The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-08
FIGHTING BIG FIRES.
supt. Maguire's Opinion of Col.
GondNear's Suggestion

Goodyear's Suggestion.
Fire Superintendent Mcguire was asked
,-asterday if he agrees with Col GOODYEAR
in the suggestion that joint fire station
for Bruins wick Jacksonville and Savan-
nah be maintained at Waycross.
4 cannot say that l am Impressed with
fine suggestion of Col. Goodyear" Super
intendent Mcguire said: IL would be
nu,h more to the advantage of the cities
named if sufficient reserve apparatus were
bought and kept on hand for emergencies.
rather than have it located a hundred
miles away from the point which might
need IT, When fire breaks loose from
the building in which it originates and
communicates with adjoining property
that is the time you must be ready to
meet it with engines, hose and water, and
NOT be compelled to wire other places for
assistance.
Fires are strange things to handle; they
have a certain individuality. Each fire
burns in a different way and it requires
experienced men equipped with proper ap-
pYances, at all times. Should a fire once
eel beyond control in a thickly built
wooden section it would in all proba bility
burn every building in reach before the
reserve apparatus could be received from
Uaycross.
"Conflag rations occur under such varying
conditions that no man can possibly fore
see them and therefore no general plan
can he laid down for controlling them. All
we can do to avert them is to see that
the fire department. is properly euuipped.
that an ample sufficiency of hose is kept
on hand and that a proper end sufficient
number of men are employed to efficient
IN handle the same.
"The most important thing, however. is
an abundant supply of water with d.
rect and steady pressure, which should
not be less than so pounds at the nozzle.
Good strong mains should be laid which
will permit of. increased pressure during
fires The great trouble al Jacksonville
during the late fire was because of a lack
of water-a short while after the fire
spread. Under ordinary circumstances
the water supply in that city would be
sufficient for a large fire, but the great
trouble was caused by property owners
opening their hydrants and using garden
hose to protect their property and
when four or five hundred of these hy-
drants were opened the water was rapid
~ used up and the consumption exceeded
the supply. The engines could not fur
nish proper streams and the hydrant lines
became practically useless. The fire
spread in every direction and more hy-
drants were opened, and no doubt when
buildings took fire the occupants aban-
doned them without even stopping to
think Of shutting off the water AS the
fire increased the supply of water di-
FINISHED proportionately, until the en-
gines had to be depended upon altogether.
1t is therefore apparent that the con-
dition of the mains. the pumping facili-
ties Of the waterworks and the supply of
water is of all Importance.
Laws should be enacted by which a
heavy fine would be levied against any
person who would allow the useless
waste of water while a fire is in progress
and a reward should be offered for the
proof to convict persons guilty of causing
or allowing such waste. l do not mean 10
say that the public should not be allowed
to use the water at such times, but 1
think that any work whereby the interests
of the public would not suffer If delayed
should be postponed until more oppor-
tune time. 7'Jo~'R
Another matter occurs to me which is
of much Importance in preventing disas-
trous CONGREGATIONS and that is the strict
enforcement of the law against single
roofs or of other infiamable material.
Owners of buildings having shingle roofs
should not be permitted to make the
slightest repairs to any part of the build
Ing unless they would, consent to cover
the roof with tin. think it would be
well to so so far as to not even allow a
single roof house to be painted until af-
ter it had been timed We have hun
dreds of shingle roofs in this city and
while the ordinances forbid the repair of
the same the owners frequently repair
the interior and if the shingles are in
good condition tin is never. thought of.
Ny idea is that shingle roofs should be
done away with as rapidly as possible"