The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-03-24

Ma. EDITOR Nineteen years ago 1 witnessed for
three days in succession upon the Common " in Bos-
ton trial of Steam Fire Engines, assembled one each
from all the manufactures Of the article at that
time in existence in the States.
Ny recollection is of one or more each, from the
cities of Baltimore. Philadelphia, Albany, Provi-
dence, Lawrence, Manchester, N. H. and others.
The trial WAS severe and protracted testing the
machines in their every capacity; throwing large
streams and small streams, streams horizontal and
perpendicular streams through fifty feet of hose,
then adding fifty feet lengths until they were play
ing through 1000 feet or more, horizontally, then
vertically, playing one stream, then two or more
from each machine, and with nozzles Of varied
diameter.
The horses with harness on were stabbed tempo
rariIy on the +" Common, ''-engines each q given
distance from their respective horses. then trials of
Of the time required from q given signal, to attach
horses to the engines,-dash of as if for life, or
upon 9 race course,-get up fire and steam upon
the feeiest run, to q certain amount requisite for
efficient service in the shortest space of time. Trials
on time, trials with each other, trials of various
kinds of fuel, trials with water of their own suction,
and water furnished by hydrants, trials Of throw
ing the water from one machine to another except
the last, and various others all Of which were wit
messed by deleg2klOnS from tue CITY authorities OF
Boston, Salem, Lawrence, Lowell, Nashua, New
Bedford, Taunton and Providence and other cities
and towns. A that time if l mistake not, all but
three or four Of the cities of the Western States
were dependant upon the old hand engines and as
Boston had acquired o WORLDWIDE reputation for max
ing those machines, it vas hard to convince her people
ANYTHING better than their own make could possibly
exist: but that three days trial, witnessed by tens
of thousands, was a death blow to Boston notions Of
the former stripe, and must have convinced every
Intelligent unbiased mind, of the vast superiority
and economy Of steam over muscle in lighting fire
a. in p~ropelling machinery for any other purpose.
From that day to this, the old men-kIlling
breaks" With their volunteer force, 'fremen's
riots'' and boy ineendiarism have given way to
steamers, picked and paid men, throughout the
country, Just as fast as city srd village g fathers &"
could bring their minds to see that g small sacrifice
Of present machines, was the way TO economy,
efficiency and safety.
Though I had 81 run Eid der machines in Bos-
ton at an earlier day. and felt q strong aloha for the
institution, / became q thor ough convert by the
great prepondence Of evidence, TO the innovation
already adopted, if my memory is correct, by New
York. Philadelphia, Baltimore and San Francisco.
On nv return / witnessed while in San Francisco,
ON several occasions the superior merits of the new,
over the old system, and have ever since advocated
and urged az occasion offered, a stop to further ex-
adoption of a Steam Fire Engine, and o paid Depart
ment for Honolulu.
And I would now ask the Minister over that De-
partment, his coadjutors, the press, and the public,
If it is not time to relieve our 6remen friends of the
ouerous duty they have Voluntarily, and generously,
80 long and 80 willingly performed for the public
good.
II permitted I will in future offer some reasons
for this suggestion, aside from those intimated
above. A. u