Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-03-10
SEaRCHLIGHT FOR FIRES
Chief Croker's New Machine
Tested In New York.
FIREMEN THINK WELL OF IT.

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New Engine Has Two SearchIights.
Each of which Is of Six Thousand
Candle Power, and the Reflector Is
Eighteen Inches In characteristic
Chine Weighs sixty-dve Hundred
Pounds.
Fire Chief Croker and Chief OF Con-
struction Ryan of the New York fire
department witnessed builders trial
the other night of the new searchlight
engine which has been built for the de-
partment on plans suggested by Chief
Croker The engine was built in FL
mira and arrived AT New York few
days ago. The trial was made in front
of the house of Hook and Ladder COM
pauy 20 in Mercer street, just south OF
Houston street, and lasted for about an
hour, says the New York Sun After
watching the work of the new engine
none of the firemen present doubted
that it would prove a valuable addi-
ton to the fire fighting apparatus OF
the city.
One of the searchlights was fitted
with a lens for dispensing its rays into
q long parallelogram. When the light
from this was projected upon the front
of a building, it lit up the whole face
of the structure from the ground to the
fourth or fifth story, bringing into
sight every detail of the structure. The
value of this was shown particularly
when the rays fell upon buildings
which had fire escapes upon them. 1t
was evident that such a light would
enable the firemen TO work as II IN
daylight. The second searchlight was
fitted with only a plain glass, and its
rays cast n brilliant small circle or
light upon its object. The purpose of
this is to light the interior of buildings,
and it proved its ability to do this to
the satisfaction of all who saw it work.
The light, passing into a window, lit
UP the room behind as if an arc light
had suddenly been turned on inside.
This part of the apparatus is expected
to prove of great value i'll lighting up
buildings TO enable the insurance pa
troll to cover up exposed goods with
celebrity at the beginning of a fire, aid
the firemen in seeking for persons or
in exploring a building after fire has
been subdued.
lt lcllStS lOI llltSC NihbSNS
in the character of each light are car
ried separately and can he applied to
either protector. Double lenses can
also be applied to direct the rays into a
square. which will cover great amount
of surface or light up the whole width
of the street for n long distance TO IA
cilitate work when the street lights are
cut off or in dark neighborhoOds.
The two searchlights are both detach-
able from the machine and coils of in
sulated cable, each POO feet long, are
provided on two reels. which will make
it possible for the lights to be carried
TO any place near the machine where
they may be the most useful.
The body of the machine is the same
as that used in the smallest class of
engines now furnished to the New
York fire department. Instead of the
engines and pumps for projecting n
stream of water n dynamo and the en-
CINE TO drive il are provided, and the
two Searchlights are mounted one on
each side of the front of the upper part
of the engine just behind the drivers
seat. The searchlights and electrical
were furnished by the Bull |
lock company of New York city. The
lights are exactly the same as those
made for the United States navy and
are made so that their rays can be pro-
Jected TO any point around the ma
chine. Each is of 5000 candle power, |
and the reflector is Is inches in diane
ter. The machine weighs $500 pounds, |
or 500 pounds less than the same class |
of fire engine. AS soon as il is accept
ed it will resolve a number and be |
place on duty ut the house of engine
20, in Marion street. 1t will answer
calls in the district south of Fourteenth |
street or perhaps as far north as Tween |
ty-third street. and If it proves as salts |
factory as it is believed IL will, Chief |
Croker said. he would order about three |
more like il for other sections The
will answer calls in all parts |
Of the borough. 1t cost between $4,000 |
and $4,000. After the trial it was sent |
for the night to the repair shops of the |
It's love that makes the world GO /
round. but money makes IL 90 round /