The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-07


from 76 to 12O pounds. steam pres
sure ranging from 80 to 100 pounds,
blowing off at 100 pounds The i'm
perceptible difference in pressure
when this station was turned was very
discouraging to all interests, as con-
siderable reliance was placed upon
this plant in case of emergency
Unless steamers are to be entirely
relied upon, additional boiler and
pumping capacities are absolutely es-
sential. A duplicate supply main or
flow line to the point of distribution
IS necessity now The elevation OF
present supply main on frame treStle
is a menace to the water supply The
system is burdened with too great a
supply of small mains.
THE KANSAS FIRE INSURANCE
INSPECTION OFFICE.
Ofhclals of the water company claim
that the man who represented the Ed
ridge agency at the pumping station
during the fire test does not understand
engineering, and that his statements
are not only misleading and false, but
are rendered ridiculous by their evident
lack of technical knowledge
superintendent Jesse Shaw said this
morning: There are a good many
things in this report which ought to lie
denied, because they create such false
impression. 1 dislike to engage in Il
dispute with the insurance people on
this matter, but there are a few things
feel ought to be mentioned:
For one thing the report seems TO
give the impression that the water
company had been preparing for this
test, and had three boilers in service
and so pounds Of steam on at a.
Monday We have been carrying from
90 to so pounds of steam on those boil
erS ever since the plant was put into
service since the flood. Usually we
have only two boilers fired up, but
Monday morning all three were fired
up because we were about to change
one OF the boilers, and put in the ex-
ira one While the other was cleaned.
did not know there was going to be a
test of the water pressure, and did not
notify any of our men to get ready.
did not start out to the west pumping
station till about o'clock, and reached
there about 9:45.
This report says that the pump in
service was rated at 81 revolutions Per
minute, and had to be driven at A rev.
olutionS. The pump is rated at Sc rev.
olutions, and it did not make "A while
was at the pumping station. Nor did
/ see any effort made to use the other
pump. The one pump was giving 145
pounds pressure, and that was suffi-
cient. 1t is absurd to say the pump
lost its suction. If il had lost it's sue
ton, it could not have maintained 115
pounds pressure. 1t also stated that
the water in the boiler gauges disap-
peared. showing that the pumps were
using more steam than the boilers
could furnish, and in the next breath
it admits that the boilers were blowing
off at 10 pounds. The fact that the
water disappeared in the gauges simply
showed that the boilers needed water
After the water disappears in the
gauges, the engineer has half an hour
to supply more water
IF necessary, the two pumps at the
station can be run in unity to furnish
pressure, but it isn't necessary The
second pump was kept running slow
ly crawling we call it, during the
test to be ready in case of emery
encies. This is always done during big
fires.
1.-The pressure at the plant was
maintained at as high a point as we
ever expect to carry, and l do not
fully understand why there is so much
difference between the pressure at the
plant and the pressure at the fire de-
partment- The only reason I can
think of was that so many streams of
water were being used between the
two gauges that the pressure was de-
creased to an unusual degree.
Nor do 1 understand why the
Harrison street pumps were not more
effective. They seemed to be giving
good pressure, but their effect on the
pressure at the point of delivery was
hardly apparent. That is a matter
which 1 propose to investigate on my
own responsibility.
This test shows that the boiler
capacity of the plant west of town and
the Harrison street station is excel |
lent; that we can make more steam
han we need. It also shows that as
far as endurance is concerned our
ment that the pump pounded badly, |
and that parts of the machinery were
IOOsened. OF course the pump pound
I'd more than it does when running
under domestic pressure, but there
was no damage to the machinery"