Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-11
Probable Addition to Equipment Of
District Fire Department.
COMMISSIONER WIGHT WITNESSES TEST
The Apparatus Regarded in BaIti-
more as indispensable.
OTHER IMPROVED METHODS

ment, visited Baltimore yesterday for the
purpose of witnessing a test of one Of the
two water towers Of the Baltimore fire
department., 1t being the intention OF Mr..
Wight to recommend the purchase Of one
or two of these towers for the District fire
department. Yesterdays test was made
under the personal direction Of Chief
McAfee of the Baltimore fire department,
and Mr.. Wight was fully convinced by the
operation of the apparatus and its capa-
bilities that the District department should
be supplied with one at least of these ma
chimes at the earliest opportunity.
AS has been heretofore explained in The
Star, Mr.. Wight some time ago reached
the conclusion that the existence here of
many tall buildings and the almost con-
slant erection of such buildings, demanded
the procurement for the District fire de-
partment of such a piece of apparatus 1t
occurred to him that with some slight al
terations the hook and ladder trucks of
the department might be converted, when
the occasion arose, into such machines.
But as was stated in The Star at the time,
an experiment recently conducted here
with one of these pieces of apparatus con-
clusively demonstrated that such make
shift cannot be made to perform the work
of water tower. AT the suggestion of
Mr.. Israel Rosenfeld of Baltimore, the
chief of that city's fire department invited
towers and the test was made at o'clock
yesterday afternoon in front of Baltimore's
municipal building.
The Test Made.
Chief McAfee, a young man who has de-
voted the best part of his life in the study
and work of fighting fires, and who is
recognized as one of the most capable and
progressive fire chiefs in the country, per-
sonally conducted the test Two large
steamers of the Baltimore fire department
were called to the scene and attached to
the water tower When the water from the
two steamers was turned into the receiving
chamber of the tower the first section of
the tall steel ladder was raised to up
right position entirely through the action
of the water, the force of which is controll-
ed by a small valve at the base of the ap
paratus. The second section of the tower
is raised by wheels at its base Within the
frame work of the tower, which, when
fully extended, reaches height of nearly
100 feet from the ground, runs a large
metal pipe, within which are concentrated
the streams of the steamers attached to the
apparatus. This metal pipe runs through
one section of the tower, and when the lad
der or tower is fully extended the pipe
forms the upper half of it. Despite the fact
that five or six steamers may be attached
to the tower, only the slightest movement
is observable in the upper half of the lad
der even when the full force of the steam
ers is turned on.
At the uppermost point of the metal pipe
about any sized nozzle may be attached.
Yesterday one of about two inches was
used, and, although but two steamers We're
connected with the tower, a stream of wa
ter was easily thrown over 200 feet. BY
means of very simple mechanical appliance
at the base of the tower, the nozzle can be
turned in any desired direction and lowered
or raised at will. On the platform at the
base of the tower are two large pipes.
When desired steamers can be attached to
these pipes and very powerful streams of
water forced through them. With a most
convenient lever these two pipes can be
raised or lowered as the operators desire
and the streams from them turned in any
desired direction. With the water tower,
therefore, not only can a most powerful
stream of water be played into the highest
of buildings, but two hardly less powerful
streams of water can at the same time be
thrown from il upon the lower floors of the
burning building.
The Tower Indispensable.
mo fire department" said Chief McAfee,
speaking to a Star reporter who accom-
panied Mr.. Wight "can afford to be with
out at least one water tower. We have
two Of them here in Baltimore, and despite
the fact that we have, outside of them, q
very large and splendidly equipped depart
ment we would be seriously crippled
| should we find ourselves unable for any
reason to use our water towers. They are
simply indispensable to a fire department
which Is called upon at times to fight fires
in very tall buildings. One of our towers
responds to every alarm in the business
section of the city, the other being held in
reserve. AS you have seen. the apparatus
is not only simple in construction but can
be operated wholly at the base of the ma
chine with the utmost ease. Fire is much
more easily and quickly subdued when you
are enabled to throw water on 1t from a
level or nearly level position. and in the
case of very tall building in flames YOU
are enabled to do this with a water tower
Time and time again where we found a very
hrrr fTtr In
most floors we have been able by means of
the tower to confine the fire to that story.
whereas If we had to depend upon ladders
or upon throwing the water from the
ground the entire building would be de-
stroyed, and others with it very often /
am surprised to learn that the District fire
department does not possess water tower
but NOTHING should be left undone by your
municipal authorities to secure at least
one of them. and at the earliest moment"
Combination Hose Wagon
After the test of the water tower was
concluded Chief McAfee conducted Mr.
Wight to neghboring steam engine
house and showed him through it. Then
he called out the combination hose wagon
which runs with every steamer in BaI,i
more the old-time hose carriages, which
are still used here, having been discarded
by the Baltimore fire department some
time ago. These hose wagons are MANN
featured by the Holloway Company of Bal
more feet of hose for the steamers but
also two large stationary chemical reser-
voirs or tanks, with $50 feet of hose for the
throwing of chemically prepared water.
Inese hose wagons are drawn by two
horses, and Chief McAfee stated thai
nearly DO per cent of all fires in Baltimore
are extinguished by the wagons without
calling into service the steamers.
Chief McAfee accompanied Mr.. Wight "
the Holloway factory, where Mr.. Holloway
escorted the party through the establish
ment, explaining the manner of manufac-
turing the chemical engines combination
nose wagons and fire extinguishers made
by the firm So well pleased was Mr. Wight
with these combination wagons that # Is
probable he will order one, if not more, for
the equipment of the District fire DEPART
ment, to be located in the business section
of the city, the chemical engine there now
to be used in some suburban section. IT
is also probable that Mr.. Wight will en-
deavor to secure authority from Congress
to dispose of the hose carriages now used
here and replace them with these combina-
ton wagons.
Department Strengthened,
If this should be done, every one of the
fourteen steam engine companies of tbe