The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1893-08-24
Was Made Of The New
Chemical Engine
and IT DID ALL THAT Was CLAIMED
Running Five Squares and ENtinguishing
a Fire in Five Minutes.

The test of the new chemical en-
CINE recently ordered for the Waco
FIRE department, was made yesterday
afternoon in the old circus field on
franklin, between Sixteenth and
Seventeenth streets, and was suc-
cessful in every respect.
The fire department was well
represented and mauy of the city
officials and insurance men were
present. Chief Prescott was there,
Notwithstanding his recent accident,
and so was Mayor McCulloch and
the fire committee Of the city
council.
The engine, with Driver Clinton
MILFORD on the seat, was driven
from the Central station to the
place appointed for the experiment,
and on arrival there was ordered to
the corner Of Twelfth and Franklin
streets to await the signal. Mean
time house made of fat pine,
l2xl2 feet, wa, prepared; the in
side being filled with dry barrels
and shavings, ard the whole satu.
rated with coal oil, making very
intlammable pile.
The house was fired promptly at
O'Clock, the alarm was given by
the city clock, and the engine came
flying along Franklin street, dashed
through crowd of vehicles, across
the field to the burning building,
and in less time than it takes to tell
it the fire was we'll under control,
and IN five minutes the whole thing
was over.
The engine made the run to the
fire in a minute and a half, in
another minute and half the fire
was nnder control, the men were in
the house, and in two minutes ''she
was out"
The new engine, Holloway
patent, was made in Baltimore, and
has all the latest and best improve
ments. 1t has two 50-gallon cop.
per tanks, the wheels, powerful and
strong, are of Archibald make, with
Concord axles; the springs have
- leaves on platform frame, the
whole engine being brass trimmed
There are automatic reels behind
the drivers seat, already connected
with the tanks, ready for work
These reels are wound with $50
feet of strong hose, while reel in
the basket under the rear wheels,
contains 80 feet more. On the left
side Of the engine, between the
wheels and tanks, is a 20 foot ex-
tension ladder.
One charge is always kept in the
tanks, ready for work, while two
extra cans of acid is kept on the
platform, in the rear of the engine.
To make a charge the tanks are
filled with water to the overflow
valves at the ends, then the soda is
put in and the whole is agitated by
uranks in rear of the tanks.
Sulphuric acid is then lead to a
receptacle in dome on top of each
tank. The handle in the dome is
also an alright cork and when this
is raised lever is also lifted in the
dome which upsets it and precipi.
tates the acid into the tank with the
soda, generating pressure of from
100 to 200 pounds.
The tanks, which are entirely
separate from each other, are al
ways filled with sodawater, which
is agitated every day and thoroughly
mixed. When sulphuric acid is
added carbonic acid is made and
this is what does the business at
fires.
When going to fire, if it be.
comes necessary to use the engiue,
the acid is precipitated, ready for
work, and this is done in two or
three seconds.
At 100 pounds pressure a stream
can be thrown sixty feet; at $50
pounds the acid may be thrown
about seventy-hve feet.
The weight of the engine with
two men is 5,os5 pounds. The
machine is not intended to put out
big fires with, under way, but to
extinguish incipient or to hold in
.L.al, ln~c, Evoo until Tho donort