The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-12
mir. CUMMINGS PLAN.
Explained It to Dunmore Borough
Council Recently Returned
After Installing Similar
Plant at White Haven.

A. B. Dunning, Of the Dunning Con-
struction company of this city, last
night delivered an address before the
borough council of Dunmore, by invi-
tation of it's members, on the matter
Of furnishing the borough with better
protection against fire.
Mr. Dunning has devised a system
which he recently installed in White
Haven, where it has proved big sue
cess. At the time Mr. Dunning went
to White Haven to supervise the work
of constructing the plant, mention was
made of the fact in The Tribune and
many jumped to the conclusion that
Mr. Dunning had left Scranton to make
his permanent home in White Haven.
That, Of course, was not the case. Mr..
Dunning has no intention of leaving
this city.
In his address before the Dunmore
council last night he said the system
he has devised, and which is showing
such good results in White Haven, is
intended to supply fire protection to
towns where the pressure is low, where
the supply for domestic purposes is
limited, but where there Is an abund-
ance of.polluted water; where the pres
sure is high and the volume small, or
where Typographical conditions make
the use of steamers impossible.
Mr.. Dunning explained to the MEM
bers Of council that his plan is to es-
tablish a pumping plant in some part
of the borough and close by have a
small reservoir that will hold guam
tity of water sufficient to extinGuish
o. Gra h1t in, pn
From this reservoir mains will be run
to the different sections of the borough
and connected with fire hydrants wher-
ever the borough authorities see fit to
locate them.
When an alarm of fire Is sent in an
electric appliance connected with the
alarm starts the electric pump at the
| reservoir and when the fire companies
attach their hose to the hydrants they
find a pressure of at least $50 pounds
| awaiting them. This pressure can, of
course, be increased. 1t is regulated
to suit the nature of the work to be
done. If necessary, a stream taken
from one of the hydrants could be
thrown as high as the Mears building
in this city.
A plant of this character could be in
stalled in Dunmore, Mr.. Dunning said
for $4,000 a mile, and would have the
effect of reducing insurance rates as
| much as twenty per cent. in some parts
| of the borough. The borough can put
the plant in. or, If it has not the money
available, a company of it's citizens
| could have it constructed and rent It
| to the borough for a term of years
! with the privilege of buying at the
! expiration of the contract.
The members OF the council seemed
! to be much impressed with the avail.
! ability of the plan for Dunmore.
| 1t is the intention of Mr.. Dunning to
organize company which will install
this system Of fire protection wherever
it is desired to have it. Where the sup
| ply of pure water is limited the water
for fire service can be obtained from
! any contaminated source available anC
turned into the storage reservoir, thus
outstanding the supply for domestic
purposes.
A strong advantage claimed for tho
new system Is that it prevents a re,
| duction of the pressure which always
follows the use of a large amount OF
water for fire purpose when II is taker
direct from the regular supply mains
| The plan helps the water company as
we'll as the municipality that adopts it,