New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
SAFETY FROM FIRE AND WATER.

AN AUTOMATIC DEVICE TO FLOOD BURNING
sTRUCrURg-LIFE RATS INSTEAD or BOATS
TO the gdttor OF The Tribune
SIR: The burning of two steamers and the
OF large number OF valuable lives impel me to call
attention TO simple for preventing fires, which
would render similar catastrophes impossible. were u
adopted In the large and woolen mills pipes
are attached the ceilings OF every story, having caps
covering outlets Of water attached to them every ten
feet Of the length of the pipes The pipes themselves
are placed ten apart The caps held in paceby
solder which fuses at 1900.
tank OF water placed in the top story OF the mill,
which supplies the pipes all times with
water. When a fire the beat rises ana
unsodcrs q cap, which Is forced OF by the pressure
of water and the latter Is forced out in shower cover
ing 100 square feet of surface The water hes upward
against the ceiling and then rains down upon the moor
Should fire extend beyond the of single cap,
another is unsoldered and The apparatus is auto
matte In its operation and does not depend npon human
vigilance for action. The apparatus is placed In the
warehouse OF H. g. Cl6fn Co.. IN New.York. and Is
being largely introduced into mills by the recommenda-
ton the Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company,
Of Boston, which Mr.. Edward Atkinson Is president
Its been proved by numerous tests where
mills have taken fire, aud it has passed en-
tirely beyond the theoretical experimental
stage 1t is eminently adapted for steamer use.
as 1t is not very costly. and will play water
through fire or smoke. where human being could
stand 10 operate ordinary hose and pipes Moreover, 1t
will operate with equal surety where the fire occurs near
the steam pumps, the Management and Seawan-
haka when the whole ordinary fire apparatus became
instantly inaccessible and useless.
For IL steamer n tank contlninga few hogsheads OF
should be placed upon the hurricane deck TO sup
ply the pipes with water
The steam pumps could supply the tank with water, II
the fire should become extensive enough to exhaust 1t
"a thing hardly possibel but the fire occurred at the
engine OF boer-room, where the steam pumps we're To-
Gated. III the two Inflated steamers Just buro
the deck hand-pumps could supply the tank
TIE apparatus very simple as 10 require no further
explanation. has been proved and so often as 10
admit OF question as 70 Its efficacy for putting out
Nothing is so difficult to contend with on ship
board fire, as IL must be attacked from the inside OF
the vessel and experience proves that smoke drives The
away from all points where 1t may be- successfully
fought.
play through fire and smoke and nor be IN tue least de-
pendent upon human eeoness or skl As AN Sngneer
tins system, especially when have seen cOmbust-
Die teights IN close proxlnity TO arauSnS Pssagee
The slightest pecuniary interest IN The apparatus de-
scribed. except that OF passenger who desires well TO
his fellows well himself, who may be on board OF
our tiuder-like steamers
and sinking OF steamers which have frequently Oc
CURED Of late, should like to say word about the
them. In almost ali accidents the boats Of ordinary
torn have proved next to useless. III launched they
seem to roll and drown those who were IN them
No reliance it seems need be placed upon the HANDS OF
steamboats, picked up along snore and in the
minority OF ocean steamers the history of accidents
proves inucn the thing. Anything Ike seamansmp
hardly 10 be expected from the class depended
upon for steamer hands. Moreover. no steamer can
carry boats enough for several hundred passengers But
the life RATS have always proved most valuable means
OF saving lie. They may be tumbled overheard in the
most careless manner but they right side up and
if crowded with people and chung to by all who can get
near them they will not sink
Why then should there be only two or three OF them
upon carrying from 200 TO 1000 people Why
should not the hurricane deck be covered with
such RATS, which would be ample TO float the entire
ships company
the hurricane deck hOated off from the Nets OFF
Watch Hill. and saved forty people. If my memory is
correct Her boats were useless rs boats generally are
In all such AS the vessel sank the air forced the
deck from its fastenlngs, with its human
freight upon H. Were the hurricane deck OF
river sound steamer covered with rats
as proposed scarcely life need be lost by the sinking
of the vessel If the passengers would get upon them
and stick by the ship until the last moment.
These suggestions, though hurrledly written, are the
results reflection during constant travelling
ana from reading the accounts OF appalling disasters,
which are painfully alike details and results; and
they Will 80 continue the end unless departure
taken for putting fire and Tor taking OF
seugers when they forced overheard from sinking
vessel. j. A. COLEMAN.
IrOcidence, II. l., June 80, 1880.