The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-02-09

! Gentlemen:
| Below 1 submit report of number of gal.
| Ions of water pumped; also amount of Goa
consumed, together with oil, waste, boiler
| compound and etc. used at the water works
for the year ending Dec. 3lst. 1898:
Gallons water pumped from Jan. LIST to Dec.
3lst inclusive, 1890, S59
Daily average. "a hours, 23l, 1886
Increase of gallons water pumped over year
1892, 1S,79S, 121
| Daily increase, 5l,5OO
Coal consumed at pump house for the year
| 1898, 65l .472 los
Daily average, 1,7844 los
Inventory of stock on hand at close of
year at the pumping station of the Owosso
water words: Coal, 246, 264 lbs; cylinder oil,
IL gai; lard oil, 2 gal; lubricating oil, % gal;
keLosine oil. 20 gal; waste, AZ lbs; rubb r
packing, lbs; garlock packing, 9 lbs; liquid
| polish, can; boiler compound, rs lbs.
Increase in pounds oil consumed over year
! 1892, SO, S72 lbs; dali increase over 1892 in
pounds, 157A; oil consumed same time cy-
Under oil, "a gallons; lard oil, Q gal; Iubrl-
eating oil, 81 gal; illuminating oil, 244 gal.
Waste, So lbs; boiler compound, 125 lbs:
rubber packing, IA lbs; garlOck packing,
lbs; hemp packing, Q lbs; muxOline, boxes;
tupoline. pail; liquid polish, boxes.
Report of fire alarms received at the pump
house for the year ending Dec. 31st, 1898:
Number of alarms received, 80. fires, SO;
false alarms, z.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
q. II. CossITT, Supt
A very much needed Improvement at the
pump house Is to remove the bell alarm now
In use and substitute register alarm In its
place. The custom now is to blow the
wards from which the alarm is turned i'm.
This causes great amount of confusion to
the fire department as well as the public
generally as NO register Is taken at the
pump house and the alarm Is n ad wholly
by sound. Should 1t be turned in from the
city hall as Is frequently done, 1t is az
frequently read by the engineer on watch
a. coming from some of the different boxes,
and the whistle Is accordingly sounded. 1
am of the opinion that this would be avoided
In great measure IL q registered alarm
was In use. After careful study of the
needs of the water works system II Is my
opinion that change should be made in the
hours of labor performed by the engineers
at the pump house. The custom now Is
that each engineer be on continuous duty
for twelve hours out Of the twenty-f0ur.
Commencing January LIST engineer No.
goes on duty at twelve o'clock midnight
Wn6I6 lie ituudlflS unJil tWclN6 OCIOck Tue
next noon, when he is relieved by engineer
No. 3. 1t Is then the duty of engineer No.
1 to load and wheel In the coal for the use
OF the boilers for the next twenty-four hours.
BY referring to the report of coal consumed
it will be seen that the daily average used is
LISA lbs, which requires about one hours
extra work each day This for 1856 days
would make IL performed on the street or in
a factory working ten hours day thirty-six
and one half days extra work as is now per-
formed by them. Remember that the en-
gineer on duty can not leave the engine
house for moment. He must have the re-
quired amount of steam on his boilers; lalso
writer pressure on the mains, and must be
continually on the alert to see that the ma
chinery Is in order or that fire alarm be
turned In or telephone message be rung
In, which would be the signal for an alarm
to be blown and the fire pressure raised.
When IL is taken Into consideration that they
are liable to he called on any and all times
for extra work for fire service, and are
required to renal en- duty during the prog
ress OF any fire and until permission is given
them TO leave even IL II be to the full extent
of their Gff duty hours. Also that no Sun
days, holidays or recreation of any kind Is
taken by them without permission from the
superintendent who has to supply his place
during that time. ! think 1t would not be
unreasonable to reduce the hours of the
watches to eight instead of twelve hours