Daily globe., 1882-03-02
Ia FRANCE REDIVIVUs.


A Report That tho New Engine Cannot
Master Steam-What Happened at We'd
nesday's Fire-The Subject to bo Investj-
gated.
The storm that has been brewing over the
La France engine matter, which bids fair to
occupy prominent niche in the gallery de.
voted to historical wrangles in St. Paul, seems
about to burst. The sky is black and threat
ening and already in the minds eye, may be
seen and heard the distant thunder and light.
ening.
Just where the blind will strike is another
matter.
The immediate question concerning the
new fire engine relates to what is termed in
certain quarters it's utter disqualification to
fill the bill for (which it was intended. In
other words the members of the department,
who are supposed to be the best judges of this
sort of thing, assert that La France cannot do
fire duty.
This conclusion is the result of test made
at the trunk factory fire last Tuesday, when il
Is stated that the steamer could not muster
over thirty pounds of steam, pressure en-
tirely inadequate to the emergencies of grea,
fire.
At the fire alluded to the La France worked
alongside of steamer No. 8, and while the
same water and relative amount of fuel was
burned in each engine. it is stated that while
No. 8 worked until head of steam varying
from sixty five to ninety pounds, the regula-
ton quantity during fire, the La France
could only show pressure of thirty pounds.
Mr.. Frank Breuer, chairman of the board of
fire commissioners has called upon the engi-
neer of the La France, to submit report
showing the action of the steamer at the fire
A GLOBE reporter interviewed Mr.. Breuer
concerning the matter and he.stated what has
been given in substance above.
Mr.. Breuer, who was at the fire, inspected
the workings of the La France, and his con-
clusions are as related. As in all things, how
ever, there are two sides Of the question, and
in order to gain all the information possible,
views on the reverse side were sought.
1t is claimed by some of the firemen that
the steamer would have worked all right under
better test; that the coal used was not suit
able, and that 1t would not be fair to compare
the La France with No. 8, for the reason that
the crown plate of the latter is only 10 inches
from the point of contact with the fire, max.
ing 1t very easy to heat the boiler, while in the
La France the fire could hardly reach it. The
subject is likely to be 1eopened, when lively
breeze may be expected.
REPORT OF ENGINEER TUBBEsINa.
The following is the report above referred to;
SAINT PAUL, March l, 1852.
To,the Hon. President of the Board of Fire
Commissioners:
By your request herewith make report
of the La France engine at yesterdays fire.
When we got to the cistern we had sixty
pounds of steam and engine blowing off. At
ter starting the engine she ran for 5 or 6 min
utes and one section of hose burst. The en-
gine had then sixty pounds of steam. After
the bursted section was replaced, started
the engine again; she ran about minutes and
another section burst. The engine was shut
down; she had fifty pounds Of steam. It was
then some twenty minutes before the bursted
section was replaced. 1 then started the eu-
gine at sixty pounds; she ran ten or fifteen
minutes with forty to fifty pounds of steam.
After that she ran down to thirty pounds and
it was hard to get her to steam higher. She
ran at that until the cistern was empty. The
coal used at that fire was very poor and not
good engine coal.
Very respectfully yours,
HENRY TUBBEsING,
Engineer No. 1.