Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04
ALLEGHENY ASKS A TEST.
The Fire Committee Wants the siIsby TO Try
Conclusions With the Amoskeag-A Let

The Fire Committee Wants the Silsby TO Try
Conclusions With the AmOskeag-A Let
ter to Chief Brown.
The issue between the Amoskeag and
Silsby fire engines was taken up at the
meeting of the Allegheny Fire Committee
last night. Mr.. McGeary submitted, for
the approval of the committee, the following
proposed letter:
Mr.. J. .. Brown, Chief Of the Department OF
Public Safety, Pittsburg:
DEAR SIR-As there has been great deal Of
discussion in the public press and also among
the Board of Underwriters regarding the
merits of the steam fire engines used in the Fire
Department of this city and your own, and as
this discussion has been kept up until the citi-
zens of both cities have become deeply inter-
ested, the Committee on Fire Department of
the City of Allegheny would respectfully make
to you the following proposition: We will play
one of our Sisby engines against one of your
Amoskeag engines Of equal size and weight,
allowing. say, 800 pounds difference in weight
The terms of the contest are as follows:
First-Both engines to be weighed on the city
scales before the test begins.
Second-The steam and water gauges of both
engines to be tested before the contest begins
Third-Steam on both engines to be limited
to 10 pounds.
Fourth-The engines to be started with 50
pounds steam pressure.
Fifth-Both engines to be placed side by side
draught their water. and to play two hours
through q 1N.inch nozzle and two hours
through l54-inch nozzle.
Sixth-The same size of hose to be used by
both engines. hose to be siamesed or single, as
may be agreed upon.
Sevent6-The judges for the test to be ap-
pointed as follows: One to be appointed by
the Chief of the Department of Public Safety,
one by the Chief Engineer of the city of Allie
gheny, and the two appointed by these officials
to appoint the third.
When the letter had been read Mr.. Ru-
dolph said that Allegheny had both the
Amoskeag and the Silsby engines, and
knew which was best. He did not see what
was to be gained by the test.
Mr.. Hartman said that the question had
been agItated and the Allegheny people
wanted to convince Pittsburg that she does
not possess the kind of machinery she ought
to have. Property holders want to know
which is the best engine and to get good fire
protection.
Mr.. Voegler suggested that the PROPOSE
tion be left open for all companies. If there
be better engine than either the Amos
keag or Silsby they would find it out. The
test should be a severe one, and if anything
is to break they wanted it to break in the
test and not at fire.
Ma jor W. G. McCandless, President of
the Board of Underwriters, was present,
and, on invitation, made few remarks. He
said he thought the test would be public
advantage and of interest to the people. 1t
was desired to find out which was the best
engine and the test would decide it.
Mr.. Gerwig said his idea of test was to
take an engine right out of the engine
house as it would go to fire, and not new
engine from the shops.
President Hunter favored the test, and
suggested Edward Armstrong as a good man
fer Allegheny's representative on the Com
mittee of Reference.
Major McCandless suggested that all con-
djtions be left to the three judges, and with
this understanding a motion to invite the
test was passed, the time and place being
left to Chiefs Brown and Jones.
The committee approved an estimate for
the annual expenses of the fire department,
amounting to sos, POI, about s., 600 over last
year.