Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-23


something approaching an exact science
and the nav wrinkles therein that have
been adopted In the past few years
would puzzle any one not especially |
trained 70 the flre fighters trade.
The primary object OF nearly al the
new wrinkles 10 either 20 mako the IRE |
mans hszxrdous occupation less dan |
Rerous 70 himself or TO increase his em- |
cheney az life saver. And, ~ shown |
BY municipal statistics, the elimination |
OF fatalities ct flres both among firemen |
on duty and inmates Of burning build |
ings has been very marked In recent
years.
Tue very newest Ore fighting wrinkle
Il the eight" engine. The nrst engine |
Of this type will soon be put into service
by the Are department Of the city Of
New York.
The new engine will not be used d.
rectly to put out fires. IL will have q
high pressure boiler and high speed
engine, like oil other 6re engines, bat
Ia place OF pump and pipes Il will have
big electric dynamo and . powerful
searchlight. This searchlight will be
different from others, instead OF throw
Ing great beam long distance, Il will
radIate illumination over b wide area.
Nothing ID so productive OF accidents
at night fires az the darkness. In the
daytime and In light places, men are
seldom caught in trap, even when
;ssmotbersd Are" has eaten away the
props Of door or roof. II he can only
see, the freman's practiced eye can
generally discern indications OF danger
when the support on which he IL stand
Ing, or the particular place that he 10 APP
preaching has been undermined. But At
night he must bllndiy take chances,
trusting TO luck and agility for his es-
cape when the trap manifcsts itself by
the trembling that always precedes the
caving-in Of a roof or floor.
Often, even after the floor or roof has
sunk under his feet, the fireman might
still cave himself II he could only see.
Somewhere In most caves there ls q
way out, or shelter, but at night the
fireman, cropping helplessly In the DARK,
must rely entirely on bis sense OF touch
to find either.
With the slight" engine on the ground
conditions will be changed. Then the
fireman's work will be almost ~ fully
Illuminated at night rs In the daytime,
and the record Of fatalities will be very
materially lowered.
Although the life saving cage recent
~ adopted by the New York Are depart
ment has not yet been put TO q prscti-
cal test, the tiremen expect great things
from Il. II looks not unlike tobogEap.
II IL about six feet long and two and
half wide, with wire sides and curved
bottom made Of heavy metal. II Ia made
to run along . strong ladder. elevated
by means OF windlass and working on
a revolving platform fastened at the
front end Of the hook and ladder truck
that carried II. Il is attached to stout
wire cable which passes over pulley at
the top of the ladder and Is under the
control Of fireman whose station IL on
the truck.
The truck is brought close to the csrb
In front Of the building In which the Are
has cut of the inmates, the ladder is
elevated and swung into place, and
half dozen agile hremen shin up like
monkeys even before IL has found the
wall. Arrived st the top they make
their way through the windows Into the
rooms where the fire-bound people await
their coming.
All who can climb are sent down the
ladder In the ordinary way. When any
one unable to climb, through physical
disability, nervousness or fear, 10 found,
the Gag Is sent up With Q rush, the
ladder serving as runway. As soon rs
the cage reaches the window where It
IL TO be used, the unconscious or un-
willing person for whose rescue Il has
come Is bundled into II In an upright po-
sition. Straps furnished with strong
snaps are fastened about the head and
shoulders, and the cage k seht down
with It's human freight. II Ia estimsted
that one person can be rescued every
minute from \ height OF four stories
with the aid Of this continuance.
The smoke helmet, though not 50
novel, u an exceedingly useful contriv-
ance. 1t IL an awkward looking affair.
about two feet high and somewhat over
three feet In circumference. Ii IL carried
Ia polished hard wood case. and IL
guarded and tended rs carefully MS n
watch, for the firemen are very much
attached to It. fzs
| Il is made OF leather. IL covers the
head completely, and It's base rests on
the shoulders, where II IL held firmly
In position by means Of straps that run
under the armpit. II may be considered
luxury by the bremen, but TO persons
who are accustomed 10 taking their air
straight, existence In that helmet Ia
not pleasant. IL Is Intended TO be worn
10 places so filed with smoke that an
unprotected man could not exist therein
at all.
In front OF the eyes are little round
windows about ~ Ice the size OF u silver
dollar. These windows are made. OF
stout lsinglass, protected on the outside
by wire. Air is supplied from light
nickel reservoir carried at the back oil
the helmet and constantly kept charged
with compress ed air, an ordinary bicycls
pump being used 10 the charging. A,
the regulation pressure Of so pounds, tn,
helmet will carry enough air to supply
. man for several hours.
Protected by Il, \ fireman can carry
hose into places where formerly he
could not possibly venture; he can ex
plore With safety the most dangerouI
cellar; he can 60 anywhere without
risk so far Ms smoke or noxious gases syt
concerned, meanwhile keeping constant
" 10 touch with his comrsdes outside
by means OF whistle attached 10 tn
front Of the helmet and worked BY an
ordinary rubber air bulb.
One of the most interesting Of oil the
new Gre fighting wrinkles b life line
gun somewhat similar to those 10 use on
the coast In case OF shipwreck.-Boston