyond the shadow OF doubt the
superiority Of the Water Witch over the other
engines in our Fire Department.
Iii but Justice to the members OF the Fan1e
Company, however to say that their engine
has made better records than Il did on SatpT-l
day. AAt its contest with the Delaware In 1870
In which it came OF victorious tue winning
stream measured two hundred and eighty-six
feet, six inches. At trial Thursday night,
the Fame engine threw stream measuring
two hundred and eighty-nine feet. The ma
iOrity Of the members, however, though disap-
pointed with the result, are satisfied, and ad-
init the inability of their engine to successful
" compete with the Water Witch.
The amount of money which changed hands
on the result is estimated atIeariy $1,000 inde-
pendent of the 1000 purse. EVERYTHING pass
ed off quietly, hOWeYeB the lost bets were
promptly paid, and no trouble occurred over
the result
In the evening, the members of the Water
Witch procured a band. and serehAded the
different Companies. Short speeches were
made at some of the houses.