Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-02-19

partment, occupies the premises of Empire |
hook and ladder company, of tho old vol |
unteer system. The house Is q substan. |
tally built and conveniently arranged two
story brick structure on North Duke |
street above Chestnut.
The Hayes Track.
1t is of sufficient length to accommodate |
the fine Hayes truck and extensive ladders |
recently purchased from the manufac- |
turers in Elmira, MY. The truck, as has |
heretofore been explained in the IsrRLLI-
aENcER, Is Of the best pattern ever built. |
II is remarkably strong and It's extension |
ladders can DO elevated In any direction |
and at any angle to height Of 65 feet,
sufficient to reach the upper windows or
oven the roofs of tho highest buildings in |
the city. Frequent successful experiments |
have been mado with 1t at tho Stevens
house, the lSTBLLloENCEn building,
Lochor's banking house and othor lofty
structures, lines of hose being carried to
the top of the ladder, heavy streams of
water being played over tho roofs, and the
positions of the ladders, with the men on
top of them, easily changed whilo in active
service.
Besides tho elevating extension ladders
the truck carries full complement of
detached ladders, Of various length to be
used as occasions may require, together
with picks, axes, hooks, ropes, buckets,
etc. The weight of tho truck, ladder, |
aud mon when being run to fire is about
1900. The axles are twenty-five feet
apart, which makes very heavy pulling,
especially after the front wheels have gone
over and the hind wheels remain behind
the brow of hillock, but the company
horses Jack" and "kato" have never
failed to take the truck ut full speed
whprnVar N N pna.nI THAI
matched dark iron 'greys and the boys are
very fond OF them and take good care of
them.
General Equipment
A well lighted and well, ventilated stable
occupies the rear of the truck house, with
convenient watering and feeding arrange
ments. They are supplied with hanging
harness, and the hangers, which are very
conveniently arranged, were made by tho
men of the company without expense to
the city. Tho hinged collars in use and
the snap fasteners were also made by the
men, and to the usual snap has been
added an ingenious safety snap, which
makes 1t absolutely impossible for the
collar to open, even if the ordinary snap
should break or become loose.
The Centre OF the Fire Alarm system.
As is well known to most residents of
Lancaster, the truck house Is the point
from which all alarms Of fire are struck by
the electric apparatus. The power is sup
Piled by AZ cell battery in the second
story OF the police station house on Grant
street. Electric wires run from this bat.
terry to the alarm boxes in the city. These
boxes are all numbered, and whom any one
OF them is opened to give an alarm Of fire,
the bell IN the tower OF the truck house
strikes the number of tho box
How tho Alarm 10 Sounded.
This bell weighs 1900 pounds and is
sounded with an electric hammer, weigh
ing 80 pounds, having C four.feet stroke,
and striking blow OF 1000 pounds. The
power Of the stroke 10 furnished BY a
weight OF 1000 pounds Of iron suspended
on an iron chain from the top of the tower,
and connected with the electric apparatus
in the tower. Every time the electric
armature opens, this great weight falls
about half an inch bringing down the
hammer on the bell so that it can be heard
in all sections Of the city.
AS Is well known the smaller alarm
gongs in all the fire houses strike the same
number at the same time. The truck
company have no gong in their truck
room, as the big bell furnishes all the
alarm necessary but by very ingenious
with the electric apparatus in the tower,
by which as soon as an alarm Is struck the
gas is turned up, the stable doors are
opened to enable tho horses to take their
places at the truck, and the stop clock is
stopped TO indicate the exact time Of the
alarm. The horses arc harnessed in an
instant, the driver pulls rope attached to
an ordinary door latch, concealed weights
attached to ropes and pullies throw the
front doors wide open, the firemen take
their places on the truck, and away they
go, q gong attached to ono of tho wheels
giving fair notice to every body to clear the
track.
Additional Convenienoes.
In addition to the oonveniences men
toned above the company have hydrant
water both In the front and rear of the
hall, permanent washstands, water closets,
heaters, pictures on the wall and few
chairs. They have not yet received the
beds promised by councils, but are permit
ted to bunk in the large we'll furnished
second story hall OF the Empire company.
The tTuckmen are active, intelligent, faith
full and efficient firemen, and as we have
thus far failed to mention their names we
may as we'll give them here. They are:
Foreman-B. J. Brown.
Truck Diyer-D. Reese.
TilleIman-B. Biehl.
Ladderman-George w. Lutz, jacob
Giyler, George w. Rote.
Notes ana Comments.
Lancaster may well DO proud of Its
present fro department. Tho improve
ment on tho old volunteer department is
incalculable. There are now no loungers
about the engine houses, no quarrels, no
debauchery. The few men now connected
with each company keep their apparatus
and premises in better order than they
were ever kept before, and the men have
made more improvements within year TO
facilitate their getting to fire and putting
it out when they get there than were
made in fifty years preceding. There are
now no street fights and no water fights
among the iremen. Many defects inner.
ent in the volunteer system passed away
with the adoption OF q better system.
Much Of the improvement Is due to the
improved system, but much also due to
tho efficient supervision given 1t by Chief
Harry Howell, who has been indefatigable
day and night 10 perfecting tho depart.
ment, of which he is the first chief aud In
which he takes much pride. His efforts
have been ably seconded by the men under
his command, and the fire committees OF
council have not been backward In giving
aid and announcement.
a xNaak Paint Noticsd