Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-02-28
The Firemen.
THE ANNUAL WAIT rTHE FIRE
CON MMlTTEE To THE
ENGINE HOUSES.
|BLAKE'S HANDSOME CANE.

Il
by the Fire Committee Of City Council
for the annual visit of Inspection 70
the houses Of the Fire Department OF
lthis city, and shortly before s O'Clock
jChairman William II. Blake and
Messrs. X. II. Taylor, John NJ Newell,
1T. b. Brison and q. H. Bayuard,
members Of the committee, with Super.
intendent of Fire Alarms j. v. Ayden,
Chief Engineer Reeder, Assistant En-.
Iginsers Wigglesworth and McCullin,
with representatives of the press, a.
sembled in tho room Of the clerk OF
Council and proceeded to the battery
room Of the Fire Alarm Telegraph in
the basement OF the City Hall, and
fully examined the room and all con.
nected with 1t. Everything Was found
In an excellent condition, and Battery.
man McVey is deserving OF praise for
the manner In which the room In
kept.
Ths battery now consists Of 1888 cells,
the increase Of fire alarm boxes during
the past year having made it necessary
20 add more cells, To make the cure mt
sufficiently strong. There are now "a
fire alarm boxes in this city, scattered
in different locations, and 80 arranged
that but few squ ares intervene be-
Tween them.
The system was fully explained by
chairman Blake, Superintendent Ay.
den and Batteryman McVey, and Ia a
lcurious and interesting study. BY the
use OF small instruments, resembling
mariners compasses, the batterynan IL
Ienabled at any time TO tell the strength
of tho electricity with which the wires
are charged, that must always be such
~ TO strike an alarm from any part OF
the city. Two similar instrune ents ac-
curately show II the wires are obsttuct.
ed. and the point where the obstruc ton
Iexists. After everything had been
carefully examined, the party left this
room, md took carriages, that we're In
waiting, for thedifferent engine houses.
The Friendship engine house was the
first wished ard every,h hing found In
in complete working order. One OF the
horses owned by this company is IL
iyears old, and has been In continuous
service tor 10 years, but notwithstand-
ing this tact. he Is as rpirited and frisky
rs a colt. Three trials of hitching up
were given, the driver doing the work
himself. The hrst trial ,howed that
the time consumed from the moment
the gong was struck until the driver
was in his stat ready to start out was
q seconds, the second trial was com
lplet.d in 26 seconds, snd the last in
I25 seconds.
This engine house. the same as Ave
others, IL supplied with the patent Hire
trip, which, " hen an alarm is sounded
at night. turns up the gas, ard open,
the stable doors, when the horses rush
out and TAX. their places alongside o.
the tongue Of the engine, and impatient
ly wait TO have the harness fastened q
that they can start.
These trips were presented to tn,
companies BY Mr.. Blake, TO whom they
were given by tho man nutacturers OF tn,
Are alarm telegraph There was on,
obtained for each company, but onl,
six accepted them.
The Secretary of the Friendship re
lported ss ihe properly Of the compan,
one second-class steam fire engine II
good condition one bose carriage III
good order hose ON hand, 800 fee
American iacket in good order and 7O
feet good Boston hofe, and 200 feet o
new gum hose. Number of activ
iEembers thirty five.
The party then drove to the Ph9nil
eneine house, and found that the appa
catus was away being repaired. A tris
OF bitching up was made with n furni
tnro cat, which The company are no,
luHliik w Try ilbst 40 a UFt. Az UTst
trial at made with four men, whic
resulted in the horses being ready I
s'art III @ seconds. The next time tn
driver done the work unaided, an
completed II IN 81 seconds, and tn
third trial with two men was compile
Il in 12l5 seconds. This compan
have an ingenious gas arrangement
Immediately under the engine, whic
lights the fire under tho boiler as th
apparatus Ia run out.
The meeting room and parlor on th
second floor were visited, and In th
first named chair was seen that wa
occupied by the then President of th
company fin 1925. The parlor adjoiniu
lthis room in handsomely furnished wi,
Brussels carpet, lace curtains, plus
upholstered furniture, piano, and
pleasiDg variety of interesting artic lie
The Delaware truck company wi
the next visited, and everything four
in perfect order. The harness Is su
pended in front of the truck, and
soon as the horses take 'heir places 1t
dropped in proper po'iton on the
backs. Three trials u hiiching
We're given, the work being done by u
driver and tillern ar the test "
completed In 90 seconds, the ~ccnud
~ seconds, and the third H. u r
jrses have distance OF ~ fee TO II
over fItm the stable o,oi 10 tn. tong
of the truck, which is greater than ~
other compau, IN the city.
In the event Of a fire at night, t
first stroke OF tie alarm no matter frc
what part Of the city 1t is struC
throws open the stable doors and tur
the gas up bright. The driver a
tillerman have hunks alongside of 4
apparatus, which, when not In use, CT
be closed up, and the moment an alar
~ struck, they are on their feet, t
horses in their places, and in less tn
nalf minute the apparatus is on
way to the fire.
The Secretary of the company
ported 66 active aud 40 honorary me
Ders one first class Hayes hook a
ladder truck, with au g. feet OK tensi
lhder, several fire g tinguishers, ak
hooks and other appurtehanCes, In
dition 10 II CANVASS fire escape, that I
De hoisted TO the highest windows
this city, and which is capable of bt
ing four persons and landing I'll
safely on the ground. Tho Delawar
the only volunteer company in
United States that IL provided "
This arrangemcn,.
Alter iDspectiLg everything on
'ower toor, Ia. hardsomo!y furris
parior on the second floor Was yisi
and also the meeting room ON the q
floor.
IN The Reliance engine house was
/! sA visited, but owing to the place Elm
iNI small, no 'rial was made of hitcl
n Ms lup.
NJ VIZ / Tha Gacratary raDor..I ,bo, ,ba q