Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-30
HOSE CARTS VS.. ENGINES.
Mayor Brown Says the Fire Commission
ers Are an Unconstitutional Body-A
Reform Promised.

| CONTINENT of the new hoSe-houSe at Nine
teentb and L streets. The Trustees were all
present as were the Fire Commissioners,
with tbe exception of Commissioner Jones.
II will be remembered by the readers OF
the REcoRD-UN MON that some months ago
the Holly Water Works were tested all over
the CITY, in order to ascertain what force
could be obtained, by attaching hose to the
| fire plugs. under the ordinary fire pressure
of 60 pounds. At given signal the fire
pressure was put on, and in less than two
minutes a gauge ut Twentieth street regis
tered 60 pounds, and two strong streams,
| throwing water $50 feet, were obtained
The experiment was tried ut different
points throughout the city, and several
streams were drawn at the same time, with
the most satisfactory results. The eastern
portion of the city, which is well sup
piled with water mains, had no en-
CINE, the nearest being the one stationed
on Tenth street, between | and j. and the
citizens representing that large territory
from i to X and Tenth to Thirty-first
streets demanded that they at least should
be furnished with a hose cart, to be located
somewhere in the neighborhood of Twen
tieth street The Trustees in compliance
| with their request and public sentiment,
| contracted for and had built Il house at
| Nineteenth and L streets, with the under
! standing that the Fire Commissioners
| should place therein a hOSe-cart, fully
| equipped, and two of their men. 1t is a
well-lnOwn fact that the Fire Department
| have always opposed the introduction of
| the hose carts to the
DISPLACEMENT OF THE MACHINES,
And the test which satisfied the public,
especially the taxpayers has always been
made light of by the boys of the depart.
ment.' The house has been completed for
some time, but the Commissioners, whether
| from negligence or because they were OPP
posed to the plan, is not known, have re-
! fused to place the cart and men in the new
! hose house. After waiting sufficient
| length of time, the Trustees ordered the
| Commissioners before them to explain why
! they had not fulfilled their part Of the bar
gain.
The Commissioners said the house was
not completed Il sidewalk had not been
put down and a tire-gong-a very neceS-
| sarv article-had not been put in. They
also stated that they had an old implanted
! cart, and one horse, which they could spare,
! but no hose. They only had 200 feet of
hose at No IS House and 900 feet at No.
| | =. e..
! they had any legal right to go to any cN-
pcnse in fitting up the hose-house.
BoMBsHELL.
Mayor Brown said if they had any right
to transact any business, or handle any
money at all, they had Il right to do this,
which was in Il direct line of providing for
the security of property. However, he re-
marked, he would like under the present
ers that, so far as any of their acts were
concerned, they were illegal, were in direct
cOntravention Of the Constitution, and were
permitted simply because 50 far no one had
! objected The new Constitution abolished
| the Board of Fire Commissioners, and for
| the benefit of those present he would read
! Section Is of Article H., relating thereto.
1t i'm his opinion rendered, 50 far As legality
was concerned, all their actions null and
void
The Legislature shall not delegate TO any
| special Commission, private corporation, COM
pauy, association. or individual, any power to
! make. control, appropriate, supervise, or IN any
| way interfere with any county, city, town. or
| municipal improvement, money, property, or
effects. whether held in trust or otherwise, or to
| levy taxes, or assessments, or perform any mu-
| nicipal functions whatever
The Commissioners admitted that they
| had been leasing city property and collect
ING therefor monthly rental.
The Mayor said whatever he had done.
and all that he now proposed to do, was in
the direct interest of the city. He was Of
the opinion. and should hold 10 it until
| convinced otherwise, that Sacramento city,
| with its excellent water works system, had
40 USE WHATEVER FOR FIRE ENGINES.
! All the engines they needed were those
that did the pumping in the water works.
| As many streams as they desired could be
taken from the mains, and thrown from
40 to $50 feet-which was as far as the en-
| zines could throw them. Hose carts, prop
erlv stationed. could be brought into service
several minutes sooner than the engines as
now located and could be maintained at
onc-half the expense He wanted the city
to have all the protection from fire posi-
bic. and would not have the change made
until after repeated tests, but was convinced
that the result of all tests would be favora-
bic To his plan He said, " If you have d
15O-foot stream, and power behind it
that cannot be diminished, what more do
YOU WANT
? commissioner Gritlitts said of course, if
the Mayors theory would work As he an
ticipated there would be no use for en-
gincs. and hosccarts, which are much less
expensive, could perform the required
service. He, however. called the attention
of Mr.. Brown to the fact that during the
summer months, and in fact At all times
during the year, large amounts OF water
were being constantly drawn from by
drant,: that at times the required pressure
would not be obtainable. and if the city
depended in that case on hoSecarts, serious
results might be the consequence lie also
stated that during the past seven months
the recorded pressure from the water work,
= F-.., j IL.
f and at no time reached go pounds. If You
can give us 90 pounds pressure whenever
and wherever we want II, then that Is all
we desire.
, Brown said Chief Engineer Foster says
he can keep the pressure up to 60 pounds
f and furnish at the same time eight streams
nf water. He said You know when we
! had the test some months ago that we had
| the same pressure at Twentieth street as
/ was recorded ut the water works and
@ threw three streams from 40 to $50 feet
10 The addition of streams did not in the
5 least diminish the force of the others. Sc
e far aS the drawing and using of water dur
G ing fires was concerned the ordinance
q should be enforced, and
d THE sEvEEESr PUNISHMENT IMPOSED.
That he did not consider, however, wa:
e any argument against the Holly system
II for the IRE engines themselves would Dt
= equally affected by such unlawful action
for they could not get more water than VA
= furnished by the water works.
e Gritlitts said the Fire Commissioner
J.. were not opposed 10 furnishing the hose
house: was simply 4 matter OF finance.
u Brown-Tou have now 10 your credit il
T. the city treasury $4,000 and have pait
y, already one month in your fiscal year
h How much do YOU want To fit that hous
h up? In the first place, we only agreed t
o expend 81 100 for your house, but after
ie wards. at the suggestion of your Chic
K Engineer. were induced TO eXpend $50
h more. The house has been erected W
d, have done more than we agreed to, and yo1
, should now fulfill your part OF the con
Is tract. What more do you want?
le Grifiitts referred the question 10 the cleo
e. trician. Mr.. Fisk, who said they must hav
E Brown-What will it cost?
j. Fisk-Well, the gong circuit Will have
:. be tapped at Tenth street, and loop mad
n TO Nineteenth That will cost Sloo' and
ut gong will cost $3.50.
at Brown-Well, We have done as
d. agreed, and now you folks ought to stan
n. up to your part of the bargain and put tn
hose and Cart, etc, in the new house ;
be any rate 20 ahead and do it, and II at II
St, end of the year YOU are in need OF II
(, money so advanced we will restore 1t,
in ,ln o,,tor,t nf Sl;o1 from the general fun