Evening star., 1901-10-23
Independent Water System Proposed
for Business Section.
APPROPRIATION OF $500, 900 ASKED
Commissioners to Recommend the
Item in Next Estimates.
FEAT URES OF PLAN

to place in their Forthcoming estimates to
Congress an item for $5OO.OOO, which win
enable the District authorities to establish
what Is practically an independent water
service for the business section Of the city,
to be used for fire protection only. The
new service will be entirely separate from
the other and special street hydrants will
be erected.
The large mains leading to the fire plugs
will be connected with the Reno reservoir
on the heights Of Tenleytown. A sufficient
pressure will thus be secured to throw a
stream of water over the tauest buildings
In the downtown section without the AID
of a single fire engine.
The Importance Of this project which the
Commissioners will urge before Congress
can hardly be overeSttmated.
Much Of the delay in fighting fires in
all large cities Is the result Of having to
await the arrival Of the i.eavy steam fire
engines upon the scene and the many
couplings which have to be made in con-
nection with their use With the compile
trict fire department will be better equip
ped for handling conflagrations than In
almost any other large city Of the coun-
try H. conn,..,ona,. nil, nro,. ,,u s+ronat,
en- their position in asking the appropria-
ton for this service by the statement that
Its adoption will be a permanent addition
to the fire department, and will obviate
fire engines each year. OF course, the fire
engines will be invaluable aids to the de-
partment in fighting suburban fires and
those In residential districts.
In cases of extremely large conf1agrations
the engines at work on the low-pressure
hydrantS would materially assist the
streams from the direct pressure plugs.
Az Essential Features.
Light hose wagons would become the es-
sential features Of the fire department. The
installation of the new fire service would
result in a natural and permanent pressure
on street and Pennsylvania avenue down.
town which would carry water many hun
dreds of feet into the air and easily permit
the department to fight fire on the top
of the new Willard Hotel without fire en-
gines The heavy pressure direct from the
plugs would add inestimably to the value
and availability of the fine water tower
with which the District fire department has
recently been equipped
The plan for the new system is outlined
in a statement on the subject from Mr.. w.
A. Mcfarland, superintendent Of the water
department, who estimates the total cost
at $496. 235. This amount it is hoped Con-
gress will appropriate at once, or sufficient,
at least, to make material progress with
the work. The value Of the new system In
the protection from fire 1t offers the big
government departmental buildings is ex-
pected especially to appeal to the law maxi
ers In considering the project.
Superintendent Mcfarland first reported
upon the matter direct to Captain Chester
Harding U. 8. A., assistant to the Engi-
neer Commissioner, who has supervision OF
the water department. Captain Harding In
turn presented 1t to Captain Lansing II.
Beach, the Engineer Commissioner. and
Captain Beach laid the matter before the
District board, with the result that the
item will be placed in the estimates and
pressed as one Of the most important pro-
jects contemplated by the present board of
District Commissioners.
superintendent Statement.
Superintendent Mcfarland, in his state
ment, says:
'I have the honor to submit for your
consideration the following project for the
installation Of a separate high-pressure fire
service system for the city of Washing
ton.
"The project, in brief. is to utilize the
water pressure from the Reno reservoir,
having a mean elevation Of 415 feet above
tide level, by means Of large trunk mains
extending to the principal business sec
tions of the city, and by special high pres
sure hydrants, properly spaced over SUCH
territory as it might be desired to cover.
''The system Is to be used for fire protec-
ton only. The general arrangement OF
mains covers the principal business section
of the northwest, bounded by 9th, ana
18th streets and Pennsylvania avenue. The
system as planned, however, is capable of
subsequent extension to any desired extent
over territory inside Of the city limits. Such
extension would require only further lay
ing Of trunk and branch mains
''If a thirty-eight-inch trunk main be laid
an effective head Of water Of about 357 feet
will be obtained at hydrants on F street, for
example. while 10000 gallons of water per
minute are flowing through the mains. This
amount of water Is equivalent to thirty
strong fire streams through 1A-inch nozzles
The pressure on Pennsylvania avenue would
be some twenty feet greater.
456 Gallons Per Minute.
"As examples of what can be accomplish
ed by these pressures reference is made to
the elaborate experiments OF John R. Free
man. For instance. IL two lines of 21s-inch
hose. each 400 feet long, were siamesed into
one line near the play pipe. and q 1h-inch
smooth nozzle used at street level, a head
of 357 feet at the hydrant would project
stream of 456 gallons per minute to an ex-
treme height of $50 feet, or good effective
fire stream to a height of 100 feet.
"If single line of 21a-inch hose, 800 feet
long, were carried to the top of 20O-foot
building, the pressure would be sufficient to
deliver at that height volume of 18O gall
Ions per minute through a 1-S-inch smooth
nozzle and throw 1t to further height Of
forty feet; or, II needed thirty such lines
would deliver each an equal amount.
Estimated Cost.
even If 1000 feet of hose were used.
there would be delivered a volume Of 23O