Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-19
saCRAmgNro's PROJECTIONS FROM FIRE.


The question Is under debate that econ
omy may be conserved in the matter of
maintaining a fire department for Sacra-
mento by substituting for portion Of the
present force-or at least for the proposed
third company for the eastern end of the
city-hose reels, to be located at various
points, with perhaps an increase Of the
number Of hydrants, and by trusting to
the pressure from the Water Works ma
chinery. This may perhaps be done, pro-
vided all the conditions favor it. In the
frat place there should be test. But no
test will be considered fair, nor should be
accepted, except it IS maximum test.
That is to say, it should be such test as
the machinery and the mains and their
branches may possibly be called upon to
endure in the case Of two or three fire sig
nails coming in from different and distant
points at about the same time.
For instance, suppose fire to break out
in the lumber yards on Front street, on
the west border of the city, and while the
department is at work there another sig
nal to be telegraphed from the Railroad
Hospital, on the north side, and about the
same time another from the State Printing
Office. in the center of the city. Now If
the Water Works pumps and the street
pipes are able to furnish sufficient pressure
for the three points at the same time and
to enable hosemen to reach all points of the
supposed fires, the test may be taken as ad-
equate proof of sufioiency under all condi-
tions.
Il must be borne in mind that this IS
not the first time this matter has been up
for discussion. In 1873 the test made with
the four Holly pumps was not deemed so
satisfactory as to warrant the abandonment
OF fire engines; on the contrary, the city
subsequently purchased third engine as
reserve to meet precisely the emergency of
two fires happening at the same time.
Again, in addition to this precaution, the
city subsequently, at heavy expense, had
constructed very powerful pump, named
after it's inventor and builder, Master Me-
Ghanic a. J. Stevens, and located it in the
pit beside the Holly pumps. This was
intended to supply the fire pressure. But
so powerful is this pump that its full Ca
pacity can be brought into service only at
the rick of bursting the old mains laid be-
fore the present system was adopted, and OF
breaking very many Of the house service
pipes.
A chief consideration, therefore, to be
kept in mind, is the strength OF all pipes
under Ere pressure sufficient to supply
say, nine or ten streams at the same time
in different parts of the city Now, if the
proposed test fairly puts to test all these
things, i. will warrant the substitution of
hose reels, with perhaps two or three men
TO each for the east end of the city and the
retiring from service of all the engines ex-
cept one, for at least one full company, it
will be conceded, must be maintained 1t
will be no economy to reduce taxation by
narrowing expenditures for fire companies,
if householders are taxed heavier rate for
insurance because of increase of risk.
The people of Sacramento have no conf
dence in the old Holly pumps in use here
for extraordinary or fire service they may
be brought to reposa confidence in the
adequacy of the Stevens pump and the
Holly together for all purposes, provided
the pipe service is proved to be equal to the
pressure and the demand. 1t is true that
the steamers can draw no more water than
the water works pumps supply, and they
can supply the three engines and probably
as many more, but the stream from a
steamer is much more serviceable for sew
eral reasons than from hydrant In the