Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-06
ENGINES In QUESTION
Popular Opinion Touching the Amos
keag's Latest Exhibition.
CHIEF EVANS IN ITS DEFENSE.
Detective Smelling Out the Origin Of the
Simultaneous Flames.
LATER INCIDENTS OF THE EVENT

Exciting alterations took place among
citizens relative both to the power of some
of the engines employed and as to the man
agement of the fire. Mr.. T. J. Blackmore,
whose place of business is directly opposite
the Monongahela House, states that the
stream of one of the'engines was unable to
break the glass in the fourth story windows,
and he seemed to think that as a fire ex-
tinguisher it was Of mighty little use.
A friend of the Amoskeag engines in
sisted that they did good work, but that the
engine in question was so far away from the
building as to be powerless for good. he
thought it might have been placed closer.
An insurance man demanded to know why
the standpipe at the southeast corner of the
building was not utilized.
A number of New York travelling men
who watched the confagration with the keen
eyesof cosmopolitans, applauded the bravery
of the fremen and their energy, but jeered
at the engines in use. One remark made
by man who would never run to a fire
while walking was good, was overheard by
DISPATCH representative. He said:
"Well, ii those are the best engines Pitts
burg has, it's q surprise the whole town does
not burn" His opinion was taken up very
generally and the crowd, which surged
around the fire ropes. made all manner Of re-
marks uncomplimentary to the Amoskeag
engines. 1t was apparent that something
was wrong, either with the engines or their
direction.
AMoSKEAG ADMIRERS PLENTY.
On the other hand Mr.. II. M. Long said
he was an old fireman and felt competent to
judge, and he held that the department did
the best that could be expected of it under
the circumstances. Mr.. Long did not ex-
press any opinion as to the power of the
engines.
Inspectors McAleese and McKeIvey, both
old fremen, who were on the spot from the
time the fire started until 1T was ex-
tinguished, said that they had seldom seen
a fire better handled, the best proof of which
was in the fact that the building was still
standing.
= Chief Evans, of the Fire Bureau, wa
asked concerning the alleged incapacity of
the No. AmoSkeag engines last night, and
said:
That is the simplest nonsense in the world;
Neither of the No. / Amoskeag engines played
an outside stream. No. had three streams
running, one into the cellar, where the fire
originated, and two up the stairs to the roof,
so Lnat we could cut on any OF the lines as we
quenched the fire in one place or another,
alternating the streams. The line up the
ladder on Water street got away from the two
men who had hold of it, as the stream was too
strong, and we found it impossible to get near
the building on account of the wires. We
could cut the single wires, but the cables We
could not get away with. and the same diff
Guilty existed in other places
As for the talk about being unable to throw
a stream to the top of the building engines Nos
and were the only ones that threw from the
outside, both carrying two streams l will
venture to take any third-class. harp tank en-
Notwithstanding the comments of the curb
stone engineers who can always tell more than
the iremen.
LOCATION OF WORK.
Both Nos and g. the irst-class engines, were
doing inside work underneath and on the roof.
and were not doing the pinnacle act at all, the
men handling them knowing well that the place
to hit fire is right where it is burning. AS far
as the power of the engine is concerned, can
give you an instance right from this very fire.
When we were coiling up before going away
we saw a board lying across the telegraph
wires, and, to prevent its falling on anyone's
head, coupled on length of hose and shot
stream at the board. 1t was thrown 30 feet into
the air when struck by the stream and put out
betting man, but 1 think can risk $500 that
this engine can outplay and squirt over any
thing in the country of different make.
Engineer Daniel Eccles, of No. Engine
Company, said that he had 40 to $50 pounds
water pressure on the engine during the fire,
and 80 pounds of steam. Tho engine was
fixed to blow off at 95 pounds, so that it
could never have got above that pressure.
"As for the capacity of the engine" re-
marked the veteran engineer, ''why, we
could play all over the town"