The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-22
NEW FIRE ENGINE
 SHOWS ITS PAGES
Further Tests Will Be Made
 This Afternoon
LONG RUNS YESTERDAY
North Birmingham Purchased Motor Engine Some Time Ago and Is Lending 1t to Blrmlng-
 ham to Test.

Like a flash out of a powder maga- zine shot the beautiful new motor fire engine owned by North Birmingham, through the streets of the city yester- day. It drew up in front of fire sta >tion No. 1 and allowed the fat old fire horses an opportunity to gaze upon their greatest enemy
 When 1t came to getting out of the station quickly, Old Tom and Old Jerry could merely bat their eyes and won der. When 1t came to making three blocks to their one, climbing hills, which they could not touch, skidding down long inclines, turning sharp curves, the poor old rellables had to hang their heads and give up the ghost.
 So superior Is the new machine which North Birmingham lends to, Birming- ham for a few experiments that Chief Bennett declares that within five years there will hardly be a piece of horse drawn appartus in use in the larger cities. "The automobile ceases to be luxury and becomes a necessity long felt when it is used to fight fire" he said. "It is being recognized all over the country as the only new appa- ratus which can claim to be a modern method of fire fighting. In use in a half dozen big cities, it has proven it's ability to save it's value of maintenance within two years"
 North Birmingham's machine Is a per feet beauty. It is a combination en-
 
 carrying a few ladders. It is run by gasoline engine of 7o-horse power, which both runs the machine and pumps the water. This is the great advantage over the old engine. While the engine now in use in Birmingham requires about five minutes to get to pumping the motor sends a stream Of water with all the power possible be- hind 1t just as soon as the hose can be coupled.
 Today will be a big day for the fire men. Chiefs from many Alabama and Georgia towns, aldermen and mayors and water and fire committees galore will witness an exhibition of the ma chine in front of the city hall at 23O U
 Chief Reynolds and Chairman of the Fire Committee I-1lbfleisch of Augusta, Ga.; Chief Browder of Montgomery, Chief Nolan and Mayor Rush of Bes- semer, the head of the Ensley fire com mittee, Mayor Smith and the aldermen from Graymont representative of the Southeastern Tariff association and most of the members of the Birming- ham city council, will be on hand for the experiment.
 The machine came into Birmingham yesterday driven by J. N. Dyer, general manager of the Webb Motor Fire Ap- paratus company, who is making the exhibition, and pumped powerful stream in front of the city hall. A trip was made to Pratt City, Ensley and Bessemer in about four hours. mak- ing stops at all three places, and send ing large streams into the air, The machine spread consternation before it. and it's speed of execution was the marvel of all along the route.
 North Birmingham is the only city in the south progressive enough to own one of these latest improvements It initiated the move y>Iich will no doubt spread in all directions, and the inter est among fire chiefs and councils Is very high. Birmingham will more than likely own two within the year.
 Chief Bennett wants to station one on Fountain Heights and another at Avenue r and Twenty ninth street. This would cover all of Avondale and Highland avenue as well Lakeview The Lakeview station would be abol ished. The chief states that in saving on maintenance it would pay for it. self within two years
 The experiments today will consist of testing the pressure, the distance of casting the water and the strength of the motor. hill climbing contest will also take place on Twentieth street These contests and exhibitions have been made in nearly every large city of the south, and everywhere have been hailed with surprise and favor by the city officials. New York is preparing to install number of them.