Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-04-28
BRATTLEBORO LOCAL NEWS
BUY ESTEY STEAMER
Chief Engineer Sanders's Advice
to Voters of BrattIeboro
Believes II viii Increase Efficiency Of De-
partment and May Keep Insurance
Rates Down.

pdrtnent ana way Neep insurance
Rates Down.
In view of the importance of the article
i'm the warrant for the approaching viii
lage meeting relative to the purchase of
the Estey steamer l feel it my duty to
urge upon the citizens that they make
such purchase. The Esteys discard
it because they are to equip their
establishment with Dean pumps, but in
their loyalty to the town they prefer to
see it remain here and, while other parties
are seeking to purchase, will give us the
first chance and will sell 1t to us for less
than 1t is WORTH and so much less than
to anybody else as to constitute a hand
some contribution from them, in addition
to their share as taxpayers.
The machine is practically as good as
new, having within a few years been
thoroughly overhauled and repaired at an
outlay of $780, and the manufacturers
built machine, they having paid, it is
understood, nearly $4,000 for it. The
Esteys have consented to sell it to the
village for $4,000. A new machine of
ordinary make would cost $4,000 to $4,000.
1t has for years been counted as a
part of our fire-fghting equipment, be-
cause always at the service of the viii
lage i'm case of need. 1 have so reported
it in the statements called for annually
by the Insurance Exchange and so have
my predecessors. Our insurance rates
have the fact as a part of their basis and,
if we allow the machine to go out of town,
there is grave danger that these rates
will be increased.
1t is practically a question between i'm
proving this opportunity, or buying a
new machine within the near future or
| Immediately laying out repairs on No
3 nearly as much as the Estey machine
can be bought for When, in 1899. $4,000
was appropriated by the village for re-
pairs on the two steamers. $1,000 of it
had to be laid out on No. 4 and the re-
naming 5000 was nowhere near sufficient
| to put No. in proper condition. The
| boiler the most important part, was not
| touched at all. 1t has now been in use
20 years, whereas the life of these boilers
| is not reckoned at over IS or 20 years.
| During the recent work of pumping for
| Mr.. Crowell, it had to be sent to the ma
| chine shop twice and it could not be re-
lied upon for the strain of a big fire.
A great deal of work is required every
year in thawing out hydrants, sewers and
surface drain pipes-a kind of work that
a machine in first class order ought not
to do, but which, If We had two other
steamers always and absolutely reliable,
| No. might continue to do and still be
of use as a reserve for fires.
| In case of a big fire in the business
| blocks or factories the aid of the Estey
steamer will be as necessary in the future
| as in the past, even as a third machine.
| In my first year of service as chief. 1901,
we had to call on it three times, and in
each case l am sure it saved property to
an amount greater than we are now asked
to pay for it. In one case it probably
supplied just the necessary force to avert
destructive conflagration.
In the last year of my efficient predeces-
sor, at the Smith & Hunt fire. the Estey
steamer furnished practically all the
| water we had, as both the village engines
refused to work and the hydrant service
amounted to very little, with the stand
pipe opened in the burning building and
the sprinklers in operation in the overall
| factory and on Holden & Martn's-al
conditions liable to recur; and where, in
their recurrence with this steamer gone
would be our property interests?
Moreover, those large sections of the
| village comprised in Esteyville, on Pros
pect hill and Western avenue and Me-
| chanics' square must depend almost en-
tirely on the steamers, because the hy-
drant streams have not force enough there
for efficiency. The chief use of the hy-
drants there is to supply water for the
ctsterns, and in playing from these and
on the blaze, two machines in thorough
efficiency can usually be advantageOusly
used and sometimes would be vitality
necessary. To let the Estey steamer
therefore, go out of town would, under
present conditions, reduce by substan-
TALLY per cent. the fire protection OF
these parts.
This steamer, if purchased, can be
housed and manned at practically nc
additional expense. The department al.
ready has men enough in every branch
and in the steamer house 1t can have
the space now occupied by hose cart No
3, which can then be moved to the
quarters of No 10, where there is plenty
of room for it,
Respectfully submitted
HARVEY W. SANDERS,
Chief Engineer