The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-31
GUARDING AGAINST FIRE
A Fine System to Be Employed at
the Buffalo Exposition.
A F1rst-CIass Department and Water
SuppIy-Engine Houses Equipped
With Up-tO-Date Apparatus
Pumps With Enormous Capacity.

Keenly sensible of the extraordinary fire
hazard attaching to the construction of
large temporary buildings, the Pan
American Exposition Company has taken
every possible precaution to minimize the
danger from this source. Experts pro-
nounce the character of construction of
the buildings superior to any at former
expositions. They also say that the fire
fighting facilities at the Pan-American
surpass any that they have seen at any
other exposition.
The Pan-American Exposition buildings
are insured for about $1,000, which is
the fun value Of the property. 1t is COR
servatively estimated by the foremost in
surance experts that there is no probable
fly whatever of any loss exceeding APP
proximately Is per cent.
The work of construction is under the
direct and constant surveillance of repre-
sentatives of the Buffalo Association OF
Fire Underwriters and subject to the APP
provsl of that body.
There is no point on the grounds where
the proximity of buildings to each other
is less than $50 feet, and in most cases the
Intervening distance is at least 200 feet.
There are three engine houses, equipped
with city apparatus and manned by
IS a three-horse fire engine, a two-horse
IIays) hook and ladder truck, and two
horse combination chemical and hose
cart. In another is a three-horse en-
CINE and a two-horse chemical and hose
cart. Similar apparatus is installed In
the third fire house.
The fire alarm system extends through
out the grounds. large number of boxes
being in commission, each of the larger
buildings having two. and the others one
each, the remaining boxes being dis
tributed about the grounds at points ac-
ces-ible from the smaller buildings not
owned by the Exposition Company.
In addition to the apparatus in the three
fire houses there are in position under
steam and ready for use three under
writers fire pumps with a capacity of
?,250 gallons per minute. These are In a
fre-proof vault In the powerhOuse at the
north extremity OF the grounds.
The entire construction for the cleo
trical installation in the Exposition is UNI
der the constant observation of an cleo
trical inspector. who is appointed by the
underwriters the expense being betrayed
by the Exposition Company.
The northern limit of the Exposition
grounds is about one mile south of the
city's northern limit. and the entire in
tervening region is included in the city
water supply system. the mains in streets
at either side of the grounds and the
street bisecting the grounds being six
teen inches I'm diameter. The main on the
east side of the grounds. which was laid
especially for the purposes of the Expo
sition, is twenty inches in diameter There
are seventeen two-way hydrants within
fine grounds, and sixteen within 800 feet
surrounding the grounds, connected to
the city system. IL is expected that in
case of necessity the city fire depart
ment VIII operate from these hydrants
There are two city engines outside the
Exposition grounds within a ten minutes
run.
The Exposition Company has installed
two complete water systems, one for do
mestic purposes, which has no hydrants,
and another for fire-hghting purposes ex-
ciusively.
The fire line is made OF wrought iron
nipe with long turn hydraulic httinss.