The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-05
To Tie Hon Mayor and Common Council Of the

To the Hon: Mayor and Common Council Of the
City Of bridgeport:
GENTLKNEN-The Committee on Fire Depart-
ment, and the Board or Fire Commissioners, to
whom was referred the petition OF the Wheeler
your honorable body, for the purchase Of q
Chemical Eirc Engine, for the use Of the city,
beg leave TO report, that they have carefully In
vestigated the subject, and In doing so we have
sought information and testimony upon sources
entirely Independent OF any interest In their
manufacture or sale. Members OF the Com
mittee have visited cities where these engines
have been In service for some time. have been
fully tested, and have proved to be valuable
acquisition TO the ordinary fre apparatus. We
Cincinnati, and many other places, all testify
Ing TO their value as prompt, economical and
efficient method or eXtinguishing fires One
most valuable feature TO be considered is. that
in districts where there is no water supply, or
where the water mains are too small TO feed
the MIGRANTS, or at times when the water may,
on account OF accident be shut of from part
or the whole OF the city, or in seasons OF ex-
IRENE cold like the present, when water mains
are frozen and hydrants liable 10 be rendered
useless In such cases these engines are espect-
ally valuable and meet such emergency, ana
AFFORD protection more efrectual than any
other means yet devised. We regard this feA-
ture as OF great Importance, as they supply
what has been felt 10 be needed--a means OF
protection WI, when the ordinary resources and
sidertd Is the saving or most OF the damage
caused by the use of large quantities OF water,
which Is unavoidable IN the use OF steamers, In
majority oil instances when the engine Is
brought to work promptly and properly handled
the IRE is extinguisned without the aid Of
steamers, and with slight damage, and that
confined TO what is injured by fire only the
surrounding property, either goods or build
ings, being left unframed from water. These
engines are always ready to work the moment
they reach the flre-the tank being full and the
chemical ready for use at once-there is no de-
lay In laying hose, or connecting with hydrants
-seventy-five gallons OF chemical being equal
TO three thousand OF water In extinguishing
power. one man can lead the hose 10 any. part
OF the building and throw on a stream in
stantly, the now being under his control by y
stop in the pipe. These engines being indie
pendent OF MIGRANTS, can be located az any
point most advantageous for operating directly
on a fire, and thus avoid the delay experienced
in working from distant points. Where they
have been used they are regarded as success
and save many times their cost r In ,s SIMPLY S
sured by several departments that have had
| frequent opportunities TO test them, that
| steamer could better be dispensed with than
The cost OF the chemical used at any nre is
| not as much as the coal used to feed a steamer:
| and the fiuid can remain In the tanks for q PEI
| Rod OF six months without any loss OF extln-
| FROM All the facts and testimony we have OBJ.
| tained, we are convinced that the efficiency OF
| the chemical engines has not been overesti.
/ mated. The experience we have had with the
portable extinguishers In our department also
We cannot here give you in detail the inter,
views and examinations We have had in inyes
| tigating this subject, but state the substance
| OF It In the foregoing, and respectfully submit
| It for your consideration.
JAMES A. HOUSE,
ALFRED HOPKINS,
JAMES II. STEWART,
Committee on Fire Department
| X. DEWHURST,
JOHN j, ATHERTON,
W. X. HlGBY,
). w. BALDWIN,
Board or Fire Commissioners
| Bridgeport, March LIST, 1876.
tv-Rutland Fire Department should have
Babcock Engine.
| NJ. ]. FRANCISCO, AGENT.