New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-09
RIVER WATER FOR FIRES.
BY WHICH THE FIREBOATS COULD BE
USED ON SKYSCRAPERS

The fire OF Sunday night. which burned on;
eral OF the upper stories Of the Home Life Insur-
ance Company Building. In Broadway the Fire
Department being unable to throw water the
flames at that altitude. has stirred the fire under
writers to fresh efforts for securing the installation
by the city OF a water system which shall enable
the Department 10 cope with possible fires. which
may occur in other lofty Office buildings OF this
city. The New-York Board OF Fire Underwriters
on Tuesday TO Mayor Van Wyck a letter
calling his attention to the great danger threaten
ing the city through lack OF means Of controlling
fires in these big buildings. and dwelling on the
need for further supply Of water. be delivered
in the city under greater pressure by gravity.
At a meeting yesterday No 1js Broadway of the
Executive Committee OF the National Board Of
Fire Underwriters. having jurisdiction Of the en-
tire country for consideration OF such matters as
insurance. water supply. fire departments etc.
the following resolutions unanimously
adopted
Resolved. That. IN the opinion Of this committee.
ii is desirable that municipalities. especially cities
OF the first class. should. in all cases where pre-
extnguishment Of mes
Resolved That. in the opinion Of this COMMITTEES.
using harbor water for exinguishing hres ana
flushing the and sewers etc. utilizing the
to that Of Boston. Milwaukee. Detroit and Cleve-
land. but with Pinch mains is vitality necessary
reduce fire hazard Of cities. and that all un-
derwriters should urge the immediate installation
Of such system upon the municipal authorities
These resolutions indicate tho opinion Of under
writer's generally as to the expedency Of municipal
ownership and control Of water supply-a most i'm
portant matter-and Endorsement Of Chief
Bonners plan for utilizing the water Of the two
rivers for the extinction OF fires. flushing OF
sewers and sprinkling OF streets. which would en-
able him, by means OF a system OF pipes. with
hydrant outlets at the river front. 70 utilize the
tremendous power OF the iireboats which the city
ne o
modern structures.
For several years Milwaukee. Detroit and Cleve-
land have had pipe systems OF this character.
which have given efficient service. Boston has
lately laid 12-inch mains for utilizing her ha--
Dor water. and lately in a fire test secured. with
a freboat quarter Of a mile away. 200 pounds
pressure six lines, with 1i,nch nozzles. thtow-
ing over the highest buildings: then by Samesing
or doubling, the lines threw two streams through
oi9-inch nozzle at the rate Of 1000 gallons min
ute. equal to the utmost capacity Of six OF the best
steamers. The loss Of pressure between the boat
ana the hydrant was only FIVE pounds. In Detroit
the nreDoats threw water with l6I pounds OF
pressure at the hydrant more than half a mlle
and Milwaukee has thrown two streams from one
hreboat with 2-inch nozzle 19s feet. through
nearly half "A mile of line
An interesting and successful test Of the special
Comnanv,s B,Iildinr in Lover Brnsdwav. was made
ncr Of he Fire Department and officers OF the
company. A duplex pump in tho cellar forced 4
stream Of water 20 feet mp 10 the roof. WneIc IL
distributed I'm 22-inch hose with TWO nozzle
each one inch IN diameter. the two streams peis
thrown clear the skeleton tower on the fooi
fifty feet higher and wetinc the roofs Of the SiofA
Exchange and other buildings across Newest from
the rear OF the Manhattan Life Building as Wei
causing an artificial rain IN Newest mere
was q pressure OF 20 pounds on tie pump az me
time of making the test. The pump mas a steam
cylinder or fourteen inches diameter. ana water
cylinder OF sht inches diameter. and rs stroke -
twelve inches.
President de ~ the Home Life Insurance com,
panv. said Yesterday morning that i was planned
now 20 have "A temporary roof placed on the home
Life Building. which suffered In sunday : hre, 20
that WO-kmen could proceed a. rapidly as poSS'
with the work the floors below tie sald ne
thought that the stonewOrk on the front OF the
building below the eighth floor would not nave 10
be rcplaced and that the stone for the upper
floors would he put on quickly as possible on
Ilt9tions had been held with officials Of the Bud-
agents in regard 10 the reftting Of the upper part
Of the building The steel framework or me
upper floors had not beer injured, except Tor on,
or two beams In unlmporunt part ewhlch Eou t
easily be replaced. The sheltering front OF me
building is completed. but cannot be used yet Pc
cause OF the danger from the ruins on either SIG
The Offices Of tenants will be repaired as rapidly
The employees Of the insurance company were
working Yesterday in overcOats. There are no
electric lights yet and the lCht in the halls is ny
lantern President Ide said that none OF tAs
papers Of the company had been destroyed anu
mat the Offices had not been damaged except
slightly by water.