Smyrna times., 1884-10-29
Improved Fire Apparatns.

1t gives us pleasure to state that the
Town Commissioners are about to take
action looking to a better preservation
OF our town against fire. In fact it
may be said to their credit that as a
board they have been favorable for
sometime to putting our town in a better
condition to battle with devourino
Iames whenever they should break
forth, and were seemingly waiting for
the endorsement if not urgency of the
people. The fire on the 18th inst
which showed the great risk we were
running for want of the needed an
plances, was followed last week bv a
visit from Thos. II. Peto, a manufac-
turer Of Philadelphia, who has an i'm
proved engine that is easily managed
that will throw water it is claimed
from 100 to lj0 feet high and can be
adjusted to throw three streams at
once. lie promises to bring down one
OF hls machines and test it at the mill
pond and at the pickle factory. probab-
ly on Friday afternoon next. and. if
satisfactory, will be purchased for the
use Of the town. Our old en-
gines, which in addition to being ex-
ceedingly heavy are unwieldlv
have to be placed almost in
JuXtapositiOn to the fire to be made
effective. The new engine on the
contrary is stationed at the best source
OF water supply from which it is carried
through hose and may be thrown on
a burning building 500 feet distant.
But an improved engine calls for
improved water facilities. which after
all has been the vexed question finan-
cially- how to supply this desired
want without heavy addition to our
municipal taxes. Several methods
have been discussed, chief of which
were by system of water-works. and
by reservoirs located in different parts
OF the town. The first. while more
efficient is thought too expensive for
community the size of ours. The
method OF reservoirs we think our com
mlssioners have settled down upon.
aud will probably proceed with their
construction at an early dav. unless il
shall be antagOniZed by our people.
The plan they have entertained is the
most simple and inexpensive that can
possibly be adopted namely, the sinking
Of reservoirs in the ground-eipht have
been named-at proper places in the
town which will be kept full bv turn
ing the water into them from a proDer
surface of house roofs. That of the
Town Hall would be ample for one.
and each of the hotels for others
There would be no laying of pines.
the only expense to the town being
the brick and mortar work in their
construction. 1t is designed to have
these reservoirs or cisterns hold from
10000 to $4,000 gallons of water. AS be-
fore stated, the engine can be placed
along side one of these and the water
used 500 feet away if necessary. We
should have stated that there is ac-
companying the engine a truck for
carrying the hooks, ladders and buck
ets-that may in certain contingencies
be very necessary. With such appli-
ances we would be well protected
against fire, unless a sweeping confla-
grafton before a high wind. when the
more expensive steam engines and
water-works would be of little more
avail.
During the prevalence of the fire on
the 18th inst, some one, not the com
mlssloners, telegraphed for help from
Wilmington and two steam engines
were ready to take the cars when the
order was scOuntermanded. Competent
authority says that as we are at pres
ent situated, they could have rendered !
little or no assistance. Their hose |
dropped in any well would have ex-
hausted it in half minute, with a
possible collapse of the we'll from the
force of the suction, and the effort to
force water such a distance as from the |
mill pond to the scene of the fire-a
half a mile-wOuld perhaps have burst !
the hose to the cost of 81 900 to the
town, without being able to render a
corresponding benefit. However this |
may be, the proof is plain that we
must provide for our own protection
from our own resources, and the SOON
er we do it the better.