Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-16
OCEAN WATER
SYSTEM URGED
INSURANCE EXPERT TELLS OF
ITS ADVANTAGES
SAYS, SALINE SOLUTION MEANS
GREATER PROTECTION
Experience of other Cities Quoted to
Show That Los Angeles Can
Better Its Present
Supply

That Los Angeles should have high
pressure salt water system, utilizing
ocean water for fire protection, is the
opinion of Garner Curran, fire insur-
ance expert and editor of the Western
Insurance News, who advances figures
to show its efficiency and practicable
ity in the current issue Of his maga-
zine, printed yesterday.
Mr. Curran believes from an extend-
ed investigation that it is teaslole 10
bring ocean water from Ballona OF
Venice to the Slauson Junction pump
ing plant, which is at present unused
with a twelve-inch high pressure pipe
line for 5000, 900. He estimates that a
reservoir holding 100000 gallons may
be built for $35, 900 to $50,OOO.
"The reduction in insurance rates
would more than offset the interest on
the investment" says Mr.. Curran:
He obtained the idea while watching
the test of the Venice salt water sys-
TEN, witnessed by Chief Lips and q
number of Los Angeles fire underwrit-
ers July 81. Fire underwriters TO
whom the idea was submitted pro-
nounced 1t practical and great ad-
vantage. The suggestion is advanced
with the following comment by Mr.
o. Curran in the Western Insurance
news. -,
Salt Water More Efficient
"The difference between salt and
fresh water and the relative value IN
putting out fire is well known, salt
water being Of greater density anu
containing saline matter.
at requires only about one-half the
amount of salt water that 1t does of
fresh water to quench the flames. Salt
alone will put out fire.
"It is not generally known, but Ven
ice is the first city in the United States
to install a salt water high pressure
system. Coney Island New York. was
the next to adopt such q system, then
the business section of New York, and
then San Francisco and Philadelphia.
1.-THE salt water high pressure sys-
tenn recently installed in New York
has already proven its efficiency in a
number of big fires. Large mains have
been laid from the rivers to central
pumping stations and these connected
with the mains of the fire department.
1.-THE supreme test OF the new sys-
tenn was made when the water tower
was thrown UP before seventeen
story building and shot "a steady
stream clear to the apex of its Flagstaff,
with this wonderful system New
York has little to fear from anything
but rotten hose.
EOCdl OdAa
"The following data gathered in re-
gard to fires in our own locality Will
prove of interest at this time;
''There have been several large fires
in Santa Monica and the Venice dis
trict. Some were handled with fresh
water and some with salt, with the
following results:
"First-In a large lumber and furnl-
ture factory a small blaze started,
tal, Il In fhn hpUinni1lP
Fresh water was used, but the fire got
beyond the control of the department
and destroyed the entire building.
"Second-In the Washington street
school a blaze started in the top of the
building. Fresh water was used, with
the result that the entire building was
destroyed.
"In the Venice district, where salt
water is used, twelve fires occurred.
All but three were extinguished with
out any damage being done to the SUR
rounding buildings.
"First-The Turkish theater in the
Midway was discovered on fire, the
blaze bursting out of the windows. Salt
water was applied and in two and a
half minutes the blaze was extin-
guished.
"Second-The Chicita theater; blazes
were discovered early one morning
coming out of the roof and through the
dome. At that time gale blowing
forty-five miles per hour was In
progress. The salt water was turned
on and the fire was extinguished with
loss of the roof and interior hangings
only.
"rhird-The moving picture theater
on the Venice pier was discovered III
a blaze at midnight. At the time there
were 5000 worth of celluloid films in
the building. The salt water was
ha hut n
was destroyed, the blaze was confined
to this one structure although on
either side buildings of an inflammable
structure were in close proximity"