Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-11
TIE FIRE ENGINE MIDDLE,
Mechanic Discusses the Award Of the
Committee.

THE FIRE ENGINE MIDDLE,
Mechanic Discusses the Award Of the
Committee.
To the Editor of the Globe.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Dec. 8, 1Ss1.--The
supplementary report of the sub-com-
mittee, and their reasons for its suppress
sion, are more to the credit of the hearts
than the heads of the gentlemen who
composed it, and places the whole report
in more incongruous position than be-
fore, if that be possible. If space be ac-
corded, the writer would like to revisit
the scene of the test with the sub-oom-
mittee, and also note a few of those MINOR
incidents and details that are of no i'm
portance to the casual observer, but
mean so much to body of experts like
the committee. The first item of interest
to the writer, and he has also heard COM
ments on the same point by many other
disinterested lockers on, was the compar-
alive ease with which the Silsby engine
was working. Standing steadily, and
showing steam nearly all the time at the
smoke stack, it conveyed an impression of
reserve strength that means much to
a casual observer, If not to a committee.
The La France machine on the contrary,
was trembling in every part, the indica-
tor of the steam gauge sweeping back
ward and forward upon the dial, vol
umes of black smoke and partially burn
ed ceal pouring from the smoke stack,
and its whole appearance indicating that
it was being forced. Indeed, the COM
mittee acknowledge this, and attempt to
account for part of the coal used by it in
this way.
|. Just here it is pertinent to inquire
what would have become of the La
France stream had the engine not been
forced. All firemen admit that differ
ence of four to five feet in the throw of
an engine is matter of vast importance
if one reaches the fire and the other does
not With about this average difference
in the streams at the trial, what would be
the result in actual use, with the La
France working at its normal capacity !?
After making few more casual notes,
among them the fact that the engineer of
the La France stood over the machine,
oil can in hand, and used it freely, too,
(by the way, it is somewhat curious that
after expressly stipulating that coal and
oil should be measured, all record Of the
oil used was lost, and the quantity Of
coal used by the La France was estimat-
ed), the writer left the committee to
study the relative merits of the engin-
GERS, and went to investigate the outcome
of the excitement. The first noticeable
point was the superior velocity and
smoothess OF the Silsby stream at the
nozzle Next was the fact that the Sils-
by had the privilege of sheltering its
| opponent from the wind, and lastly that
the two streams averaged nearly the same
III distance, although the Silsby nozzle
and engine were six or eight feet in the
rear of the La France. What does
all this mean? Surely, if anything, that
the Silsby IS more efficient of the two.
What does it mean that the Silsby with
less steam pressure produced higher
water pressure than the La France!
Simply that the Silsby engine is better
designed than the other, just as surely as
a modern Harris Corliss is better in de-
sign than the first steam engine made by
James Watts.
| Now let us consider the relative merits
of construction of the two steamers, &C
cording to the report of the examining
committee, beginning with the boilers.
In the report to the council, no mention
was made of the boilers, as it now appears
through consideration of the feelings of
Mr.. Silsby, but in the suppressed portion
which has been produced in self defense,
and we find the following statement in
effect if not words. The Sllsby boiler
was bad because of large heating surface
and bad circulation, these two peculir-
tiles producing foaming lin the minds OF
| the cOmmittee).
Let as see. The Silsby boiler, accord
ing to the committees statements, gener-
ated steam enough for larger engine
than the La France, and consumed about
IS per cent. less coal than the La France.
Is this characteristic Of bad boiler. Is
this what was suppressed through defense
for Mr.. Silsby? 1t would seem that the
gentlemen were saving themselves in
stead. On the contrary the La France
boiler is good because it maks dry steam ;
because the heaters in the engine houses
will keep the water in the boiler hot in
every part, because it can be blown of
and will not freeze up when dry; and
using for them the same argument they
apply to the Silsby, because it takes 81
or less quantity of steam. Are the COM
mittee aware that the Silsby engines at
present in use in the city are kept warm
by heaters! Are they aware that the
Silsby or any other boiler can be blown
off
The committee also state that the La
France boiler has valuable improve
ment to protect the crown sheet from the
fire if the water gets below it. Of this,
the writer knows not, but it is safe to say
that any engineer would rather keep the
water over it, and that the La France en-
gineer did not test the value of the I'M
provement at the time of the trial. In
regard tie the engines and pumps, their
six or three toes, leaky or tight boxes,
spring cylinder packing or loosened cyl
inder head, it all sums up thus: Less
steam pressure, more water pressure IN
favor Of the Silsby. Tha, the committee
say it is not tie best machine is mar
vel. A MECHANIC.
Unity Fair.
There was large attendance at Unity
| fair, which was held at Market hall last