Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-10
WATER FOR FIRES.
AN APPEAL TO COMMITTEE
FOR STAND PIPES.
Insurancc-Men Desire the Meter
Restriction Removed---New
Valves Ordered.

The Council Committee on Water
held special meeting last evening to
receive communication from the local
Board of Underwriters Present were :
Messrs J. W. White (chairman), John
=. Cary. John Mann, Jr., and j. T..
Mountcastle. The following letter from
the insurance men was read
1.-THE insurance companies have re-
recently raised the rates for insurance,
but ct the same time have indicated
sundry improvements that, If made,
will reduce the rate. Among them Is
stand pipe and hose. The schedule
requires a pipe OF 2I-inch diameter with
hose attached at oil times. The Super
intendent of the Water Works informs
us that the Council will require the
persons who desire to avail themselves
OF this reduction to put in water meter,
and the object of this communication Is
TO request reconsideration OF this
resolution for the following reasons:
81. The Improvement, il made, would
tend 10 reduce the fire loss by providing
facilities for the immediate extinction OF
any fire that may occnr. The city ID
benefited by saving the cost OF putting
ont a large fire, and by retaining on its
tax-books property that II destroyed
might not be rebuilt.
"RgSrs WOULD INCREASE"
go The water-rents would be in
creased by having an additional hydrant
on each floor to charge for. while the
amount OF water used would not in
crease, because these pipes would not
he used except in case of fire. No ono
wanting TO draw water would uncoil
fifty feet Of hose to get it when there
was another hydrant on the same floor
that was open.
80. The cost Of putting in a meter
for supply that might not be used IN a
year adds very much to the expense OF
such protection, and the property-own-
ers respectfully ask through their com
mittee that they may be spared such ex-
pense. In some instances rather than
pay for meter we are under the i'm
preston the parties will go without their
insurance, thereby depriving the city
and State of the tax on such premiums
and the agents of their commissions.
We would therefore respectfully request
the Superintendent of Water Works to
allow all regular watertakers to put In
d 2g-inch stand-pipe and to have connec-
tons on each floor, provided a hose be
attached at oil times and used for fire
purposes only.
The paper was signed by J. B. Moore
chairman, j. W. Gordon. b. @. Wher-
~, w. Talley. and IL. Bierne Blair.
Mr.. Mann moved that the commuDl-
cation be received aud filed, and that
the present custom i'll such cases be car
RED ont This was adopted.
PUstP-vALvEs ORDERED.
Superintendent Boiling then brought
up the matter of purchasing new valves
for the pumps of the department. He
said that he had tried one set OF the
valves agreed upon by the committee
and found them to be eminently salts
factory. Since these valves had been
put Tito use he had not mad to work the
steam-pumps at all. whereas he had been
working them previously on an average
OF two days week. On account OF the
scarcity of money at present he was in
structed to purchase only one new set OF
valves. These applilncesnre very costly
and 1t would cost about =, 900 10 equip
oil the pumps with them.
The committee then adjourned.