Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1873-08-26
From tho Newark Manufacturer.
FIRE ENGINE TRIAL AT THE STATE
FAIR

FIRE ENGINE TRIAL At THE STATE
FAIR.
Two prizes are offered for steam fire
engines, to be tested on the ground q
gold medal for the best first class
steamer.
In Offering these premiums the So
ciety has two objects in view that OF
creating gala-day, as it were, for our
fire laddies, and the encouragement of
the production of the best machines for
the extinguishment of fires, and the
consequent protection of life and pro-
perty |; and it is toward the attainment
of these ends that they have projected
the test trials to be made.
The fact that one machine can, for q
few seconds, make squirt, and thus
throw water few feet further than
another, in their opinion should not, of
itself, determine such machine as the
most meritorious as fire extinguisher.
In order that there may be fair and
equitable trial, and decision based upon
actual merit, the following plan and
rules have been decided upon for the
trial of steam fire engines at the ap-
preaching fair of the society, which
opens at Waverly, near Newark, on
September 18th. 1t is believed that
this plan will be satisfactory to all con-
testants, and afford more perfect ex.
hibit of the capabilities of the machines
than any ever before proposed.
A firm platform will be erected over
an abundant supply of water from
whence to take suction, upon which the
competing engine will be placed. A
water-t tight tank will be constructed of
ten feet in width and seventy-fve feet
long, divided into compartments. The
first, or No. l compartment will be
fifteen feet long Nos. 2, 3, 4 and of
ten feet each and Nos. 6, 7, and 8 of
five feet each. These tanks will be
placed so hat No. l shall be one hun
dred and sixty feet from the pipe man.
When the signal is given to light the
fire, time shall be noted, and twenty
minutes allowed for each trial. No note
will be made of the time taken to get
up steam at the commencement of work
by the engine; each competitor exer-
cising his own judgment in that respect;
but the time taken to get up steam and
throw water into the first tank, mo, ~
at distance of one hundred and sixty
feet will be noted. When the time is
up, and the signal given to stop playing,
the judges shall proceed to measure the
water thrown into the several tanks,
upon the following basis. The water
in No. / shall be computed gallon for
gallon; that in No. shall have the
value of two gallons for every one in it
No. 3 shall be classed as 4 to 1; No. 4
at to No. 5 at - to /; No. at IA
to No. 7 at 16 to No. 8 at 20 to
and No. at 30 to l.
The contents of the whole being COM
puted by these rules, the engine of its
class throwing the largest aggregate
amount of water will be adjudged to
be the best machine for extingllishing
a fire.
All the engines shall play through the
same hose-two hundred feet,-and
the same nozzle, which will be furnished
by the society.
The water in the boiler shall be cold
at the time of lighting the fire.
Steam pressure will be limited to one
hundred and forty pounds, but, as will
sometimes occur, the pressure may run
over that amount for few moments
beyond the control of the engineer.
One OF the judges will be stationed at
the competing engine, whose duty will
be to observe the steam gauge during the
trial, and should the average be above
one hundred and fortyfive pounds
during the whole time the engine is
playing, such engine will be disqualifi-
ed and ruled out. The society desires
that the pressure shall not exceed one
hundred and forty pounds, unless
through some unavoidable occurrence
beyond the control of the engineer, and
to meet such suppositious case this
allowance is provided.
The foreman of the engine on trial,
or any other person delegated to act for
him, will be allowed to attend the
judges during the trial of his engine,
and during the measuring of the water
at the close of the playing of the
engine he represents.
No entry fee is required, and compe-
tition is open to all, whether from this
state or any other. Entry must be
made in person or by letter to the re-
cording secretary. William M. Force,
esq.,, Newark, before ten o'clock a. M,
Tuesday, sixteenth September, stating
name and class of engine, name of
maker, weight of engine and dimen-
sions of steam and water cylinders.
Engines of the first-class must be on
ground at ten o'clock, a. m, sharp, on
Wednesday, seventeenth, at which hour
the trial of that class will commence.
Engines of the second-class must be
present at the same hour on the follow
ing day, (eighteenth.) The order of
playing will be determined by lot each
day before the trial.
Coal will be furnished without charge
to such engines as cannot conveniently
bring their own, but each engine is ex-
pected to come provided with light
wood for starting fire.
DRIVES on the boulevard ere again