, 1874-08-01

TRIAL tE 8TEAM.H U hE3+
Tho first Of eorios Of trials Of atoam-pumps
to aid in extinguishing ares took p1ace yesterday
forenoon At A,inme street bridge. olhcAgu's tor
rible punishment by eof late Inns created an I'M
peratiyo donnnd for additional protection against
such visitations. and among tho various projects
for strengthening tho efloienoy Of tho Firo Do
partnlont homo has boon received with creator
favor than tho proposition to organize 4 syatonl
Of floating hre-engines to cruise up and down tho
rivor, and protect tho property on both sides. In
place Of expensive bonts constructed expressly
for the purpose, 1t has beou asccrtaiuod that
equal efficiency, at fur less cost, cuu bo obtained
by means Of pumps attaohod to steam-tugs, and
worked by tho lug onglnos. trial Of ono
Of thoso pump-attnchmonts brought out
D largo attendance Of interested people
yesterday, among thom tho Doard Of
Tollca and Fire Commissioners, Board Of Public
Works. aud various city htltcorB. Tho trial was
under the especial supervision Of Fro-Marshal
Donnor, who n1aao careful observations ot the
manufactured by Cope y maxwell. and was
placed On the stonm~tpg I. 3. johnson, aud
drivou by its powerful engine. Tho pump was
Of the ordinary piston pattern, viii. a 12;inol
ffon io5 to $50 foot in longt were attached and
suction was taken from tho river. With M
inch nozz1o on ITO foot Of hose, and with is
pouudB Of stoam, stroam Was thrown ITO foot
while with tho snn1o lenEth Of hose and Itead OF
steam, aud 115-ncA noSzlc, the distance tlrown-
WIS 1bS feet. With 90 pounds Of stcem, 11(
inch stream was tl!own l5i feet through 450 foos
Of hosc, ana with stamcso coupling {two leads OF
hosp viii, IT, ono nozzlo) 11(-lnch sttoam was
The trial was not entirely satisfactory,
to the Fro. Marshal who had expected longer
throwing with such a pumping capacity. and
power to drive 1t. Ho stated TINT any tirst-class
steam flro-ongiuo could do as vol. Objection
was MISC raised OIL account Of the violent witch
ing Of the hose when the pump WAS in full blast,
ing, 1t ts sud, will soon cut through hose from
the Inside. The general Impression seemed to
bo tint tho Copo t. MAXWELL pump shown Yester-
day can b6 great1y improved upon, and It ia OK
pcctcd that tho trials OF other pumps will bring
U,lt q machine hetter adapted to tho work.
Thero are several mnkoH Of pumps yot to be tried,
and il Is probable that from among them will pc
found ono or moro that viii moot tho require
1ncutB.
Commissioner Wal1 visited The experiment
made with the pumping apparatus fitted on board
of tho tug L. d. Johnson, aut Oh his return to tho
City-Hall pronounced it failure. Tho tct
thrown was not by my means regular and full "a
would bG required for actual service at fire.
Tho Commissioner would lilio to SEQ threo rcgu~
lar nre-onglneB tloatiug Oh tic riyor, and Ito
thinks that tho cutting Of channels from the
rlyor cast ind west under different HtreotY, with
cistorna here and there for tho introduction Of
suction hoso, would provide tho city with an
ample supply Of water for tho largest fire which
eorllt bo Fot up. Tho suggestion ls worthy tho
further consideration of himself md colleagues.
At certain HeAsoils OF tho year tho very anloll Of
Chicago River water would oxtinguish q fire OF
ordinary dcceRoy and aolf-rospeut.