The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-05

TIE first TO be considered is the
high speed of the motor apparatus IN
reaching fires. This, you all know, is
Very important. Soon after Charles
tons motor fire engine was commits
stoned. came the first opportunity ~
test its efficiency and super
iority, under practical conditions.
con the night of October 25, 1910. a
one-story warehouse of the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad company, a
building of an area Of so by 200 feet
with infiamable contents, took fire,
the flames gaining considerable head
way before the alarm was sent in, and
being a mass OF fire when the first
apparatus arrived. Almost adjoining
this shed, and distant by the width Of
street were the large freight de-
pots. filled With cotton, hay. and 9TH
er combustible materials. In this
street was also a box car loaded with
cartridges and powder. The caves Of
the depot were catching and the sides
of the car were ablaze when / reach
ed the scene. simultaneously with tn.
motor fire engine. This engine took
the hydrant about so feet from the
burning building, connections were
made and the hose run out almost
instantly. With the turn Of the lever.
the motor was connected with its
pump and two strong streams were
soon playing on the igniting depot and
burning car, which were saved by this
promptness. for in the three or four
additional minutes, when the steam
engines began to play. 1t would have
been too late. and the property damgc
would have been very great.
The second advantage which
comes TO mind is the ability Of the
motor fire engine to answer any num-
ber Of alarms coming I'm close success
sion. Whereas, with the horse drawn
apparatus a succession Of alarms Is
nothing short Of calamity, Two or,
three alarms, In close succession i'm;
poses a great strain upon engine
horses, which are generally exhaust
ed by the third call, and can not
render adequate service.
"A third striking advantage of the
motor engine is its ability to throw
WofsS gifhs almost no loss ofstime. On
arriving at a fire 1t is ready for use,
regardless of the distance travelled,
long or short. The man who
drives the motor is engineer and
stoker as we'll. AS soon as connections
are made at the hydrant the motor Is
ready for pumping water under any
pressure desired. and maintains a uni
form stream for an indefinite period.
in a majority Of in
stances. where there Is O motor engine
used with steamers. the motor ma
chine will throw from 1000 to 1000
gallons Of water on the fire before
servicable streams can be gotten from
the steamers. and that supply of water
Will often hold in check most Of
fectively a blaze until steam engines
arrive with reinforcements.
The question naturally comes up.
What is the life Of a motor fire en-
gine?' 1t is not yet practically deter
mined. but il may be fairly estimated.
The average fire apparatus will travel
approximately from ESQ 10 800 miles
in year in cities of about 10000
population. or nearly 5000 miles in 20
years. while the motor apparatus. not
being taken out TO "exercise' twice q
week. travels from 120 to $50 miles
a year. Not only that but to estimate
from 1O-year average OF the steam
er's fire pumping. / figure out that a
motor fire engine will have TO pump
Tor only about 10 hours per year.
therefore. judging from the mileage
and endurance of the touring car
which l use in responding to alarms.
inspecting buildings. visiting fire sta.
tlons, etc. car yet giving excellent
service, which has travelled A, zoe miles
IN the past year. and fully 1909 miles
I'm the past four years, | see no reason.
as the motor apparatus /. construct.
ed along lines for practical fire SER
vice, and Is built much stronger than
the average car used by chiefs. why
the motor apparatus should not. with
no more repairing than the ordinary
steam apparatus. serve effectively for
10 or 10 years. This is an estimate
which | made from practical obser-
vation."