The evening times., 1901-10-11
A FIREMEN'S EXPOSITION.
Four American Companies Repre-
scented at Berlin

The State Department has just received
a report of she Fir, mems Exhibition re-
Gently held at Berlin from Frank H. Ma
son. the United States Consul General at
that city. Four American companies We're
represented at that exposition. Referring
10 this Mr. Mason says:
The Indifference OF American eNhib-
I itors, VINO are known TO represent the
highest Development Of 6re-sxtinEuishiug
machinery. was a real disappointment TO
the managers Of this exposition. but can
DE explained mainly by the fact that many
Of them had made large expenditures for
exhibition at Paris last year. Cr were
I busy this year with the Pan-AmeriCan
display. and did not feel disposed 20 make
an additional exhibition at BerIin-
ITO what extent they have thereby lost
a valuable opportunity is a point upon
which expert opinion is somewhat disa-
greed. IL needed but a glance at this eK-
position to show that complete and ad-
mirabIe as il was in many features. II
represented machinery and methods
adapted TO conditions which are radically
different from those which exist in the
| United States. The engines. both hand
and steam-for the hand-driven pumping
/ engine still plays an important part in
| than those in use with us. Such steam
| fire engines as made any pretense 70 high
power were enormously heavy in proper
| tion to their water delivery. and nowhere
/ in the exposition was there any provision
I for fighting fire above the altitude Of a
/ hve-stOry building.
/ The exposition as n whole was cSpe-
| cially strong in portable extension lad
| ders. OF which there We're many types.
| worked by hand, compressed air, and 9TH
l CT means Several Of these. working 90 a
/ height Of sixty-fve and seventy feet. are
| quick. easy. and sure in action, and the
| contests among the ladder companies
I brought out some very creditable and e.
| hcient work
| Another notable feature Of the expo
! sitiOn was the vast and elaborate display
/ Of sanitary appliances, including every
/ thing requisite for rescuing people from
/ burning buildings. resuscitatiug them
| when su6ccated, and the treatment Of
| wounds. burns. broken bones. and every
! other form of personal injury incident TO
/ fires In this department were exhibited
/ several surgical operating rooms sguIDped
| with Roentgen lights and every other ap-
/ pliance Of modern auJiseptic surgery
/ An American visiting this opposition
I
| Of the conditions and methods Of ire x
( tinguishment in Europe would be likely
| 10 have brought away certain very dis
/ unct Impressions The first Of these
! would have been the discovery that hand
/ labor plays a far more important Fart in
! the economy Of fire control IN Europe
| than IN the United States Here we're
/ IA 10 fire engines not only Of old and
| primitive patterns as historical relics. tut
| new and Of handsome construction, IN an
] Ha.
| metal, machines which have been OEsO-
/ lete in all except remote country towns Of
/ the United States for more than quarter
1 q century. Dlt which Stlil form a Iart
! OF the equipment Of large European cities.
/ Hand stretchers. tw0-wheeIed ambulance
/ couches for propulsion by hand, ard a
I number Of other fixtures show that the
/ age % labor-saviug machinery by h0-se.
/ steam, and electric power has not yet
| come IN these older countries. SeconlIy.
! an vehicles, hose ..arts. ladder va gOus.
| steam and chemical engines are, In re
| speCt To running gear. far heavier and
i Ingrs clumsy tnau those ln use in the Uni
/ ted States
The FIRE engines themselves. IN point
/ OF boiler capacity, pump efficiency, and
/ engine energy. are smaller Dy nalf than
/ those OF American types. buL the wheels.
| aNlesr ana frames on which they run are
/ OF great weight and solitity. II Is JO be
/ said, 81 course. that the American engine
I must run farther. faster. and 70 a much
/ greater number OF more dangerous fires
q
I wear out In few years while the Ger
[ man or Austrian or Russiau-huilt fire en-
giue should last for generations.
There were in the whole exposition
/ but two lOComObiie fire engines but these
[ were Of excellent model and efficiency. and
/ were exhibited by a German maker
tlnally. the impression is everywhere
/ enforced tnat an this Daraphernalla IS
/ designed for and adapted To the require
! mtuts OF cities and towns IN which the
/ buildings are practically hreprOOf and In
q q FrrH. E..H H.E.
/ tIOuS as do occur are confined 10 tla
/ room, or, at the worst To the fIOor. y
I which they originate The wOodln-ulliit
{ ShlnEte-TDOfed dwelling. the futer,Irba-
lumber yard and planning mill the frame
| block with wooden sIairWayS-au these
are unknown Ia these older countries and
| the peril OF C0nhaEratiOn in cities and
/ 1.WL.s lS corT-SpOndinEIy decreased
The chiefly valuable result that has
been accomplished By the exposition has
| unguestlOnably been its efficiency as a
meeting ground for persons and delega-
/ lfpus especially interested in insurance
architecture, and fire department admin
/ lstration- Nearly every city or large town
/ IN Continental Europe sent its chief Of
fire deparf-ugur. its mayor. or other uu-
! uicipal pttr. I'D study the systems and
apparatus Dyed By other and more
| advanced Municipalities Engines ladder
/ equipments. and other highly improved
I apparatus have been sold many times
| over from samples exhibited here and Ii
| Is notable that these sales reach to the
D
! kan States. Fire companies from Rome
| Milan. Vienna. and Budapest have shown
[ their efficiency Of dril and service in com.
| petition with the fremen Of Berlin. Ham
/ burg. and Leipzig Even Japan s,ut ar
/ expert delegate, who took am active and
! interested part IN the Proceedings
/ "A highly interesting department was
that devoted 10 street cleaning machinery
! ia which ermauy-gsUeciaIlv the mUuic
/ Ipality Of Errliu-hClds very advanced
! position Here was "a display which in,
CluGed automatic street-sWge ma
! chimes Of many kinds. sprukling carts
| dustIeSS ash and refuse wagons and 9th
/ er raphernalia which Americans might
| have adydutd EeuuSly studied. Asbestos
| hreProOf glass, and cement plates and
/ blocks OF many different kinds and mate
rials. and M least a dozen different meth
DDS Of rendering wood practically non
| COmbustibie by imUreguaUon-aU thes'
| contributed Co enlarge the scope and edu
! catioual interest OF the exposition
| Especially noteworthy were the uu'
| displays made by the Russian. Italian
1 and Austrian Governments These IN
| cludpd not only "a fun exhibit Df the en-
gines. ladders. ambulauces. and other ap
| paratuS used in Vienna Moscow. 81
! mapS showing the whole territory of
/ kingdom or empire. marked with the lcoa
| ti0n of each fire district To this Wal
added a large and very interesting depart
meuL of statistics. in which were ShoWI
the percentages of losses OF life aut
property by fire. the accounts paid for IN
! suraBce the Increased security OF mCdCrI
municipal property through ureproof con
| etruFtfDu and efficient protective service