Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-15
FOR FIGHTING FIRES
Novel Devices That Have Already
Proved Their Value.
AN ENGINE TO DISPEL DARKNESS
The Life-Saving Cage and How
It is Operated.
TO PREVENT SMOTHERING

Beyond doubt the firemen who ran
with the machine" in bygone years were
as persistent fighters of the flames and as
intrepid in The face of danger as their sue
ccssors of today. Yet not one in ten of
those old fellows would be competent to
serve in any thoroughly up-to-date fire de-
partment of these times. For fire fighting
has been reduced to something approaching
an exact science. and the new wrinkles
therein THAT have been adopted in the past
few years would puzzle any one not spe-
cially trained In the fire fighters trade.
The days when any one who could hold a
nozzle. swing tilt a ladder against
a house front would do for 1.-The depart
nert' have permanently passed away.
OF course. the net result of the introduce
ton of scientific devices for fighting fire
tends toward the greater salvage of prop
erty- But the primary object of nearly all
the new wrinkles is either to make the
hreman's hazardous occupation less dan
EerOus to himself or to increase his eff
cheney as a life saver. And. as shown by
municipal statistics. the diminution of ia
talitieS at iires both among firemen on duty
and inmates of burning buildings has been
very marked in recent years
Inc very newest fire fighting wrinkle is
the light engine The first engine of this
IRE department of the city of New York
1t was designed ny the recently appointed
chlet. Edward Croker. Once in use it will
undoubtedly be copied by every large CITY
in the country. and it has already been de-
cided by the New York department to add
several Others as speedily possible.
Not Water. but Illumination.
The new "nSine will not be used directly
10 help put out fires. Nor will it be used
at all in the daytime. But in the night
time it will be invaluable to the firemen
1t Will have a high-pressure boiler and
high-speed engine, like all other fire en-
gines. but in place of pump and pipes it
will have big electric dynamo ard a pow
ertul SearChnght. This Searchignt will be
different from all others. Instead of throw
ing a great beam a long distance, it will
rddiate illumination over wide area.
The ordinary searchlieht has a lens made
OF bars of glass running straight up and
down This concentrates the full strength
OF the light in solid beam that carries
anywhere from 500 feet to five miles In
the light designed by Chief Croker the glass
bars are placed horizontally in the lens
frame. This spreads the light. as shot is
spread out of a choke-bore gun. 1t doesn't
carry nearly so far, but covers much more
space on the target.
The introduction of the light engine
will mean the elimination of one of the
greatest sources Of danger, for the fire
fighters. Nothing is so productive of acct
dents at night fires as the darkness. In
the daytime and in light places men are
seldom caught in trap even when
"smothered fire has eaten away the props
of floor or roof. If he can only see the
freman's practiCed eye can generally dis
Germ preliminary indications of danger
when the support on which he is standing.
or the particular place that he is approach
ing, has been undermined. But at night
he can discern nothing of these indications
and must blindly take chances, trusting to
luck and agility for his escape when the
nv 1af no
always precedes the cavng in of a roof or
floor. Even if he notices the trembling in
time, or burst of flame. shooting out of
the Smudge. reveals ii to him. he frequently
finds himself unable to escape, because in
the darkness and smoke. he DOES not know
which way TO turn for safety. Often even
after the floor or roof has sunk under his
feet the fireman might still save himself
II he could only see Somewhere in n ).;t
caves there is a way out, or a shelter
but at night the fireman. cropping helplessly
in the dark, must rely entirely on his sense
Of touch TO find either.
Greater Efficiency.
With the light engine on the ground
conditions will be changed. Then the fire.
mans work will be almost as fully rlumi-
mated at night 4 in the daytime. and the
record of fatalities Will be very materially
lowered. Then the Pickering little night
lanterns, peeping through the smoke like
tiny yellow firefiies. will be things of the
past Moreover there will be greater eff
hc1ency as well as greater safety and
noteworthy increase of salvage. The fire
patrol men Will know just where to find
the most valuable goods, and how to cover
them up to the best advantage.
Like the ordinary steamer. the 'ligh,"
engine Will have an upright boiler. 1t vii
develop eighty horse power. all Of which
will h. employed in driving the dynamo
The cost viii he about $500. 1t will be
hauled by two horses and will be stationed
he. Of bn
district where fires are most dangerous and
costly and generally come al night. The
total weight Of the machine will be some
what over three tons; IL Will carry q crew
OF three men, an engineer. a fireman and
a driver. In proportion to the benefits il
Will bring. the light engines first cost
and the maintenance cost of about 81, 900
year are insignificant. though the small
towns Will probably not be able to use it
on This account. 1t would be impossible to
save this cost by adding a Searchlight
equipment to an ordinary steamer, for the
reason that the light, 10 be of any real
service. would consume all the power ;hat
the best engine could furnish.
The Life-Sa>inE Cage
Although the Hfe-saving cage recently
adopted by the New York FIRE department
has not yet been put 10 a practical test, the
firemen expect great things from It, II
looks not unlike toboegan. 1t is about
six feet long and two and a half wide with
wire sides and a curved bottom made of
heavy metal II is made 10 run along a
strong Ladder. elevated by means of a wind
lass and working a revolving platform
fastened at the front end Of the hook and
ladder truck that carries il. II is attached
TO a stout wire cable which passes over a
pulley at the top Of the ladder and is under
the control Of a fireman whose station is on
the truck. Alter the ladder has been raised
II Is swung around agairst the front of the
building. and then the cage" is ready for
business.