The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-22

To the Hon: Mayor and Common Council Of the
city Of Bridgeport
GENTLEMEN-The Committee ON Fire Depart
ment, and the Board or Fire Commissioners, to
whom was referred the petition OF the Wheeler
& Wilson Manufacturing Co., and others, to
your honorable body, for the purchase OF
Chemical Fire Engine for the use OF the city,
beg leave to report that tn y 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
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 iire apparatus We
have reports from New York, Boston, Chicago,
Cincinnati, and many other places, all testify
Ing TO their value as a prompt, economical and
eiiicient method or eXtinguishlng 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 hyd rants liable TO be rendered
useless, in such cases these engines are especi-
ally valuable and meet such emergency, and
afford a protection more effectual 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 when the ordinary resources and
appliances fail. Another point also to be con-
sidertd Is the saving y, OF most 81 the damage
which is unavoidable IN the use OF steamers In
a majority OF instances, when the engine is
brought to work promptly and properly handled
the lire is extinguished 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 10 work The moment
they reach the flre-the tank being fun and the
chemical ready for use at once-there is no de-
lay in laying hose, or connecting with hydrants
seventy -nve gallons OF chemical being equal
to three thousand OF water In extinguishing
power one man can lead the hose TO any part
OF the building and throw on n stream in
stantly, the how being under his control by
stop In the pipe. These engines being inde-
pendent OF MIGRANTS. can be located at any
point most advantageous for operating directly
on a flre, 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 In simply
| avoiding damage by water. We have been as
| sured by several departments that have had
| frequent opportunities 10 test them, that a
| steamer could better be dispensed with than
| The cest OF the chemical used at any fire ia
| not as much as the coal used TO feed steamer;
and the mud can remain in the tanks for pc
| riOd OF six months WITHOUT any loss OF extin-
From ali 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 inves-
| tigating this subject, hut state the substance
| OF II In the foregoing, and respectfully submit
| II for your consideration.
| JAMkS A. HOUSE,
ALFRED HOPKINS,
JAMES II. STEWART,
Committee on Fire Department.
e. DEWHURST,
JOHN II, ArHERTON,
W. X. HlGBY,
S. w. BALDWIN,
Board OF Fire Commissioners.
Bridgeport, March list, 1876.
ss-Rutland Fire Department should have
Babcock Engine.
M. ]. FRANCISCO, AGENT