Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-19

! sentatives of the board W shed it distinctly un
dersteod that p sitive demand was made
Mr.. McCord here read the respective requs t.
or rather recommendations proposed by tn
board, as follows:
NEEDS OF THE CITY.
First, mains of increased capacity throushou
the commercial centers, and connected with tn
manufacturing and lumber districts. None O
these mains should be less than twelve iuehe
and throughout the commercial centers SHOULD
be sl1teenh inches.
standardization steamers and hose reels
properly manned and equipped.
Third-The perfection of the fire alarm sys
tenn and the addition of a large number O
boxes.
Fourth-Careful inspection and flushing O.
hydrants at least once each week.
Fifth-That the chief of the fire department
have absolute control over the water works dur
ing fire and at all times that it be his duty
and privilege to inspect any portion VI the
water works system.
Sixth-Thata practical building ordinance be
enacted and enforced.
Seventh-That the FIRE limits be extended to
meet the present needs OF the city.
! Eighth-That an ordinance prohibiting the
storage of large carbon oils and explosive sub
stances within the city limits be enacted.
Ninth-The appointment OF an inspector
| whose duties shall be to enforce the ordinances
with reference to the construction of buildings.
their occupancy, and the obstruction of streets
and alleys.
Tenth. When small mains intervene between
! pump house and mains of larger capacity that
| The small mains be removed at the earliest posi-
BILE moment and larger ones substituted.
| Mr.. McCord then read comparative statement
of the facilities of the various leading cities of
the country.
! AID. Andrews spoke first upon the position of
the insurance companies.
MR.. STONES VIEWS.
Mr.. Stone spoke respecting the latter paper.
He showed that the area of Minneapolis is much
greater than the cities cited by Mr.. McCord, In
relation to the population, consequently those
cities fail to furnish parallel cases to Mimi
eapolis. Minneapolis has much less pipe or
water mains than those cited by Mr. McCOrd.
Dir. Stone as an Insurance agent wished to con-
salt, of course, the interests of the companies
which he represents, ct he considered himself
a loyal citizen of Minneapolis, aud would do all
he consistently could to secure reduced rates.
At present Minneapolis people are paying out
large sum of money in premiu@s which might
be saved to them by a p oper extension of our
present water works system. The companies do
not feel they are being compensated even by the
high rate, for the extra hazardous risks they are
compelled to take, owing 10 the limited miles of
DIRECT PRESSURE sYsTLM.
Aid. Glenn wanted the gentleman to consider,
in compari G our system with that of Cincin-
matt, that ours is a direct pressure, while in
that city water has to be forced upon fires by
steam and chemicals.
Mr.. McCord again took the floor to review the re-
cent fires in the city, when he claimed the facli-
ties were far from being adequate. These cases
demonstrated the fact that the direct pressure
system cannot be considered reliable. In Indian
apolis is one of the best direct pressure systems
in the country, and they fould that it WAS far
from reliable, and fire apparatus was again re-
sorted to.
Aid. Glenn believed that outside the mill e1-
plosions in Minneapolis, the insurance compa-
MES han not suffered as great losses in compar-
son to piemiums received as in other cities
brought before the meeting by Mr.. HcCord.
Aid. Andrews called attention to the fact that
other cities had suffered great losses from con-
fsgrations, notably the city of Milwaukee. He
furthermore wished Mr.. McCord to state If the
direct pressure system of Minneapolis is to be
ignored Entirely.
Mr.. McCord replied that he was simply repre-
senting the board of underwriters, and could not
give his personal opinion. There is great
difference of opinion respecting what may be
most generally considered the most reliable sys-
tenn. It is only in cities of 10000 or under that
the insurance com aanes will recognize the direct
system at all reliable.
INADEQUATE MAINS.
Mr.. Stone stated that the aggregation of the
most valuable portion of the city is included
mainly within radius of one half mile. The
larger wholesale houses. whose stocks aggregate
hundreds of thousands of dollars, are north of
Hennepin avenue, and are only protected b.
six and eight-inch mains, and
afnC fITr Il ,f-lr-
tected. The city of Providence has a popula-
ton of $4,000 inhabitants, while Minneapolis
has 10000 That city has 1,l56 fire hydrants
and IT'S fire alarm boxes; Minneapolis has l79
hydrants and only 81 boxes.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS ALL RIGHT.
Col. Glenn was of the opinion that the de-
mands of the insurance companies were moder
ate, and prompted by good sense. Everything
asked by the companies had already been pro-
vided the city, with the exception
of the matter of a building inspector, and the
oinance pcosiiiGg ms ector is now before the
city council, and vii, without doubt, soon be
passed.
John DeLsittre spoke IN favor of larger mains.
Had he been member OF the city council he
would have opposed the expenditure OF a dollar
for street paving until after the size of the mains
upon the principal streets had been increased to
sixteen or eighteen 1ncheS respectively according
to the size and value of the buildings along the
street.
TIE GATES.
Alderman Glenn spoke forcibly upon the rec
ommendation of the board of underwriters that
the chief of the fire department take sole charge
of the gates of the wateworks system during the
prevalence of fires. Alderman Glenn thought
1T was good recommendation. He further
more believed that it was owing to improper
handling of those gates that the water pressure
at lHrge numper of fires had been entirely
| Inadequate If the gates leading to the
districts other than that IN which the fires pre-
| vail, are not controlled and shut off the full
pressure of the pumps cannot be used.
LOCATING THE TROUBLE.
Chief Engineer Stetson explained that he al
ready had been placed in charge of the gates.
On the night of the Syndicate fire the gates lead
| ing to the districts where the water was rot
needed, were closed. The lack of pressure was
owing to breaking down of one of the pumps.
MIR. DeLaittre took the engineer to task for the
assertion. he asked the engineer that if the
| trouble laid in the pump house why was the
| hydrant at the corner of Nicollet avenue and
Fifth street replaced by another hydrant on
the day following the fire?
Engineer Because the old hydrant was not
in good condition.
De. Laittre-''That is it; locate the trouble
where it really belongs
| Aid. Ylenn-"We do not want to nav one man
for closing those gates and then allow some one