Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-14
SAFETY FROM FIRE
Being Carefully Considered by Chief
Brown, Who Advocates the
PURCHASE OF A WATER TOWER.
Suggestion to Utilize the Power Of Hy'
draulic Elevators.
TEARING DOWN THE WOOD STREET RUIN

Chief Brown will again request Councils
to authorize the purchase of water tower
for the purpose of fighting fire in the down.
town portion of the city. The exclusive
publication in THE DISPATCH of the action
of the Board of Underwriters demanding
better protection against fire has encouraged
the Chief, who has for months steadily and
persistently advocated the purchase Of
water tower. These machines cost but
So, 900 and will turn a perfect deluge of
water into burning building at almost any
height. As these machines can be operated
from the ground they can often be used
where the fierce heat would prevent the sue
cessful operation of a fire engine.
"a water tower would probably have
saved the Germania Bank building at
Wednesday nights fire." said Chief Brown
yesterday. "We could have used it in
places where fire engines could not stand
the heat. To get a water tower it will
be necessary to introduce an ordinance in
Councils. did not mention the matter i'll
my annual report, but l have steadily ad-
vocsted the purchase of such a machine.
They have proven very successful in other
cities, and would be of great use here.
Suggestion for Fire Protection.
j. c. Patch, OF the firm of Yoder, Weaver
& Costello, of Third avenue, wrote to Chief
Brown yesterday, advocating the utilization
of hydraulic elevators for extinguishing
fires. In his communication Mr.. Patch
says: I'm all of our large public and busi-
ness houses are located pumps for the pur-
pose of running the elevators, and which
are capable of throwing two or three two
inch streams of water to almost any desired
height, even over nine-story building.
These could be put in motion almost in
stantly, and with proper connections, to
which hose could be attached, no fire could
gain much headway. The power of these
pumps are much greater than our fire en-
gines. In the recent fire on Wood street
such an arrangement could have had pour
ing on the flames ten or dozen two-lncn
streams from the surroundings within q
square of the fire, and each one equal in
power to two from the fire engines"
Superintendent Wilcox. of the Bureau of
Water, does not think the scheme is pos
sible, and says: I'm the first place ma
joritv of the elevators are operated by
directed service from the mains, which have
pressure ofabout70 pounds. This would raise
water in a two-inch pipe only about 35 feet,
which would be of but little use in fire.
With the pump-over service it is necessary
to use steam machinery for lifting the water.
These engines are seldom operated at night,
when fires usually occur. and they would
not be available. believe that automatic
sprinklers are the best protection against
fire."
Tearing Down the Ruins.
The work of tearing down the wrecked
buildings on Wood street progressed rap
idly yesterday, and was greatly aided by
the wind. About 1:30 A. NJ. the roof
of the Merchants and Manufacturers In
surance Company building fell in. The
the point of falling. For a few moments
there was panic in the neighborhood. A
farmer driving by with a bed on his wagon
whipped up his horses so suddenly that the
mattress fell of. but he did not stop to pick
it up, and 1t is lying on the street vet.
Shortly after moor the wreckers attached
a rope to the chimney on the south side of
the Germanin Bank, and just at that mo-
ment gust of wind struck it, and the whole
wall toppled upon the NJ. s. M. Insur-
ance and Robinson Bros. buildings, crush
ing the upper floors. The Americus Club
rooms, in the upper portion of the insur-
ance building, were completely wrecked.
Men at work in the club room were saved
from death by one rafter which remained
firm. At 6 o'clock the east wall OF the
Weldin building was pulled down. To-day
the work will be resumed, and by night it
is expected that all danger of falling walls
will be over.