The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-26
DISCUSSING IMPROVEMENTS
Insurance Men Preparing For the
Tariff Committees Visit.

| notified yet OF the appointment Of the
committee Of the Southeastern Tariff AS
ISOLATION to visit Savannah for the pur-
| pose of comforting with the authorities on
the subject OF the condition of the fire
and water departments. but the commit
tee is expected at an early date.
! President Upper of the association has
been III, and as it is his intention to accom-
| pany the committee to Savannah this &C.
| counts for the delay. In the meantime
| Capt John F. Wheaton, Capt Thomas
| Screven and Mr.. J. D. Carsweu have been
appointed a committee by the local under
| writer's to arrange for the visit Of the
| committee from the tariff association.
| The local committee has had conferences
! with the fire and water commissioners for
the purpose Of discussing the condition
| of those departments and suggesting i'm.
provements.
Recently the committee addressed a let
ter to Mayor Myers, in which the follow
| ing appears:
Again referring to the visit of the
committee, we are impressed that the
current rumors that the fire department
| less demoralized by politics, and the al
legged inefficiency of the chief fireman at
the recent burning of the Planters rice
mill and adjacent property will have
their most careful attention. With that
view we respectfully suggest that 1t is
of paramount importance that all facts
and circumstances bearing on these ques-
tons be collected and arranged for pre-
sentation to the visiting committee"
The committee suggests further i'm
proyement in the distribution of water
by the extension of a two-foot main from
the main on Gwinnett street out West
Broad street to Anderson street, and also
a two-foot main from the termination of
the main at Gwinnett and Abercorn
street, through Gwinnett street to East
Broad street, and north and south on
East Broad street to connect with Bay
street, on the north and Anderson street
on the south
1T is proper to state" the committee
says. that this suggestion did not have
the approval of the water commissioners
or the superintendent of the water works
They are, however considered of great
Importance by fire underwriters for the
purpose of providing against the confa-
grafton hazard in districts where the
buildings are nearly all frame and that,
in the opinion of underwriters, are sub
Ject TO serious cOnfiagrations.
Your honor will note from the recent
maps showing the location of water pipes
in the district named, that all the pipes
west of Whitaker, south of Gwinnett and
east of Abercorn streets are six-inch
pipes, and while these are sufficient for
ordinary fires, they are inadequate for
protection against CONGREGATIONS"
To this is attached a statement furn-
ished the committee by Supt Lotion,
showing Of ha Inn,
ments in the water department since Jan.
l. 1895 New mains have been laid as fol-
lows: Three thousand eight hundred and
sixty feet 16-inch on Bay street, from
Montgomery to East Broad; 1,464 feet g.
inch on Second street; l 428 feet 6-inch on
Third street; 1870 feet 6-inch on Ogeechee
road; 1870 feet 6-inch on Barnard street:
1856 feet 6-inch on Charles street; 800 feet
| 6-inch on Lincoln street; 1000 feet 6-inch
| on Eighth street; $500 feet 6-inch on
Tenth street; 1,400 feet 6-inch on Ninth
| street; 1000 feet 6-inch on Florence
| street, 500 feet 6-inch on Lavinia street;
| 300 feet 16-inch on Abercorn from Bay to
Bryan.
Forty-fve new fire MIGRANTS have been
put in the business section of the city, all
| being large hydrants with steamer con-
nections. These are a great improve
ment over the old style, having about
| three times the capacity. 1t Is the policy
| these hydrants until the entire fire district
| is protected by them. The mains are test
| ed periodically to a much higher pressure
| than is even required, and when a weak
place shows up the same is replaced by
new sections of pipe. In this way the
| limit of pressure has been carried from
! sixty pounds two years ago to IS pounds
| at present Other improvements which
| have been made in the department are
mentioned.
1.-THE commissioners intend at an early
| date" the superintendent says, ito run
a main from Indian street lane through
Ann to Indian street, and put in a large
| hydrant there for the better protection
| of that section. They also have under
| contemplation the running of a large main
| down Bay street as far as the Gordon
wharf. They also intend to run main on
| Fifth street, between Montgomery and
| Florence as soon as the streets can be
| opened. Another large we'll has been con-
| nected with the works as an additional
| protection. Many smaller improvements
| have been made, such as connecting dead
] ends, putting in additional gates, in order
to make the shutting off sections smaller
| etc"
Superintendent Lotion was asked about
| the suggestion of the committee that a.
| inch mains be laid on West Broad, East
| Broad, Anderson and Gwinnett streets.
THE suggestion was not approved by
the commission" he replied. because 1t
was not regarded as reasonable. There
is no necessity for mains of such size any
where in the city except as feeders for
the other mains, which is what the &C.
| inch main on Gwinnett to Abercorn and
the A-inch main on West Broad, from
Gwinnett to Bay, are used for They lead
! directly from the terminus of the 42-inch
main from the water works, at Gwinnett
and West Broad streets, and supply the
water to the smaller mains. There are
16-inch mains on Bay and Bryan street
because they are needed there on ac-
count of the character of the buildings
on those streets. AS there are no mains
on River street and the river is difficult
of access the large main on Bay street is
of great value. The whole southern sec
ton Of the city nearby is traversed by
6-inch mains. Each main is capable of
! supplying two engines and there are very
few places between Bay and Anderson
street where in case of fire two or more
mains are not easily accessible. In case
! of a conflagration in the southern sec
ton, which is Of course possible. the
mains there are capable OF furnishing
water to all the engines the city has. and
| all she can borrow from surrounding