The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-07
WANTS MORE WATER
MAYOR READS A LESSON IN THE
JACKSONVILLE FIRE.
RESERVE OF WATER NEEDED.
MEASURES TO SECURE II MAY BE
ADOPTED BY CITY.

| Mayor Myers Considering Savannnh's
Ability to Cope with Genera.
Fire-City in Better State of Pre-
paredness Than Many, but Reser-
vOir Should BE Enlarged and Two
More Wells sunk-This Required
Anyway for the Ordinary summer
| SuppIy-Mayor Does Not Approve
Suggestion for a Joint Fire Sta
| tion-BeIieVes Each City should
Have "a Reserve and Protect IeseIf.
The great fire at Jacksonville has stir
| red Mayor Myers 10 very careful consid
| Grafton of Savannahs water supply, and
| its ability to cope with serious contia-
grafton. The thought he has devoted TO
the matter has by no means left him sat
| isfied, and he may advocate measures
that will serve to render the city more
capable of preventing so devastating
| holocaust as that which swept Jackson
vile.
"A greater supply of water" said the
Mayor yesterday, should be in reserve.
| There would then be less danger of
| general conflagraton. Savannah is prob
ably more fortunate in her water supply
than other cities, as the old waterworks
on the river may be brought into action
within fifteen minutes after an alarm of
fire and made to supplement the supply
furnished for the fremen by the new wa
terworks.
Yet there should be even greater pro-
vision than the addition of the old water
works for such emergencies as that in
which Jacksonville found herself. The
water supply was not continued there,
ana that was probably largely respon-.
sible for the extent of the damage. The
capacity of the reservoir at the new
water works in Savannah should be en-
larged, thereby affording room for a
greater store of water to be held in re-
serve.
I'VE are also considering the advisable
ity of sinking two new wells at the new
water works. During the summer days
the supply is not entirely adequate to
the demand, and it sometimes happens
that the pressure is not sufficient to car
ry water to the top floors of buildings of
three stories in hight. With a greater
supply, such as two additional wells
would provide, this difficulty could be re-
moved.
The enlargement of the present reser-
volr would serve, too, for the retention
of the over-production of the wells at
night, and the water accommodating then
could be used during the day The scar
city that is sometimes noted by house
holders could thus be prevented"
II is probable that some measure will be
introduced in Council at an early date,
looking toward the improvements that the
Mayor contemplates. With so striking an
object lesson as Jacksonville supplies. it is
not probable that the aldermen will be
| likely to pass over the consideration of
plans that might conduce to Savannah's
| greater safety
The Mayor was asked what he thought
about the suggestion of Col. c. P. Good
year of Brunswick. published in the
Morning News of yesterday, relative to
the establishment by Jacksonville, Bruins
| wick and Savannah of a Joint fire station
| at some intermediate point, say Way
| cross, whence it might send it's apparatus
to either city in time of need Col. Good
| year advocates such a station, but the
| Mayor does not concur in the plan
| Il question the ACCESSIBILITY of such a
course" said the Mayor. IF the basis
of expense in the establishment of such
a station were to be population, Savannah
| would have to bear the brunt of it. But,
| aside from that objection, there is the
| question of practical advantage. When it
| Is discovered that additional fire appa-
| ratus is needed, 1t is needed at once. The
| critical time in fighting a hagra ton is
| just when the head of a fire department
sees that his own force is scarcely compe-
tent to deal with the situation. Il is of
little use then to call for apparatus that
| is 100 miles away. Two hours delay is
| worse than dangerous.
Much the better plan would be for
| every city to adopt it's own special pre-
| cautions against general fire. 1t is easi-
| ly done. Let every one. establish re-
serve. Two or more engines might be
| thus held in readiness. If it is beyond
| the means of a city to pay firemen for
such reserve apparatus, then let there be
a volunteer force organized, which might
be called out in time of need to operate
the reserve engines. Then the help would
be right at hand. A fire chief would not
have TO telegraph for aid and then await
its coming. BY sounding an additional
alarm, he could get the extra apparatus
within a short time.
I'm yet another way could every city
decrease the chances of great confa-
grafton. Tin roofs should be required
While 1 do not know that such was the
case, yet suspect that many of the roofs
of the Jacksonville houses destroyed were
of shingles. Had they been of tin there
would not have been such great danger
With high wind blowing and sparks fly
ing in all directions. il could not but be
expected that roofs made of shingles
would be ignited, and that soon there
would be fire in dozens of places What
good would two extra engines. called from
Waycross, be in such an emergency? BY
the time of their arrival the extent of
the flames would be such a S to render the
firemen powerless to stop them.
Cities on the South Atlantic seaboard
should exercise every precaution against
FIRE. The region is subject to high winds
that, when once they set in prevail for
hours. These sweep sparks before them
and wooden roofs only serve to supply
material upon which the flames may feed.
Such roofs and corniees should not be
allowed"