The San Francisco call., 1909-10-03
FIRE BOATS BUILT
LIKE BATTLFSHIPS
Vessels Constructed in San
Francisco by Local Work.
men for Water Front
RiSdOn Iron and Locomotive
Works Has Craft Almost
Ready for Operation


ms streams Of water powerful enough
10 knock down a brick wall like
pack Of cards. or TO tear to pieces the
best built wharf are near completion
at the Risdon iron and locomotive
works, and within short time they
VIII be in active service along the
water front The vessels and almost
an the various parts have been con
structed in san Francisco bv local
Mofkmen- Nowhere in the world is
there floating fire engine that excels
these spouters in workmanship or eff
cheney.
A special feature of the David
Scannell and the Dennis T. Sullivan 5
The TWO boats are named. is the great
extension water tower the TOP of which
IS 81 feet inches above the water line.
At the upper end of the telescope pipe
As monitor , inches in diameter
which can be operated either from the
top Of the water tower or the deck
house roof The pipe is raised or low
tered by means Of a steam engine To-
Gated on deck beneath the tower
BUILT LIKE BATTLESHIPS
Each of the fire boats is 12s feet in
length. and the length between perpen-
eiculars is l20 feet. The breadth
molded is 20 feet, and the depth nodded
y feet inches. The outlines of the
hull are very graceful. and while no
question Of appearance has been al
lowed 10 take precedence over that of
utility, the vessels viii be among the
most attractive craft of the bay
IN many respects the boats will re-
semble battleships. with their nozzles
swung out like bristling cannon. The
vessels are built similar TO a battleship,
also, from straight stem TO elliptical
stern. The hull Is Of tested steel.
but the side decks slope sharply.
speedily The decks have a fore and
aft slope also. The rudder is fitted
with balance on the lower part. the
stem being cut below water TO i'm
prove the steering qualities as the
craft will be expected TO twist and
turn around docks in quick fashion
when fire starts. And each vessel
has % connections for fighting a fire.
CRUDE OIL USED FOR FUEL
Crude oil is used for fuel, and the
OIL tanks located at the sides of the
boilers have capacity of 500 barrels.
And as the boats are intended to be
operated in proximity to a fire it was
deemed necessary in arranging the fuel
OH system TO prevent the formation of
gas in the oil tanks. For that reason
an unusual oil pumping arrangement
was devised. On these fuel oil pumps.
OF which there are duplicate sets To-
rooms, is fitted water end in addition
20 the usual steam and oil cylinders
The tank suctiOns terminate at the
tops of the tanks instead of at the
bottom as is usual A small tank To-
Gated in the deckhouse somewhat r a hove
the tops Of the fuel tanks is connected
with the water end of the pumps. and
also through system OF pipes to the /
q bottom Of the fuel oil tanks. BY this /
means the fuel tanks are always full /
of oil or water. or both. and the oil |
being lighter than the water is forced 4
by the water pressure toward the /
Eucuons at the tops Of the tanks l
Gauge glasses are fitted on tank bulk
heads 10 indicate the height of the oil /
or water.
MACHINERY ON STEEL PLATES
The foundations for machinery are
sll built up OF steel plates and angles
Of sufficient strength so as to insure
2 steady platform when the boats are
81 action.
The auxiliary machinery includes
steam windlass. combined steam and
,hand stearing gear and a complete
electric installation, including an IS
Inch searchlight. The steam is sup
piled by two water tube boilers having
combined heating surface of 5,40O
square feet and working pressure OF |
200 pounds per square inch. The steam |
is also used to atomize the oil.
In the deckhOuse is located lamp
room, lsvatory. locker room, steam
dryer and steam galley A perforated 1
brass pipe to form a water curtain ex-
sends clear around the deckhouse to /
keep the upper works and hull cool /
Srhen the snip is in action. The hor
racks for fire hose are located at the /
after end Of the deckhouse, and also /
81 the mold space at the after end of I
TIE boats.
been provided. this not being neces- i
ssry. as the men will be housed on the |
wharf. alongside OF which the vessels |
Wih be stationed. Heavy towing bits 1
are provided. so that other vessels can |
be towed away from the wharves in /
case Of fire.
PROVISION AGAINST SINKING
4 steel deckhouse incloses the ma
Chinery space and at the forward end /
of this is located the pilot house. In |
fact the boats are fully euipped, as |
required by the rules Of the United
States supervising inspectors
Each ship is fitted with fourathwart-
ship water tight bulkheads. one for
ward, one aft and two inclosing the
snachinery. These, together with lon
gitudinai buikheads. sforming fuel oil |
tanks at the sides Of the boilers. are
Eubdivided into three compartments on
each side Of the ship. The ships are
thus divided into IL separate water
tight spaces, making them practically /
unsinkable.
The prOpelling machinery consists
Of twin sets OF vertical inverted COM
pound engines, high pressure cylinder
10 inches in diameter. low pressure
cylinder IS inches in diameter, with a
common stroke OF 20 inches and fitted
with steam reversing gear and Ste
venson link motion. Each engine is
fitted with four blade solid cast iron /
propeller feet S inches in diameter /
and II feet inches pitch. The pro- |
pellers are right and left handed and /
are arranged to turn inboard when the
engines are going ahead. Independent
surface condensers are fitted together |
with air and circulating pumps.
FIRE FIGHTING MACHINERY
These boats, being essentially self |
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