Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-11
GOOD FIRE FIGHTERS.
Chicago's Chief Wonders How o City
Like Pittsburg
GETS ALONG WITHOUT FIRE BOATS.
Hs Says They Would Work Like Q Charm
on Cur Rivers
THEY ARE oHsLP AND vERI EFFECTIVE

Pittsburg should have fire boat Aftsl
trying one she will probably build another
This ID the view Of the Chief Of the Chicago
Fire Department, whose words should b'
needed. They work like . charm in the
Fair City, and there 10 NO reason In the
world why they should not work we'll here
In order to get facts about the fre-fghtine
qualities of the boats In use at Chicago, the
correspondent OF The DISPATCH made an
investigation and secured an opinion from
the head of the fire department there. The
result is appended. 1t makes interesting
reading on the heels of the destructive con-
fagrstions In this city.
Your correspondent is able to state that
the distinction of having the most COM
plete, powerful and efficient fire boat in the
United States belongs to Chicago. Its
name is the Geyser, and when not in action
it lies at the foot OF La Sale street in the
Chicago river with steam up ready to start
ct q moments notice.
Her hull is 105 feet long over all, her
beam on the planking % feet, and her extreme
deep, load drapght, is eight feet and 10
inches. Her propelling machinery is strong
enough to force her through the water at the
rate of Is miles per hour, though, in prac.
tice, that speed is barely reached.
A water-Thrower All Over.
But the chief feature of the craft is her
ability to throw water. Her upper works
forward seem to be literally bristling with
nozzles ranged In double tiers, and when
occasion requires IA lines of hose may be at
tacbsd and supplied with water enough to
throw from each line stream of water to q
distance OF 204 feet That was the result Of
test made some time ago, the nozzles of the
IA hose lines>being 1 n inches each.
To accomplish this four powerful pumps
are employed, which may be worked singly
or all together. When they are all working
nozzle to distance of 1856 feet and with q
31z-inch nozzle TO distance of 431 feet.
No Fire Can Withstand 1t.
1t steams quietly up to a fire, being low
enough to pass under the bridges, and
quickly throws line ashore, which is
scarcely made fast before half dozen lines
of heavy hose are stretching off in the direc-
tion of the fire. A moment later they swell
out as il they would burst and q stream of
tremendous force is thrown against the
burning buildings. 1t strikes walls,
floors and roof with sledge-hammer
blows; an ordinary piece Of brick
work cannot stand before it and
frequently it scatters timbers in all direc-
tions. A fire that can long Withstand such
treatment is a very extraordinary one. If
the building is high the Geyser attaches one
of its powerful streams to the stand pipe,
and four very light streams can be thrown
horizontally in every direction. Chicago
also has two other boats, but one has not
yet gone into active service.
The Chief Says P;ttsburg Wants One.
II wonder that Pittsburg has no fire
boat" said Chief Swenie, this morning.
"It is very remarkable. n should think
that fire boat would be invaluable in that
city. Ours cost about $35, 900 each, and the
Yosemite has been built wholly in Chicago,
but the Geyser at most has paid its cost
every year. 1t is the best investment the
city ever made in the way of fire apparatus.
We wouldn't be without it for any money"
"Could it be used just as well in river
where there are no docks-where the banks
slope gradually out to the main channel?''
he was asked. ,....,
Certainly. A line of hose could be car
ried ashore through the water or the boat
could be modelled so as to be of lighter
draught without decreasing her power and
efficiency as fire engine"
"How far from the river front could such
boat be made avallable7"
SIN practice here we do not use our fire
boats at q greater distance than three or
four blocks from the river, but there is
nothing in the world to prevent it from
being used for greater distances. In fact,
just as far as you could stretch line of
hose. Of course, if the distance was great
and the stream powerful it would put the
hose to pretty severe test"
A boat adapted to the average stage of
water at Pittsburg could be built to carry
the same machinery as the one above de-
scribed.