The herald., 1897-05-06

the car and thus the force which the
streams that are thrown receive is great
er or less. according to the power Of the
engine.
The capacity for each Of the two water
tanks is $500 gallons, and as they are
kept constantly filled reservoir Of 1000
gallons of water is thus at hand at all
times ready for emergencies. The pump
which forces the water from the tanks
into the lines Of hose is located in the
center Of the car directly between the
two tanks. Over this pump is what the
railroad men call cab, but in reality it
is nothing more nor less than a minia-
ture pump house. The pump is of the
duplex fire variety, with 12x12 inch steam
cylinders and Sx12 inch water cylinders.
The water discharge Is arranged for
three 2h inch hose connections, so that
three streams can be used at one time.
For its motive power the car depends
upon an ordinary locomotive, any sort.
This locomotive is coupled onto the car
and the steam connection formed just as
it is for heating the ordinary passenger
car. This gives the necessary power to
the pump and the water can be forced
through the hose at as great pressure
as the strength Of the hose will permit.
This steam hose connection with the
engine is Of the standard sort and thus
any engine of the New York Central may
be utilized as power producer for the
fire fighting car
The hose, Of which there is always 400
feet on hand. is 2A inches in size and
constructed of~linen, the strongest kind
Of hose that is made. The nozzle at
tached to the ends of the hose, and
through which the water passes direct
| ly upon the fire, has an opening at the
forward end one inch in circumference.
This gives opportunity for the passage
of strong, forceful stream that would
drown almost any ordinary fire. In fact
with an ordinary pressure through this
nozzle, stream can be thrown over the
highest building in and about the East
Buffalo yards.
One hundred feet of this hose is KEEP!
on a rack in the car close to the water
connection, and Is thus in readiness q,
all times for use. 1t is so arranged thai
it can be transferred from the rack ir
the twinkling of an eye and so carefully
have the details been looked after tina,
there is no chance for slip Of any kind
When it is only necessary to use this
amount of hose, the line is run through
the window on either side of the car an
the stream thrown upon whatever II
ablaze. With locomotive attached tt
the train, owing to the multiplicity o.
tracks in the yard, the fire fighting cal
can be under ordinary circumstance.
switched in moment as close as safet,
will permit to whatever may be aflre, i
it is in the yards themselves or on tn.
borders fhereof.rDa rT
If it should happen, however, thai
the fire is at some place near which Il
is impossible to switch the car, ther
two hose reels which are In the cal
at all times, are called into requisition
Each of these reels has wound upon 1T
drum $50 feet Of hose. If 1t is necessar,
all this hose can be coupled to the 10
feet originally attached to the engin,
and thus give continuous line Of 40
feet. If, on the other hand, 1t Is de
sired to throw more than one strean
upon whatevr is on fire, the lines o
hose. are detached from the reels
screwed upon the other connections
and thus three, streams are, in yer.
short time, playing upon the blaze
Not since the fire-hghting car has beel
in operationeMas tM equipment proves
insufficient to fight any fire that has oc
CURED, and the advantage gained b,
not being obffged to wait for or &C
under the orders of the local fire de
lpartment is -ipestimable.
l. Fclv~ ~ ox x%{fhA xx,h Ait
J apparatdf HAS Aconxtantly in reserv