The Detroit times., 1911-02-01
HIGH PRESSURE
SYSTEM URGED
: Fire Board Asks $6se,485 For Max
ing Start in Installing New
Equipment.

To make a start on the establish
sment of nigh pressure system OF
'nre protection for the city OF Detroit.
the fire department. In its annual bud
get, submitted TO the controller, Tues
day afternoon, asks $6SG. 1850, in
Gliding s437 .3l5.50 for distribution
system and S24s, $50 for a power plant
operated by gas. This brings the to-
tai amount asked up TO $500. 1877 20.
Aside from the one item mentioned.
however, the estimates total less than
was asked last year. and are only
SlOS,000. In excess of the amount al
lowed In 1910.
The request for the CSC. 465.5O is
based. on report, submitted TO the
fire commission by the engineering
flrm OF Smith, Hinchman & Grylls,
which Is now made public by the COM
mission In the form OF printed pam
'Shlet of 20 pages.
The engineers were employed by
the commission some time ago To
Investigate the question OF high
bpressure system for Detroit, and have
some into the subject very thorough
ly.
The plan outlined by the engineers
contemplates eventually the erection
OF four stations, located approximate
~ at the foot of Rivard-st, the east
Grand boulevard, Twelfth-st. and the
West Grand Boulevard. IL Is the In
tention Of the fire commission, IL the
appropriation Is allowed. TO provide
FIRST for the central or downtown dis
trict, bounded ON the west by Wash
ington boulevard, Wayne-st and
Third-ave.; on the south by the river,
on the east by St. Antoine and Ran.
lobbyists. and on the north by Ora.
t.ot and Madison-aves. and Winder-st.
The downtown section IL now pro-
tected by series of and l0-inch
ripe lines and SIS hydTants, but the
engineers call attention To the fact
taat these lines were attacked by
electrolysis soon after being laid, and
+, TO prevent further damage from this
source they are bonded into the stree.
railway returns. But the report adds:
The electrolysis and the pittins
Incident to the lying in the ground
have so seriously affected their
strength that II Is probable they will
mot safely last many years. There is
question whether IL would be wise
e. relay steel pipe on account of its
short life"
The engineers sum up their report
In this language:
Summarizing the whole situation,
Il is found that the fire boat pipe line
has been superseded as a fire extiu.
gushing apparatus by the more effec-
tive high pressure system: that the
capacity OF the present pipeline sys-
TEN Is much less than the best mod
ern practice recommends; that II is
mot possible TO make the pipe lines
u part of more modern system even
IL their probable length OF life were
such as to warrant II. In view OF these
facts, II Is recommended that for the
central district, all further work be
done along the line OF the high pres
sure plan, providing for hydrants OF
1000 gallons capacity spaced at In
tervals OF $50 feet, cast iron mains
Of a minimum size Of ~ inches, and
a gas engine driven pumping station.
Of a capacity of 10000 gallons a min
ute at 900 pounds pressure"
The other estimates submitted by
the fire department are divided AZ
follows: Salaries, $500, 5S2.60, as
against $747, $3.50. allowed I'm 1910;
maintenance. s2lO.263.43, against sl74,-
97i.20: improvements, sl00,S25.75,
against SlS2.6S5
The city plan and improvement
commission asks $4,000.