The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-26

The report Of Chief Mcintosh. Of the Brain
erd fire department, shows that the fire losses
Of that city were $l5,G09 and the amount
received on insurance was $11. G5l. Al. The
amount paid for premiums was about so, Co.,
showing profit Of 100 per cent.
Chief Hale of the Kansas City fire depart
ment, has jus. perfected a fire-fghting de-
vice which promises to be the most important
oI 81 his inventions. The new contrvance
may even eclipse the famous Hale tower it
self AT test the other day it was pro-
nounced solution of the problem Of dealing
with fires in elevators aud other buildings
them.
1t is. briefly. a system of protecting such
places by standing pipes of which the vital
feature is an attachment fer throwing the
water and breaking it up into fine spray,
being virtually automatic ball-nozzle.
A quarter Of an inch hole in the pipe is COW
cred with the apex of a brass contca-shaped
cap, which fits into the aperture sc as to
make it dust proof. This inverted cone fits
loosely upon a rod held upon the ri0e so
that when the water is turned on the cap
is lifted from the hole by the pressure. The
cap is nodded with small fans which, being
caught up bJ the water, cause the cap TO re-
+ Koive at greet speed whereby the stream is
converted into fierce spray. Each Of these
attachments which throw the wafer inward
cover an area of fifteen fee. or more. Sc
that they would have to be placed at only
distance Of ten feet apart.
Chief Haze put his new invention t. the
test yesterday aftern1 on in No 2 insurance
pafr2l system al 1910 ST. Louis avenue. The
70 4 t5 y -tizre feet square, and pro-
Yi6ed with cement floors, was rugged with
the stand-ripes, which were suspended three
feet from the ceiling. One Of the automatic
npzzels was placed at each corner Of the
square formed by the pipes and another in
the center making but five in ALL The fire
was mace from a pile Of saturated wood and
bales OF hay On the floor, over which were
SUSPENDED SETON batting reeking with oil. H.
Clan kson- the insurance rater Of Kansas; NJ.
b. Lawrence, Harry Rankin and James Pea
Vey, 6 brother of the Chicago grain man.
were among those present.
W zen the torch was touched to the hay
names leapeG up at once, communicated TO
the saturated cotton OF waste and licked the
wooden ceiling Of the room. Then Chief Hale
ordered the water turned on. Then the sound
CT rushing water, and everyone was driven
from the Place by heavy clouds Of smoke To
Gil intepts and purposes it was a building On
hre, but in minute no fame Was left. The
visitors who had begun to fear Tor the huiId
ing. were convinced. The ceiling was NOT
even seriously bIaCkene1.
When the smoke had cleared away Chief
Hale ordered the water turned On again so
that his invention could be seen IN opera
ton. Each Of the brass caps lifted from the
apertures and the water divided by the in
verted cone aud tossed by the revolving fans
broke into spray. Soon the room was filled
with a thick mist and Sc saturated with mois-
ture that no fame could withstand it,
Mr.. Ciarkson, who had suggested to Chief
Hale that he solve this problem Of tall build
ing protection, was entirely satisfied as were
also the others present. Mr. Peavey is now
having the Midland elevator fitted UP with the
device, and Mr.. Rankin asked for figures for
the new Maple Leaf elevator in Kansas City
Kan.