National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-09-12
Third Day of the Chief Engineers
Convention.
Experimenting with Fro Escapes.

desccnsor or ropo fire escape. He affixed his
| hooks to the roof of Wizards Hotel. corner Of
Fourteenth aud i streets. au made success
ful descent - the ground. On the Avenue
side of Wizards another escape was exhibited
by Mr.. b. d. Dondes, the inventor This es-
capo resemblcd a tape line and seemed very
easy to manage. young man, weighing
about 100 pounds, swung OFF the roof with ono
of these escapes aud reached terra frma safely.
Tho next attraction was tho exhibition of fire
extinguishcrs aud extension ladders in front of
the Corcorau building, on Fifteenth street.
The Babcock truck b, now belonging TO the
Fire Department of this city. came on the
scene with tho Bangor ladder and Cronin
| extension. 1t was soou hoistod of the
| truck and placed in working position. In ex-
| actly one minute men were swarrning up the
| ladder, showing its points of excellence The
| ladder was left standing for experiments with
the Babcock extinguisher. This company
| showed one of their chemical engines on
wheels consisting of n handsomely decorated
and nickel.platcd truck, Ia feet long by
| wide and two 60-gnllou tanks, built ex.
prcssly for use at tho convention.
In seven seconds the engine was at work,
a line Of hose 100 feet long being in position on
| top of the CorCoran Building. Mr.. S. F. Hay
| ward managed the affair, and under bis in
| structious a stream OF water was thrown fifty
| feet, n thrcc-cighth inch nozzle being used
After this display the hose was taken to the
ground, carried upon the Crouin extension lad
| der, and another demonstration of its qualities
| given. This engine was very much admired by
the spectators and its workings favoraby com.
mented on.
| The Hydro.Pncumatic Extinguisher com.
pany followed the Babcock, Mr. Sanborn their
| agent, using one of their twowheeled ware.
house engines. Tho tank of this engine was
of forty gallons capacity and 6fty feot of hose
were used. stream of water about fifty feet
in length was thrown through one-quarter-
inch uezzle.
The next ladder tried was the Hayes ex.
tension ladder" The fre-truck upon which it
rests was placed in front of the COrcoran Build.
ing, and In forty five seconds the ladder was
placed against the building At a second trial.
two minutes were consumed in running one
block, uuhitchng tho horses and carrying the
hose TO the top ready for work. Tho next
trial was putting the ladder in position for II
man to reach the fifth story Of the building,
which occupied one minute aud five seconds.
The extension WAS again lowered, the ladder
taken and placed without support in the street.
fireman was sent to the top, and the turn.
table exhibited in every position.
The new Silsby engine, which takes tho
place of the Sayles J. Bowen, or No. 4, in this
city's department, was the next attraction
exhibited A steady stream from 14.inch
nozzle was thrown, 200 feet of hose being
used. In four minutes thirty pounds OF steam
were raised from cold water, and the pressure
of five pounds in the plug increased by the
engine to $50 pounds. The engine WINS after
ward taken on the Avenue to the plug corner
of Fourteenth street. and Il stream Of 23l
0 feet thrown against the wind. A perpendicu
! lar stream was then thrown, stated by mum
! Der of tho chiefs to be the best they evel
) saw thrown by thrd-cla's engine. The new
engine is the handsomest piece of apparatus
! now owned by the department and was criti.
! cised very favorably by the visitors and spec.
tators District Commissioner Phelps aud the
Board of Fire Commissioners expressed them
; selves as perfectly satisfied with the work
ings of their new acquisition.
The Siamese coupling was tho next and
most interesting feature of the exhibition
Three engines, stationed at separate plugs.
} united their streams and forced them into
larger hose. The pressure of each engine was
Silsby $50 pounds; No. 49," ITO pounds, ant
No 49," 40 pounds. The plugs would no
supply the three engines with sutiicien
s quantity of water owing, no doubt, to tn
3 smalness of the pipes laid along the Avenue
S The utility of forcing water into one larg
Q stream from three engines was however
" clearly demonstrated, as 2.inch stream wa
: thrown distance Of l75 feet
The various exhibitions were witnessed b.,
an immense concourse, and seemed to Civ
| satisfaction all the comments Delnn oil TN
I. most lattering character.
ii At the conclusion of the street exhibition
n the hall in which the convention holds IL
meetings was visited and thorough oXami
- nation made OF the new fire inventions store
there.
While tho appliances for life-savlng SCENE
to attract the most attention of the visitors +
W Masonic Temple, tho frenon individual
= were apparently moro interested in laborsa,
ing projects, prominent among which was
y model near the door, which attracted universe
,,e attention Device tho invention of A.
Watcrworth of Baltimore, for easing hos
over sharp roofs, so as to have the flow
- water continued without breakage of hose {
= labor of others who might be prOltabl
As engaged elsewhere The apparatus is sma
- and compact, SO arranged that it can clam
n any cave aud provided with rollers TO carr
o water.hlled hose, and also with heightened iro
.. cleats TO be driven into roof for safety's SAX
f" Another safeguard provided by spike wit
= anchor end and detachable strap. Owing
q the numerous calls on tho time of tho Chit
y Engineer yesterday of inventors, there WI
7 but little opportunity of showing many of I'll
I: inventions offered, but this, with some other
g has been left with Chief Engineer Cronir
y who will give ii fair test, both privately an
T. publicly, as soon as favorable opportunit
Ia offers.
i, THE BUSINESS SESSION
n, of the convention began vt $50 p. M, Chit
5oo Cronin in the chair. On the platform wei
ne seated Commissioner Don't, Fire Commissions
Hume aud Major Morgan. The rear Of III
= hall was occupied by numbers Of the leadr
: business men Of this city, who apparently too
80 considerable interest in the proceedings. I'll
g programme for to-day was announced as fo
~ lows 1890 r. M parade and drill of Il
Washington Fire Department at the east frol
r. Of the Capitol IL M, trial of tho Sameso cou
y ling and compound electric hose ON Ponnsy
:, yania avenue between Thirteenth and FOu
70, teonth streets northwest 2;30 p. M, closiI
At session Of the convention aud o p, m, graz
: banquet at the Riggs House.
Unfinished business being next In order, r
~ ports of committees on topics were taken u
Tonic 20, relating TO spontaneous combustio
was first read The report was very exhau
d tive, the subject being handled in a master
manner. instances in which 1t occurred We
freely quoted, but no remedy suggested, Il
subject being referred to another committ
authorized TO analyze and collate matters rel
=. tive thereto and report next year. Topic !
treating Of fire escapes, recommended th
they should DO apparatus by which speedy an
n. safe communication could be had with an
- part Of n building; also that permanent c
canes were preferable, and should DO under Il
A. Al. A. 4 ,.,,N L.,