The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-09-28
SNAKE HILL SAFE.
Underwriters Pleased With
the New Fire Fight
ing Plant.
FREEH0LOERs INSPECT IT
Test OF All the Apparatus
Made Without Warn
ing Yesterday.

Snake Hill at last has an adequate fire
| fighting plant and the lives Of the 1,30l
county charges and prisoners long imper
illed through the neglect Of previous
Boards Of Freeholders, are now at least
reasonably safe from the ravages Of fre
should one occur at any of the institu-
tions. These facts were demonstrated te
the satisfaction of representatives Of the
New York Board of Fire Insurance I'm
deIWriters and the members of the Board
of Freeholders themselves yesterday af-
tcrnoon.
The tests were made under the most I'M
propitious conditions, but nevertheless
were eminently satisfactory. No notice OF
the coming Of the Freenolders and insur-
ance representatives had been givn, and
consequently no special preparations
could have been made. The plant, though
not yet entirely complete, IS certainly one
of the greatest Improvements made at
Snake Hill in years.
The party arrived at the penitentiary
about one o'clock, and after a substantial
dinner proceeded to inspect the plant. AT
the rear of the penitentiary the splendid
Worthington pump, which was almost
useless in its former position further from
the river, had been placed in a newly con-
structed one story brick building closer
to the river and with a capacity for
pumping 500 gallons minute from the
Hackensack. it was found to be mora
than adequate for the purposes of supply
ing the reservoir at the extreme summit
of the hill, while at the same time pro-
viding force of water for two 6-inch
fire hose, the streams of which went COM
pletely over the penitentiary. There are
valves for cutting off the supply to the
reservoir should a greater supply be need
ed for fire fighting, but with the pump
supplying the fire plugs alone the pres
sure would be so great that the hose
would scarcely be able to withstand it.
oners to handle the quivering nozzle OF
each of the hose.
The test was entirely satisfactory.
A visit was then made to the almshouse
where for nearly half a century from
three to five hundred enfeebled paupers
have escaped death by fire in the anti
quated fire trap only through good luck
and the careful watching Of the officials.
Here. under the direction of Warden
Ryan, an illustration Of the ability of
his subordinates to fight fire and their
facilities to do 1t was given. A two
wheeled reel, carrying 400 feet Of 6-inch
hose, was quickly run out, and soon a
big stream of water with force sufficient
to carry it to the roof was playing on the
tall building. This test was made with
ort the aid of the pump, but simply with
the water supplied by gravity from the
reservoir at the top Of the hill. Subse-
quentlv another test. pumping the water
directly from the river to the main sup
plying the fire plugs, was made and was
found to be even more satisfactory.
The rest Of tie old frame shanties for
rrerlv used as an insane asylum but now
&C cvnfed BY aged ,naic Pa apers. was then
vissted, and Deputy Warden John Stewart
gave very satisfa terry exhibition OF the
s,ssllty Of his assistants to cope with q
conf1agration, should one occur, despite
the very dangerous character Of the build
ings. 1t was also seen that the fire-plugs
located here could readily be used to fight
IRE at the rear Of the immense brick
insane asylum
The final test was at the Asylum. Here
three plugs. enclosed in little houses. each
containing two hose, 400 feet In length,
have been placed. The water that carse
by gravity from the reservoir was found
to have sufficient force TO reach any part
III the roof of the building without the
aid Of the pump. a test or the force on
the tois door Or the building showed that