The Opelousas courier., 1882-08-12

From the silsby Register.

the Register, we present herewith an
illustration Of the silsby Steam Fire
Engine of the 5th and 9th sizes, arrang-
ed to be drawn by men only, and 'hav-
ing capacity to discharge 400 and $50
gallons of water per minute respect
lively. These engines are mounted on
high wheels, four and five feet in d.
ameter, and are readily drawn by eight
to a dozen men. While being light
and easily handled, they are exceed
ingly powerful, forcing from one to
three streams simultaneously. The 5tl
size will force a Il inch stream and the
9th size a | inch stream to a horizontal
distance of more than $50 feet. These
engines are intended for towns and vii
lagos of from !, 900 to $500 inhabitants,
and for such places they furnish the
mast economical and efficient means OF
protection from fire.
Every village can afford and eught
to maintain % well-equipped Fire De-
partment ; and the purchase of n OF
these small steamers is the wisest and
most profitable investment that can be
made, providing "a permanent anu re-
liable and effective apparatus. ltglVes
u feeling of security to property hold
crs it is an evidence of prosperity and
public spirit; and it is an induce
ment to people to locate in the town.
Ne one would think for Il moment OF
investing money in q manufacturing
enterprise, fer instance, in a village too
parsimonious and improvident to equip
and maintaining a fire company.
INSURANCE,
it may be said, affords protection bnt
it is not sound reasoning, for the indl-
| vidual losses mpst be made up by the
community at large. Under this head
we wish to make q statement right here
that may be startling to some, but it is
nevertheless true. 1t is this: If a
village without fire protection purcha-
SEES a steam fire engine the rates for
insurance will be immediately reduc
ed. SO that every property ewner will
save his proportion of the tax fer the
engine, in lower rates for insurance,
in a very short time. Thus, the insur-
ance companies, theagh indirectly, pay
for the engine. and not the taxpayers.
We could present a volume ofeyidenee
to s~ubstantiate this claim, but to test
it in your own case, request your local
Insurance. agents to write the home of
fees of the companies they represent
and put the question to them diLectly,
or do it yourself, asking if the rates
for insurance will net be reduced pro
vided a Silsby Steam Fire Engine i
purchased.
THE EXPENSE
Of maintaining a steam fire engine il
small towRs ID a matter concerning
which there is q great deal of mlsaP
~prehension. A volunteer fire compan,
/ can readily be organized, composed 9
the most substantial and respectabl
men of the place. A competent ma
Ca skilled engineer is not necessary, o.
though it is best the ma shsnld be
s practical m~aclIinist, or have some know
! edge Of machinery a be secured t
! take charge of the apparatus, keep
! III order, aud operate it at fires for
' nominal consideration, and the salar
e of such a man. together with the COS
! of such incidentals as coal and oil,
4 the only expense of properly %sustainin
e a steam fire department, and need Iio
exceed $50 or $75 per year. Unde
!, the head What is Said About Steal
4 Fire Engine" the Neu Merico IN. 7.
o Independent of March 30. 1882, has til
following;
As the matter of buying a steal
> fire engine is agitating the minds of gu
q taxpayers 10 the village, and as it ha
d been stated by some persons that
team would be required to draw th
machine, and that a salary would hay
4 to be paid to a man to run the engine
y and also that q steam engine could NO
be drawn by hand, Chief Frank Gre
= gerry wrote a letter to the Chief Engin
i eer of the Fire Department of Weeds
i port, Cayuga Co., N. T., q yillag
= about the size of Mexico, in regard t
the above facts, and has the folloWin
reply:
10 My Dear Sir:-Yours received. I
Of 1879 eur village trustees were autiafii
ed to purchase a steam fire engin,
he They spent three months investigatiR
le the different makes, and finally pul
st chased of the Silsby Manufacturing G,
one Of their 5th class c~rane-leck q
re gines, for horse or hand. W. has
III never used a horse at a fire yet. Ie
of men can run it anywhere, and over
Is, rough road. We have had occasion
re test the worth of the engine sever
J times. For instance The departmel
ia was called out at midnight to fight
ID fire in a planning mill and lumber yart
the machine worked IL hours throWir
water through two lines of hose IL!
ID feet in length. The mill was destroye
!, bat the lumber saved not $25 damas
outside Of the mill. | might deta
~ others of the same nature. The co
N of running is comparatively nothing
I give you items for past year take
I. frnso Ysanorf inst nnhliahaA and whir