The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-18
THE ICE KING.
More Facts About Frozen Hydrants
and Water Pipes.
A REMEDY SUGGESTED.
Improvement Of Navigation
in the Rivers.
A REMEDY SUGGESTED.
sUFFERINGS AT SEA.
Long Island Sound Opening Up-Staten
Island Ferry DetcntionA
THE rHRsArSNED DANGER.

THE rHRBAT1NED DANGER.
During the past few days the HERALD has called
the attention OF the authorities to the existence
Of source OF danger to tho community through
the possible breaking out OF nre, which 1t be-
hooved them 70 do their utmost to obviate and
avoid by every possible means IN their power.
Our lorelathers and progenitors in the early days.
when New York was but q village compared with
It's present dimensions, suffered severely In COM
Tort well "a In pocket from their inattention to
this fruitful source OF danger.
1t Is simply the performance of duty to
again and again impress upon the people OF
New York that, as day succeeds day. while the
present temperature lasts, the danger Is daily In
creasing. The reports that are constantly coming
to hand show that out OF every ten hydrsnts
throughout the city eight would be found unser-
yiceable Tor immediate use
IN CASE OF FIRE,
Except after the expenditure OF from i've TO thirty
minutes ofvaluable time In thawing them out.
during which the nre would be gaining q terrible
Roadway. Some remedy must be discovered and
applied by which the street hydrants can be pro-
tected from tue frost. The cost should be Sec
pndary consideration, for upon their eniciency IL
dependent not only the lives OF the whole COM
nunity but the billions Of dollars worth Of PROF.
.rty stored In midst. 1t is also further demon
,trated that II the present weather continues
muCu IOp&cT, duu tuoTo 10 oN0Iy IcubOu W OcllcVo
1t will, the hydrants will be totally and utterly
serviceable under any conditions whatever.
Every day the irost Is penetrating the ground to
. greater depth, and even should thaw set III il
must necessarily be some days, or even weeks,
before any practical relief would be experienced
HOW TO AVOID THE DIFFICULTY
In order to determine upon some means by
which, in luturs years, the danger now threaten.
Ing from frozen hydrants may be avoided. the
writer yesterday visited Q number OF practical
engineers and scientists with view to gather
their views ana opinions upon the subject. The
result was that they one and all appeared TO
agree In the fact that way exists IN which the
difficulty can be surmounted and practically over
come. This is by laying system OF double
aydrants, or. In other words. pipe within pipe,
the interstlce or space between being filed up
with sawdust or some other non-conouctor. This
double pipe, It Is contended, should not only be
carried from the main to the level OF the valve,
but even up to the top OF the barrel OF the hy.
drant. This, 1t Is thought, would not alone PIE.
vent any top FIRE eSing, but constitute an eectual
barrier against the frost below the surface, let 1t
70 dow ever so deep. 1t Is also suggested that
INDIA RUBBER VALVES
should be used instead OF leather. The advantage
In this respect. 1t IS claimed. is that the india rub
Der would preclude any possibility OF water per.
colating through from the bottom to the top OF
the valve.
These suggestions are worthy OF the consldera.
tons Of the oficials under whose charge the nv.
drants are. They cannot De acted upon, however,
q the present time, ior before the remedy could
may, however, be put In before the cold season OF
the next winter sets H. The ofacials may, by the
exercise OF aJudIclous and much needed vigilance
considerably mitigate the existing difficulties.
SO Tar no inspectiOn appears TO have been made
Inc CHEF Engineer q the Department Of PuoIi:
WORKS says tnat he has men In bis employ whose
sSs TsuoG as, N
The course OF thorough examination OF every
nyarant 10 the q ci,y oy the reporters Of the
Although innumerable frozen hydrants were dis
THE WATER SUPPLY IN DWELLINGS.
The annoyances ana inconveniences experienced
BY the RESIDENTS 10 private houses; hotels and
water Supply BY the present severe Weather 'I Is
still on the increase. Thousands who ON Monday
congratuated themselves that they had not been
visited by the rigid embrace 0i the icy king were
humber Of victims WIN be increased BY the hun.
the 'Hs Sder and 0s seasn GS ing
houses in order 10 build lires bv which the ice
may De thao I'd cut and the usual supply OF water
ces Of s Uon
Dut water enylrey; yesterday IN every district
habltants in securing sufficient supply Tor their
Immediate needs. In many instances whole
blocks oil houses were found without single
drop.
HOW RELIEF WAS SOUGHT
The methods by which 1T was sought to relieve
the difficulty were as various as they were nefec.
tuai. Inside the houses, In the cellars and base.
ments, hot rags. water and glowing Goals were
thawlng out the ice; while on the outside ia the
street, holes were dug and fires lighted in order
were carried on under the direction OF private
enterprise; but, in addition TO this. large star
% the S 1He au
opening holes along the line OF the malns In which
huge fires OF wood were kept up in order to raise
1t is an 'lll wind that blows NOBODY any good"
and so ,, it Is IL this case; for, although
to no small degree, yet hundreds OF
laborers have secured days work out OF
the very distress OF Others Tnese holes above re.
ierred to give most peculiar aspect to the CITY
The appearance OF the street somewhat resembles
country where prospectors after gold or dIa-
nonds had dug down their claims and tnen aban-
Toned them.
NECESSITY OF IMPROVED PLANS.
The almost universal suffering in regard to a
Bhort supply OF water clearly demonstrates the
necessity OF the adoption of some such uniform
md reasonable 1e, law as was suggested in Tuesdays
OF the present evil may De reduced TO a minimum
before the approach OF the next winter, Tor a
crowded jewellers IN New York, sickness and
death Where, 100, tue sub.celiars and base.
the most eminent doctors say, the re.
suit must be equally disastrous, for the
tampDess thereby engendered must produce
rhis, rheumatism, dIphthcria. and even typnoid,
spotted anu intermittent levers. These con.
s,derations should operate upon nousekeepers to
take every possible precautlon to prevent next
ear recurrence Of the present unnoyances
winch 1t IS at present too late to oDviatc. Much
trouble anu &C ual loss, however, may still be
avoided II househoders and others Will even yet
make q daily examination OF the water pipes an
DEL their immediate control: Tor, although many
nave not yet suffered rom the freezing process,
Still they may be attacked. ut any moment.
KITCHEN BOILERS.
The dangers from the explosion OF the water
boxes used In the heating OF boilers Ia also aaly
ON the increase, and tenants are again cautioned
10 Thoroughly examine these dangerous points IN
Their households each morning be ore the fire Is
lighted They Will thus AVOID a possibility oil dan
ger aud expense.
GAS PIPES.
Another source OF trouble arising from the
severe cold Is the freezing up OF the gas pipes,
preventing any light being obtained. Wafer, as |
" wei known, often, by some means known TO !
the gas companies alone, Is found IN the nam
pipes leading from the trunk ripes to The houses.