The New York herald., 1876-11-16
CITY HYDRANTS.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THE DEPARTMENTS
TO SECURE US AGAINST coNFLAoRATIoNs.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THE DEPARTMENTS
TO SECURE US AGAINST COMPLICATIONS.
II will be readily the poliiy of city gov
ernmcnt complete and efficient system OF public by
drants indispensable necessity When it is con-
sidercd that there ahou, 1000 hydrants the city
OF New York, including the annexed districts OF West
chester II will he at conceded that they form
important factor in the general or security
against disasters by FIRE. But notwithstani ding this
seemingly large number many persons who rely
rather technical than lay knowledge Of the matter,
are of opinion that the city mas outgrown the number
OF hydrants Just the drants OF proportion
TO the water supply from which they derive their
efficacy The present reduced water supply. however,
should not operate against having the hydrants IN
state OF thorough effectiveness II is true that
in some districts OF tho city tho inadequate
pressure o. hve pounds can hardly be
obtained at present, when pressure OF iity pounds
would not be beyond the range OF reasonable calcu
tom but II must also be remembered that the Croon
reservoirs just now impoverished beyond prccc-
dent, and that indications uch in favor OF in
creased volume OF water. Apong other obstacles
which stand In the way OF pcrlecting the hydrant sys
tenn is one which many citizens arc more or less dis
posed to throw in tho way and which applies, also,
aud with more force, to tho telegraph pole. Briefly
told, the obstacle is this In front Of many private
residences the hydrant is regarded dslgurcmcnt
In front OF stores II held to bo obstruction which
materially in,crfcrcs with the carriage, delivery and
general man npulation bales goods The counter.
balancing advantages which the proximity Of these
hydran,s Affords such the greater pressure OBJ
tancd by not having to carry the water through long
lengths OF hose, are, however, lost sigh. Of made
subscrvent to these considerations The hydrants OF
the city within tho charge OF tho
Croton Department, which takes its guidance,
as far as may bc, from the Fire Do
partmcnt TO which the requirements OF tho commu
mcnts work harmonodsy, but both are subject to
certain considerations Of public economy which do
not permit or more than gradual Improvement
great many OF these may be traced back to tho severe
winter OF 1874, which served to show conspicuously
MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTS
in the hydrant system as IL then existcd-defects
from which Il is now being freed IL will be recollcccd
tha, during that winter the frost penetrated into
the earth freeze he water In the barrels Of many
OF the hydrants thus either bursting them render
ing them perfectly useless IN case Of fire IN which
they might needed. that tho valves OF tho
best bydranls only tour feet beneath the soracc,
while in some cases they had been sunk TO q depth
OF only two or three feet. As remedy against
recurrence oil this experience II determined
lar as the funds at The disposal oil the department
would permit TO sink the nydrants to greater depth.
The could not however, be done all over the city, nor
did II necessary that it should bo done, for
OF tho hydrants had been Affected by the sevcrust
frost. 1t was resolved at all events, as partial
measure that tho valves OF all which we're TO be placed
in positions should be sunk six fcct beneath tho
and that the same course should be observed IN
respect hydrants which were to be substituted
for old At had been asccrtancd that at depth OF
six icct tho pcnetratvc power Of the frost wold bo
inopeatvc and that consequently the valve would DO
free at all times, while there would DO water in tho
barrel within the freezing influence. There was
reauircd by the Fire Department, and the Croton
Board, lar as II could, has endcavored TO carry
them into effect Large hydranis were needed 10 meet
tho exlgencies OF great cOnllagrations First, o.
course coplous supply OF water was requisite, but
after that the requisite machinery for using 1t enec
lively when obtained was necdiuL Tho reasonable
ness of this representation was apparent and all
the new hydrans and mains provision has been mado
by increased aperture for larger volume Of water
Engagements werc also made in many Of the old hy
drans md by the end OF tho year there Will be about
$50 OF them the apcriurcs Of which have been in
creased from two and half to three and half inches.
All the
SEw HYDRASrs ARE on A LANCER scALR
than formerly, nearly 100 OF these In posi-
tion In order that they may better purposes
OF adaptability and convenience, they are provided
with two nozzcs, one OF two and half and the other
OF six inches aperture. In this way tho hremen
use either their large or small hose, according
the cxiecnccs of the occasion Tho new
they also being introduced in the upper sections
OF the city. Eight OF them arc connected with tho
mains which wcrc aid last year on Greene street, and
the department is now laying Pipe Wooster street
with which some twenty OF these hydrants Will bo
connected. The new pipe on Fifth avenue has twenty
attached greatly increased protection from nro 10
afforded by the new pipe in Church street extending
from Canal street TO Bowling Grcen This main VIII
be in connection with no less than seventy live
hydrans, aud the new pipc recently laid through
Chatham and Nassau Streets and extending from
Chambers TO Wall street, has connection
with twenty-five hydrants, all of the latest
pattern. with an abundant supply OF water In
these districts, without which, OF course tho very best
machinery would be OF little avail 1t is felt that tho
danger to property from fire will be reduced TO mini
mum. 1t is also believed that the risk oi having tho
hydrsnts rendered useless by tho operation Of extreme
cold been obvacd by the greater depth TO which
thoy have been snnk in the earth. Assuming, how
ever conditions OF water supply to DO
able aud the hydrans TO be OF the very best pattern,
numbers OF the lremcn-and their knowledge
has practical complexion which entities II to re-
spcct-wno think that there not enough hydrans
meet tho requirements OF a city like New York.