The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-18
TESTING THE PLUGS
MIR. Schatzlein Takes the Firemen
Through a Degree.
LOW PRESSURE IN PLACES
The Bows Jump Right Into the
Harness and Work Like Rural
Ants-George Aiken Made
Temporary Captain.

Yesterday afternoon practicing on the
fire escapes of some of the brick BLOCKS
in the business part of the town with
long lines of hose, and he also mace
few tests of the water pressure In the
heart of the city. with results that
were exceedingly disappointing. Al
the hydrant at the corner of Park and
Main streets. the principal corner In
the city, the pressure was only IL
pounds, and was barely sufficient TO
carry a weak stream up to the fourth
floor of the Owsley block. The hydrant
on Main street, between Park and
Broadway, however, registered a pres
sure of so pounds, and after being car
ried through 800 feet of hose to the
roof of the Owsley block 1t showed
nozzle pressure of IS pounds, This gave
a good strong stream. and from the
roof Of the Owsley building the fire
men could almost wash the face OF the
clock in the tower of the city hall the
fire plugs in front of the Butte hotel
and McDermOtt corner also showed a
hydrant pressure of about so pounds,
and these three hydrants were the only
ones among those that were tested that
would give an adequate stream for use
in case of fire.
The plugs at the corner of Park and
Wyoming and Galena and Wyoming,
when first tested showed the pressure
of between 10 and 20 pounds. Suisse
quently Superintendent Carroll of the
Water company, stopped the pump at
the Galena street station and the pres
sure at both hydrants ran up to be-
tween SO and 40 pounds.
a line of hose was run up to the roof
of the three story Copper block at the
corner of Galena and Wyoming streets,
and the nozzle pressure at first was
only strong enough to throw a feeble
stream about eight or ten feet in the
air. After the Galena street pump had
been stopped the stream was stronger,
but even then the pressure was only
sufficient to throw spray against the
sides of the frame shacks across the
street, a distance of go feet The
streams from this hydrant and the one
above would have been of very little
value in big fire. The result of the
tests of the three weak hydrants were
extremely disappointing and the fire.
men discussed with a good deal of feel
ing the position they would be placed
in If they had depended on one of them
in a fire of any magnitude. Mr..
SchatZlien showed considerable chag
rim over the result of the tests, but he
refused TO make any statement for
publication further than that he was
After the acting chief had completed
his tests, Superintendent Carroll APP
piled his gauge to the hydrants that
had been tested and said that they all
showed a pressure five pounds higher
than that shown by the fire depart
ment gauge AS soon as the test was
completed Mr. Schatzlein ordered Su-
perintendent Carroll to place all of the
hydrants in the center of the city on
the high pressure mains, an a men were
at once placed to work on the change,
and ii will probably be completed this
evening.
II did not realize that the pressure
was as low as II is" said Superintend-
ent Carroll last evening, "or the test
would have been remedied. The high
pressure Is such a nuisance to private
consumers that in looking after their
interests l guess / neglected the fire
protection a little. However, / will put
all the hydrants on Park street and on
Main as far south as the north side of
Galena and the plug at the corner of
Park and Wyoming, on the high pres
sure, which VIII give them a pressure
of about IS pounds. / never counted a
great deal on the plug at the corner of
Park and Main streets. and for that
reason threw in the hydrant on Main
between Park and Broadway, which
showed pressure of so pounds. OF
course II is understood that in case of
nre In the low pressure circuit the Ca
lena street pump is stopped which
raises the pressure about 20 pounds
The practice of the firemen on fire es-
capes yesterday was something entirely
new TO them, yet they acquitted them
selves in a very creditable manner
They climbed around on the iron ladders
with me rapidly and agility of squir-
rels and worked together with a harmo-
NOUS spirit that was very pleasing to
witness and reminded those who take
an interest in the fire department of
the brave boys who met death in the
awful dynamite explosion. Notwith-
standing the fact that the work was
entirely new to them, they laid a line of
hose to the roof of the Copper block in
a minute and half from the time the
connection was made at the hydrant
nearly block away. Mr.. Schatzlein
knew how things should be done. and
under his direction the two nozzlemen
went up the fire escape first and drop-
ped a rope down, which was attached to
the nozzle. They then pulled Ii up, and
the rest of the crew followed up the
LADDER and eased up on the hose. Al
though the exercise was hard and mud
dy work. the boys said they like II a
great deal better than lying around the
station and playing cards. The acting
chief is infusing his own spirit into the
firemen and is rapidly restoring enthu-
siasm and harmony.
Mr.. Schatzlein made an appointment
yesterday that will meet with popular
apprival when he named George Aiken
as temporary captain at the Central
station and gave him full charge during
his absence. While the appointment is
only temporary for the present, there is
every probability that IL will be made
permanent. for Mr.. Aiken stands high,
not with the fire committee alone, but
with the council and the general public.
and a better man could not be found for
the place He is quiet. steady, sober
an enthusiastic fireman and he knows
how to handle men. In his capacity of
electrician of the department he has
saved the city hundreds OF dollars.
WADING IN SNOW.
The Chilly Experience of Passengers on