The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-02-21
CHEMICAL FIRE ENGINE.
a Desirable Machine for Subur-
ban Property-Owners.

4
Corvallis has long been in need of better
| facilities fer fighting the fire fiend. It is a
| notorious fact that our city is the poorest
| supplied with fire apparatus of any town
of its size in the state. For years the idea
of purchasing a steamer has been considered
by our citizens but aa yet no definite action
in the matter has been taken. This plan,
however, has met with considerable opposi-
tion from residents living in the outskirts of
| town. They object to paying taxes for
something which will not directly benefit
| them. From the fact that steamer is only
piled with cisterns. majority of Corvallis
taxpayers would receive no benefit at all.
What we need is something that will afford
protection to all residents alike; not to a
favored few who happen to reside or do bus
mess in close proximity to a few cisterns.
This same matter suggested itself during
the recent water bond fight. 1t was held
by one councilman, particularly, that every
| resident within the city limits is entitled to
consideration. In other words, that every
suburban resident ought to have just as
good water service as those who live nearer
the business portion Of the city. If this is
true with regard to water works it ia Ger.
tainly true with regard to FIRE protection.
Now an opportunity is afforded to give all
the same protection against fire by prrchas.
ing a chemical engine. One OF these ma.
chimes will cost lees than one. hc.le the sum
necessary for the purchase of steamer. A
be gotten to fire even more rapidly than
the hook and ladder track, as it is consider
ably lighter. It carries with it its own
water supply, hose and pressure, and upon
arrival at fire it is really for immediate
operation. In extinguishing fires with
chemical engine the principal advantage lies
in being able to do so with little water dam.
age, and, as they are lighter, they can be
taken to the place of action much quicker
than heavy steamers. Let it be understood
that We do not recommend chemical engine
to take the place of a whole:fre department,
but claim that they will accomplish moro in
the line of fire extinguishment than any
other piece of fire apparatus
Carbonic acid gas is hsavier than air.
Fire is supported by oxygen and cannot burn
second without it. The contents of the
extiuguisher, which is carbonic acid gas
mings ed with water, shuts off the supply of
>
Fire goes out instantly in an atmosphere
containing five per cent. of carbonic acid
gas. They do not food with water, which
is disastrous to seasoned wood or manu.
projected stream of carbonic acid gas-the
greatest fire destroyer known to science. A
stream of gas can be directed to any locality
where the fire exists-under the floor, in
ceilings or out of the way places that can.
not be reached bysosher means. The com.
paratively small quantity of chemical com.
pound which the engine carries must in no
sense be taken as criterion of its relative
extingushing power, for each gallon OF the
mixture will extinguish as much fire as
forty times its own bulk of water, with the
advantage of being contained in movable
reservoir, supplying its own power of pro-
pelling a stream.
The efficiency OF the work accomplished
by chemical engines is we'll ILLUSTRATED by
the service they rendered in FPortland last
year, whore, according to the chief engineer
of the fire department, they are alone cred
ited with having extinguished 80 per cent.
of all fires. An engine suited to the needs
Of the Corvalli, department would cost
about 8, coo, and for fire purposes would be
of far better service to the city than either
SIS, 900 steamer or $4,000 water plant.
The council should give this matter favora-
BILE consideration, as such piece OF appa-
ratus would furnish the city with adequate
protection, and would in all probability have
the effect of reducing insurance rates to
such an extent shat the saving in insurance
premiums in short time would amount to
more than the cost of the engine.