New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-20
MORE PRESSURE NEEDED.
Horner Fire Shoes Lack of SUI
fcient Water Supply.

Unusual difficulty has been experienced all winter
IN getting water AZ nearly all hres- Chief Purroy,
Acting Chief Kruger and Chief Croker have been
harupered IN their work 20 q great extent and
property worth Thousands OF dollars threatened IN
necessarily by FIRE because % the poor supply OF
water At yesterdays IRE az the Homer furniture
factory the lack of supply was most dangerous,
occurring. as = did. IN OF the most crowded
shopping districts The only way 20 remedy this,
chief Croker believes. is either TO put in expsn-
sive salt water plant or build several high power
pumping stations IN various parts OF the city where
the pressure is low.
For the greater part OF the winter there was
even more danger from FIRE 81 the anti
cuated hydrants These froze in weather scarcely
more than frosty and a. every FIRE precious mo-
nlents were spent IN thawfng out the hyersnts
when this had been done only a feeble stream. at
best. could be obtained. Chief Croker has made
continual representations that this danger should
be removed. as II easily could be. by system OF
suti-rreezlrg MIGRANTS. such as are used in cities
70 the north of this.
Robert J. Homer. senior member OF the furniture
firm after the fire expressed great Indignation at
the lack q water pressure He said:
z think Il ts shame that such a condition Of
affairs could exist right IN the business section
Of great city Ike this Ny men tell me II must
turned II before q sufioient stream OF water wSs
obtained
Deputy Che; Binns. when asked about the lack
OF pressure. said.
- ! here rom ENtE-FeNeTllI-SI the press
ri-e was 50 light that although there were six en-
-iucs Feeding tho water tower, SUFFICIENT stream
could not be had. Ordinarily. lines from four en-
eines vii give pressure OF . pounds az me ne
noZl-e- ne lll-ti4e-
. f~i~t is about - or - pounds ] asked Deputy
chief Duane about the pressure In this district and
De said = had always been su1aclent lie coulo not
/ When engines Nos e ana I. the first TO arrive
tho first alarm. hooked Up 20 the hydrants
the fire r. Twenty ourth-st. and the men
had stretched in the hose. they found they could
J get no They had 10 move TO Seventh
I Sye. and that caused a big delay.
Tne~- lzyAF he ~
. water department. and pressure was increased a
little not SUFFICIENT TO meet needs. That is
. the reason : sent IN the fourth alarm.
This incident calls more forcfbly than ever 20 the
public mind the need Of increased water supply.
4 Though several schemes 1or utilizing salt water
. have come Up Nicholas s HILL jr.. and L NJ. De
4 Taroua 80 rot believe this IS necessary. A plan
suggested ~ them IS now before the Mayor II
involves the establishment Of three pumping sta
4 lions connected with a system Of supply pipes
and hydrarts and lying IN a district bounded by
/ T'verty-tEird-st On the north. the Bowery.
. Fourth-ave. and Broadway. on the east: Cham
re--st. n, the 90 nth and TIE North River. tho
west. Zach station IS 10 have q capacity Of one
million gallons an hour with a pressure az each
o. three hundred pounds. and minimum pressure
n the MIGRANTS OF two hundred pounds. This will
. supply more than three times the water now FUR
nished a FIRE ny the entire system a fourth
alarm with more than double the pressure. 1t is
proposed TO increase the number Of hydrants IN
the section outlined by loo, giving two hydrants
e. each street intersection. The Croton water sup
ply l. held 10 be sufficient meet ell the needs OF
this system. Similar additions are outlined for
Brooklyn.