The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-11
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
What Captain Mccarthy Said at the BeIYidere
Hall Meeting.
NOT FOR THE MONEY.

In his speech at Belvidere Hall Satur-
day night Captain Mccarthy spoke as
follows concerning the Fire Department:
II wish to take a step In advance of
all my contemporaries on the subject Of
fire departments. I deliberately declare
that in my opinion the steam fire engine
of to-day is a back numbr as to large
cities like New York. Chicago Boston.
Philadelphia, and st. Louis, and that the
fire engines of these cities will soon reach
their resting place on the junk pile. To
explain this somewhat novel assertion.
listen to the story Of the fire engine, as
can tell it from my observation.
II remember when the fire engine was
a small water-tight box on wheels, con-
tanning powerful pump. worked by the
strong arms of volunteer firemen. This ma
chine was drawn by energetic men to the
danger point, and filled with buckets of
water taken from the wells, springs and
hydrants in the immediate neighborhood,
and when the box was filled The pumps
were worked and the stream thrown OH
the fire. a little later, when Giles and
towns laid their water mains, these ell
gines were attached by a short section
Of hose to the fire-plugS and were zap
idly filed and kept full OF water and The
sams pumping process commenced Still
alter on the remarkable ingenuity Of the
american mechanic produced the steam
fire engine, which from the first was a
powerful and wonderfully efficient ma
hine. Two splendid engines were built
IN this city. If remember correctly, for
the Russian Government by the Edmunds
md doubt exceedingly if any better en-
Zines have been built anywhere in this
country since. Now we continue to run
% the fire with these antiauated toys.
hitch them on to the nearest fire hydrant,
md with steam and nc.c, proceed to
brow a feeble and helpless stream on
vild ungovernable CONGREGATIONS. In
many cases which I have observed the
streams not only failed to break out the
ash in the windows. but actually left
she panes of glass unbroken. The slight
st obstruction diverts. breaks up. dissi-
yates and minimizes the force and eff
cheney of the stream and the fire pro
leeds. All we need in any great city Of
he United States. in order that it may
he wiped off of the face of the earth. is
me fire Just little larger than we have
~ecently had: that one good fire should
-et beyond the control OF the engines
md the inefficient unscfentific fire ma
hines OF our cities. IF it is desirable
hat the ctv of Richmond and the larger
-ities Of the country should ba saved
rom comnlete destruction, this whole,
,vstem must be renovated and new and
letter methods employed.
pTGNTY ENGINES.
"rrf1e pigrny engines which are now at
.ached to the hre-plugs to pump the
helpless streams on the fire must give
way to the most powerful and effective
humps which can be built. regardless Of
,ost, worked by water power. combined
Nth electricity and easily controlled and
>ut into operation instantly by electric
ignals from the central fire station If
,ecessary. millions Of dollars must be In
vested by the larger cities Of the coun-
.ry to INSTALL instead Of peripatetfc pig
ny. engines OF to-day. great and power
rul stationary pumping machines at pro-
or places on the system of water mains.
These pumps must have sufficient power
20 burst the mains and at least give suff-5
,ient pressure at any fire hydrant to
.,~ce stream Of say three inches in di-
ometer, from Is to 100 feet perpendfcu-5
,arly In the ARA stream Of sufficient
eorce to knock out. not only the SASH
'>,It the window frames of an ordinary.
huiIding-the mower to DESTROY an ordi-
,ary roof and even to push over and de-
-troy an ordinary nine or thirteen inch
wall. In Richmond. by way OF tllustra-s
ton, such a plant might be located at or
near the power-house OF the Virginia
electrical ard Development Company,