Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-01-03

TRIAL BETWEEN TIE WATER WITCH AND
hnLtANuE STEAM FIRE ENGINES wEDNEs
DAY ATrERNOoN-THE WATER wIrCH
IS DISABLED ON THE 25Tn MEASURE.
MENT, AND LOSES TuE MAToHIN CON.
sEQUESoB-ANoTHERC CHALLENGE.
The much-talked Of and long-delayed
trial between the Water Witch and Re-
lance,sleam fire engines came of Wednes-
dav afternoon at Townsend's siuice, on
the South Side, In the presence Of large
and interested crowd Of spectators, ard
under the provisions Of the agreement Of
the two companies which was published
In our last issue.
The engines were on the ground some
lime before the hour named In the agree
mtnt, and at Que o'clock, after places
had been tossed for aud the choice won
by the r Reliance, took up their positions
on the bridge crossing the sluice-the
Reliance on the southern side and the
Water Witch on the northern. The fires
Of both engines were lighted at about the
same time, and as considerable money
was slaked as TO which engine would
generate steam the quickest and throw a
stream Of water first, the crowd watched
the guages with much interest. In one
minute and a.half the Water Witch
engines guage showed five pounds OF
steam, and in 10 minutes showed forty
pounds, when the engine was started
and the first stream thrown.
Mr.. John Leonard, Of the Clapp d
Jones Manufacturing Company, acted as
engineer for the Water Witch, aud james
Teller, Of the sllsby Company, acted as
the engineer for the Reliance, Each OF
these gentlemen, Of course, wanted
to win the day, and for this purpose bad
Overhauied with great care their respective
engines. When the signal for the start
was given, at 1875, both engineers started
their machines and In few moments
two pretty streams of water, both quite
solid, issued from the branch pipes O
thousand feet away from the engines
The Reliance had not been in ser
vice long before section OF IT,
hose burst, and this uecessita'cC
stoppage on It's part for ten minutes
By the agreements, each company wa
allowed five minutes during the the
hours to renew hurst hose, and owing Il
this the Water Wnch's first slreau
(ave-aging 164Il feeD was counted on
at the meeting Of the judges last night
But this was more. than Overhalancet bl
the Reliance losing ten minutes becaus
OF it's misfortune.
The engines played very prcttily from
this time until after the twenty tltl
| measurement, wneu the Water Wtc
engine blew out its exhaust plug, ant
bt cause Of It's inability to hold steau
under these circumstances, was com
PEELED to stop and abandon the conte
which gave to the Reliance the victory.
At tile time of being disabled, the Waite
| Witch's aggregate average stream wa
sevcral hundred #. ahead OF the Reliance
best aggregate average, as will be see
by glancng at the figures down to th
twenty fifth measurement, when I'll
former engine was Withdrawn In eonsi
qucuce Of the accident referred to.
After the accident, the Reliance englr
continued to play until the three houl
were up, and by the report Of the judge
who met at the Water Witch house la'
night, neat the Water Witch by about
Ceet on each average or, In other word
beat IN 80 average, the 25 measurement
nv the Water Witch by an aggregate
about $40 feet.
After the accident the Water Wlic
drew It's fires aud was hauled to the 81
gine house, where the extent of j
damages was asceitaned, and In
minutes It was declared to be aga
ready TOR service and ut night was Civ,
"A very satisfactory trial on shipley stiet
Throwing a stream oyer the hag-pole {
Inc enpola of the Water Witch house.
The Reliance, as we sad before, {
NAMED an the south side until after u
expiration of the three hours, when,dec
raied with days and garnished wi
brooms. il was hauled 10 town, alol
Market to Second, out Second to t
Fame House aud then TO us own q nhTlel
4, where quiet jolid ,ation was held
! We give below the result of the mate
$ taking the figures usea by the judges
at Tue meeting III the evening. The Wat
, Witch threw AS follows, and its I'll
average stream must be counted out
footing up the result for the reaso
stated above
STREAM