The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-10-10
WITH A MO OK
FTRF-ENGINE

Automobile fire-engines, altho ante
dating the ordinary pleasure motor-car,
have been used very little in this coun-
try, but there are a considerable MINI |
Der in Europe. In recent paper read
before the international Association OF
Fire Engineers, and printed in IheI
Municipal Journal and Engineer (New
York, September y, John O. Granville,
chief of the Salvage Corps of ST. Louis,
Mo. who has had practical experience
with a motor fire-engine, strongly ad-
vises their general adoption, on the
score of greater cheapncss and efficiency,
Service with a motor is more font1nu-
Gus and prompt than with a horse
drawn apparatus, and there al e other
Says Chief GlanviIl e:
Quick action is the most essential
feature in fighting fire, for if all fires
were discovered and reached in their
inception the losses would be COMPARE
lively insignificant. Judging from my
own experience during the past eighteen
months, | figure that if the time were
reduced in getting to fire after the
alarm is received, one-half of the losses
would be reduced more than half, and
| am sure of the various departments
being able to accomplish this by adopt
ing the use of motor apparatus. What
I present for your consideration is not
based on theory but facts, as | have
learned by experience. One motor car
will protect three times the territory
that a horse-drawn apparatus will, and
do it very much better owing to the
quick operation of the motor, which
can make a run in less than half the
time of the horse, and, l will add, much
more safely; and if there is no occasion
to hold an apparatus, the return trip
can be made just as quickly, the appara-
tus being ready to respond to other
fires that may occur. The number OF
trips made in a day is of no consequence
to the motor apparatus, whereas the
horse must be considered.
There are other advantages in the
use, of the motor apparatus, the engine
especially. On arriving at fire it is
ready for use regardless of the distance
travelled. The man who drives the
motor is stoker, engineer, and driver,
and as soon as a connection is made to
the hydrant the motor is ready to pump
water at any pressure that may be des1r-
ed, and a uniform pressure can be main
tanned for an indefinite period.
"As to the cost of maintenance,
can onlv give my own experience. Witt
the motor apparatus, l am GOVERN!
three times the territory covered witt
the horse apparatus and without IN
creasing the force of men, and do
ing more effective work 1t required
/ four horses to care for one-third of tn
territory at an annual cost of $50 TO
shooting and feeding, against the tota
cost of the motor-car for one year o
S481.3I (including $3.50 for two acc1
|
dents.)
fThe reliability of the motor W
: have in use has proven very satlstac
tory. During its eighteen months ser
: vice we have not had failure to res
f pond to fires, having responded to LOS
: fires and travelled 1850 miles in so dc
/ ing We have had an opportunity t
4 test it under the most severe Weathe
: conditions, cold, sleet, snow, and mu
t to all of which the response was marve
k Gus. For instance on a special call frol
S a fine country home beyond the eli
domain, the distance being nine mile
S from quarters, the run was made ar
f the fire extinguished with tr1tln
! loss, that might have destroyed the Ell
: tire property which represented $1,000
IS to the owners.
i "The life of the motor apparatus HI
5, not yet been determined; -. hoy
+ ever, judging from the miIage and t
n endurance of the pleasure motor, whi
Ie does not get the care that fire appar
h tus does the fire apparatus won
i serve for twenty years with the ordi
W ary repairs given to the horse-draS
ot apparatus. Literary Digest, Sept. :