Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-10-09
THE ENGINE TRIAL.
Card from Foreman Stoad, Of Cedar
Falls.

CEDAR FALLS, Der. I'd, 1874
To the Editor of the Buchanan Co Bulletin
Please allow me a small space in your
valuable paper to correct few mistakes
, as noticed in your report of the trial of
the Silsby Rotary Steam Fire Engine, of
Cedar Falls, and the Clapp & Jones Pts
ton Engine of Independence The trial
was made under the most unlavorable
circumstances that could have been imag-
ined more unfavorable for the Cedar
Falls Engine than for the independence
engine, for this reason: The fuel in the
Silsby, when we applied the torch, was
the same that we had in when we left
Cedar Falls, ond had become quite wet
from the constant rain which was falling
throughout the day. The Clapp & Jones
was i'll the same fix, but they tool, out
their wet fuel and put in dry. This, any
one knows, would expedite getting up
steam. You state in your report that the
Clapp s. Jones threw the first water in
about eight minutes after starting the fire.
Correct. And then add, "thc Silsby about
six minutes later" which is Lot true. =
There was not as much difference in the
starting of the two machines as there was
in the starting of the fires, which did not
! exceed ten seconds. Again, the Indepen-
dcnce Co. had the choice of settings, and
this was quite an item in their favor, as
any engineer we'll knows, and which, by
entering into particulars, we could prove.
Secondly, you say that the Clapp & Jones
threw water a great deal farther than the
Silsby. This we admit, but the Silsbv
threw a larger stream than the Clapp &
Jones, which l do not suppose anyone
that witnessed the trial will deny, al
though there was an understanding that
! the nozzles were to be of the same size.
We claim that the extra water which we
! threw will more than overbalance the
the difference in distance; and during the
trial the Clapp & jones was carrying an
average of twenty pounds Of steam more
than the Silsby. But perhaps YOU will
say that we had the same privilege. Even
So but we look to the best care of our
steamer, first, and 10 lis capacity, second
Any one acquainted with the first rud-
mcnts of a steam boiler i...nows that any
overstr"in is damage to the boiler that
can never be repaired, and our engineer
does not propose to beat some other ma
chine 'or burst his steamer" and if he
did, j, as foreman, would not allow him
TO do it. for the simple reason that the
steamer belongs to the City of Cedar
Falls and rot to the fire company. Not
wishing to find fault, but simply to have
justice done our company and the Silshy
Steamer, | take the liberty of sending
this statement for publication And
will say in conclusion, that after the very
cordial reception We met with at Indepen-
dence, and the princely manner in which
We were treated, not only by the fire com
pany, but by the citizens generally, it
goes very much against the grain with me
to take any exceptions whatever to your
report; but justice requires that these cor
rections should be made. We beg leave
to assure you that our company still re-
main unit for the independence Steam
or Co., No. L.
NOurc tr,1v and roc,,,,-