Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-07-07
GRANTS PASS NEEDS
BETTER FIRE PROTECTION
Water Supply Dificient-Fire De-
partment Service Could BE
Improved.

that Grants Pass is woefully lacking
IN fire protection and that this town If
in jeopardy OF terrible loss every
time FIRE breaks out. II is too
patent to be controverted that Grants
Pass needs "A larger water supply with
stronger pressure. When it comes
that hose company can not get
water onto the roof Of small two
story bnilding, and cannot even break
the glass in the windows Of the
second story and have to break the
glass with rocks or poles before the
water ran penetrate TO the fire, it il
pretty conclusive proof that with n
big FIRE cn about all the residents Of
Grants Pass could do would be to flee
to tho hills and watch their town
burn.
This water shortage could be
remeded by the Water Company ar
ranging that on an alarm of fire to
pump direct into the mains and force
up the pressure, or to put their reser-
yoir on higher elevation than It
now occupies, 30 that greater gravity
pressure could be had. But that is
not PRACTICAL for the high pressure
would be constantly breahi ing water
backs to stoves and 1t would also
cause tho wastage Of water to be
much larger than under low pres
sure Tho most feasible plan would
be to lay two large mains from the
pumping station, one up Fifth street
aud one up Seventh street with
latorals running a block each way.
These mains to have no connection
with the domestic water system and
10 have direct connection with the
pumps when water is needed for fire
purposes. With these two mains all
tho business part of the city and
much of the residence district won Id
have a water service able to cope
with any FIRE.
The effect Of having the supply Of
water both for domestic and iru come
from the same mains was demon
strated by the fire of Monday, for IL
being dry time nearly every hydrant
in town WAS open for irrPa ion Iur.
poses, with the result that there was
not over 10 or 20 pounds pressure in
tho mains aud the big hose did not
throw much moro water than would
garden hose under good pressure.
II the present water system is Ia
obtain it should be required that on
the sound Of the fire alarm that all
users shut of their hydrants 70 that
the hose companies could have all the
pressure that thoro is In the mains.
But such rule would be- hard to rn.
force for when big fire is on sparks
and arehrands are flying in every
direction aud the owners Of all the
endung red houses, and some that are
not IN dangor will have their garden
htso out aud be we,ting down tive
roots Of their buildings and tho gras,
In thoir yards This was the case in
the big fire OF three years ago In this
city that swept away the factories
and % large number of other build.
ings ON that fateful day everybody
had their hose running with the re.
suit that thpro was not prtssur,
enough ia the fire hose to throw water
over henhouso with the result that
the fire ,Uroad until it burned out.
The need oi a fire alarm system is
also urgent now that tho city has
grown until IL is "a mile in either OF
the four directions to the limits of
tn town Every minute of delay iu
getting water on FIRE increases the
percentage Of liability to loss at @
tremendous rate As the telephone
system is qaitc general all over the
city IL would be- possible TO arrange
with the tolcphono company to hludIa
the tlre uhfms. The tire boll could
h0ye ana oletrtir attachment fo. ring
ing II and tho number Of taps TO in
dicltH the ward tho Hru was iu This
atlachmout TO bo conncctol with the
telephone central and as tho ccuual
is kept open day and night porsous
could telephone In where the ur, wa,
aud the operator could pross Tie key
that would mako the connection and
give tho proper taps for the ward on
the fire bell
It is plain that tho efficiency Of
the Gre department could be- greatly
improved ut not great expense to the
city AS now arranged the d.rmou
haul by hand their carts. 1t lisa
coincidence that is against "a fire.
mans endurance 10 run that most fires
occur in hot dry time aud for a half
dozen men tu take heavy hose cart
ana race on with it anywhere from
n garter of "A mile 10 mile ON hot
day is certain TO end their cficirucy
for the time being for successfully
fighting "a hie. Ia most towns there
is good pay given to the team that
hauls Tho cart to the fire aud th1re is
a scramble among the toamSters Tor
the quickly earned money.
A town tho size OF Grants Pass
should have two separate hose com
pauies, but both under one chief
Thon in addition TO tho pay to the
individual members the city should
give liberal reward 10 the company
that got frat water on the fire. Such
a rivalry would stimulate the fire.
men to drill more so they would be
able to unreel their hose without get