Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-08
CLIMBING TO A FIRE.
Chief Brown Advocates the Purchase
Of Portable Elevators.
THE WATER TOWER IDEA DROPPED
It Is Too Cumbrous and Needs Too Many
Engines to Feed 1t.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT

There is a strong probability that the
water tower which Councils authorized
Chief Brown to purchase will not be bought
after all. The Chief went to New York
last night. Before he started he said his
trip had been originally intended as one of
rest for a. few days from the worry that q
man at the head of the Public Safety De-
partment must submit to while in the city,
but he had changed his mind and said he
would devote his time in New York to
studying the apparatus and equipment of
the metropolitan Fire Department
ST have about made up my mind, )" he
continued, "to report to Councils against
the purchase of water tower, but before
deciding definitely will look the matter
over carefully once more. 1t is my ambi-
tion to make our fire service the best
in the country with the means at my
disposal and in studying the economy of
fire equipment in ratio to value, Chief
Humphreys and have decided that water
tower is not the thing for Pittsburg at this
time.
Objections to q Water Tower.
'There are several objections to such q
machine in this city that I did not at first
realize. One is our narrow Streets. Water
towers are built on a gauge considerable
wider than a fire engine. There are two
sizes, one a 45-foot tower, which weighs
$500 pounds, has tread of feet and its
width measures feet inches over all The
60-foot tower, which would be the only size
of any account in this city, has the same
width, but weighs $500 pounds, and is A
feet 10 inches long, including the pole. Now
our narrow streets down town give us great
difficulty in turning corners with our lad
der trucks, tine longest Of which is only 40
feet, and if it were five feet longer our
difficulty would be greatly increased and
much time would be lost on that account
A few moments of time at fire is big
consideration.
"Then we have not enough fire engines to
justify the use of water tower. They are
intended to flood building quickly and are
excellent for that purpose. To operate a
tower three or four engines must be attached
to it, and while thus engaged they can do
nothing else.
Takes Too Many Engines to Furnish Water.
sTn our downtown district we have only
three engines now and to use water tower
at a fire we would have to call in others on
every alarm. While the tower is flooding
building surrounding property might take
fire, but the stream could not be turned
upon it. Another objection to a water
tower stream is that in addition to requiring
three or four engines to supply it, the
the flame with the same facility that a hose
stream can.
s9There is comparatively new device in
fire equipment which I have become greatly.
interested in, and if it is as useful as repre-
sented will, in my judgment, be superior to
the water tower. 1t is an adjustable ele-
waited platform, or series Of them, which
can be attached to any kind of fire ladder
at any elevation, and will support from two
to four men each. It is provided with life
belts by which firemen strap themselves to
the ladders, and having a good footing can
work as easily at height of so feet as upon |
the street. The advantage of such a device |
is apparent to anyone, and think two or |
three good streams judiciously used from it |
would excel a water tower. propose to |
the subject thoroughly while in |
New York, but I expect will suggest the |
adoption of the adjustable platforms in
preference to the water tower, using the |
money for another fire engine or possibly a
chemical engine instead.
Some Chemical Engines Needed.
"We need some chemical engines in this |
city. Nearly every other large city has
them and they are good thing. The city
of Minneapolis, for instance, which has
fine fire department, is smaller than Pitts
burg, yet has II fire engines, 4 separate hose |
3 hook and ladder trucks, |
chemical engines and water tower. They |
have wide, level streets there, and can use |
water towers so we'll there that they are |
talking of getting another"
The Chief stated further that big i'm |
provements to the fire service in other di-
rections are in contemplation. West of
and Grant streets 100 additional |
fire plugs will be asked for. A new light
weight hook and ladder truck will be pur-
chased if possible. and will replace the
heavy one in the No. engine house, which
is to be placed in the new house that will he
built on the Fulton foundry site. The ar
chitect has nearly completed the plans for
this building, one of the features of which
will be a set back of IL feet in the Second
avenue front to allow the ladder truck to
come out, the street being too narrow to
allow it otherwise.