St. Paul daily globe., 1888-06-01

$3.50 o'clock and stationed just as they
stood at the disastrous Foot, Schulze
& Co. fire, one each at the corner of
Jackson and Third, Sibley and Third,
Wacouta and Third, Rosabel and
Third. Broadway and Third. Sibley and
Levee, Fourth and Sibley, Fourth and
Wacouta, Fifth and Wacou5a. Two
streams were thrown from six of the
engines, and from Nos. 3. and 5 one
stream each, making total of fifteen
streams. The water was thrown into
Smith park, the river and vacant lots
wherever an opportunity offered.
shut Off, and twenty water gauges
placed on the mains and at the hydrants
along the streets mentioned, with an
employee of the city engineers office at
each gauge taking observations every
five minutes.
At signal from Chief Black the
engines started simultaneously. The
machines had been put in prime order
for the test, and showed their best work.
The full power of the water works was
turned on, and the performance be-
came an exciting contest to see whether
or not the engine could pump the water
out of the mains faster than the water
works could pump it in. The streets
Crowds of people
SURROUNDED EVERY ENGINE
and hydrant, anxiously awaiting the re-
suit. The insurance agents, who are
more interested than anyone else, were
everywhere. Sedate Reuben Warner,
President of the board of fire
sionerS Freeman and PrendergaSt
moved nervously about from engine to
engine. Chief Black rode up and down
on white horse, and a red-headed.
short-haired girl looked out of the
window of one of the wholesale houses.
Aid. Cullen and Sanborn, Of the council
committee, accompanied by Expert
Hill, rode about in a twO-Seated
spring wagon. Aid. Hamm, the third
member of the committee was unable to
be present owing to the convention of
the Brewers association. 1t was evil
dent after the engines had been work
ten minutes that there was great deal
more water in the mains than they
recorded at any of the hydrants
was twenty pounds, which the gauge
at Fourth and Sibley marked
for about five minutes. This was the
minimum pressure recorded, the aver
age being forty pounds. In order to run
short of water it was necessary that the
engines should reduce the pressure,
until there was no pressure whatever.
Or, in other words, the pressure of the
water in the mains by the waterworks
is forty pounds more than necessary to
supply the engines with all they can use
To demonstrate this more fully Supt.
Overt0n, of the water department, at
tached hose to the hydrant at the cor
nf r6 70
an engine was drawing two streams,
and the hose from the hydrant direct
threw stream as high and with as
much force as either of the streams
from the engine. According to the last
annual report of Secretary Caulfeld
of the water department, the average
pressure at the hydrant on the corner of
Third and jackson streets. when not in
use. is fifty-three pounds. One engine,
stationed at this hydrant yesterday
afternoon,
.ttf REDUCED THE PRESSURE
to forty pounds. reduction of thirteen
pounds. Taking this as a basis, Mr..
Caulfield asserts that the hydrant would
supply water for three more en-
gines. After the engines had
worked unavailingly as they stood at
the big fire, the engine was taken from
Broadway and Third and removed to
Wacouta and Third, where another en-
gine was already at work. With two
engines on the same corner the gauges
did not mark any material difference.
Il think the test has shown" said
Secretary Caulfield, that the present
mains will supply at leasttwice as many
engines as we have at present, without
any trouble. They would be large
enough for ten years to come, but in
order to meet any possible contingency
the water board has ordered that the
present mains OH Third street and on
Jackson street be replaced with twelve
inch mains, and the pipe is already on
the ground. We had contemplated
this long before the question
of supply arose, but it would
put the city to needless expense of
not less than 100000. to have complied
with the recommendations and requests
of the Underwriters and Board of Fire
commissioners by repla ing all the
mains in the business district. The
present mains will be replaced by
larger ones as fast as it becomes neceS-
Sary, but think it is fully demonstrated