Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-16
WOULD DROP PLAN
Commissioners Report Against
High-Pressure Service.
INSURANCE NOT affected
Change Would Not Mean Any Re-
duction in Rates.
COST WOULD BE 1885, 900
District Heads, in Communication to
Vice President Sherman, Dis
cuss Matter at Length.
COST WOULD BE $s35,ooo

Contrary to provisions contained in sew
eral annual estimates for the District
transmitted to Congress by former boards
of Commissioners. and to repeated recon-
mendations by Fire Chief Wagner, the
Commissioners of the District. in a re-
port today to Vice President Sherman,
advise abandonment. for the present, Of
the project to install in the business dis
trict Of Washington a high-pressure
water service.
Investigation has convinced them, the
Commissioners say, that the installa-
ton Of such a service would not lead
to a reduction in insurance rates,
concession in rate reduction by the in
surance companies being the principal
justification in their opinion. they as
sert, for an expenditure of $935.0o0.
which is the estimated cost Of INSTALL
ing high pressure service system.
The investigation conducted bv the
Commissioners was the result of pro-
vision included in the District appropria-
ton bill for 1912, directing that they
certain the cost of installing high-pres
sure system and report to Congress at
this session. In view of the fact that
the agitation for a high pressue service
originated with the department of the
a
the superintendent of the department in
1901. and that heads of other branches
of the local government as well as former
boards of Commissioners consistently have
advocated the plan the report Of the Com
missioners. it is anticipated, will occa-
sion no little surprise
No Promise of Lower Rates.
In their communication to the President
of the Senate, which consists of nine
typewriter pages, the Commissioners
say that, in order to determine whether
the installation of a high pressure serv-
ice would result in a reduction in fire in
surance rates, they communicated with
about twenty-five insurance companies
doing business in the District. None or
the companies held forth promise OF re-
duction in insurance rates should hlgh
pressure system be installed they de-
clare.
Advantages that might be derived from
the proposed Improvement, assert the
Commissioners, would be a saving in the
releasing of a portion of the mechanical
apparatus now located in the business
district, a reduction of the fire hazard
within such area, and a protection there
| in independent of the regular water sup
| ply system.
its greatest value. however, would be
| in providing an auxiliary water supply
should the present supply for any reason
| be interrupted during conf1agratlon,
| they point out. But this possibility. the
Commissioners state, is deemed to be re-
mote.
Views of Commissioners.
Summing up their conclusions, the Com
missioners say:
THE Commissioners are aware Of only
| one occasion during the last decade
when such a high pressure system would
have proved of service, and then only
| to the extent that it would have obvi-
ated the necessity Of calling upon APP
paratus from outlying districts to as
| sist at three fires which occurred al
most simultaneously in different loca-
tions in the business district thus de-
priving the outlying districts of ade-
quate fire protection for a few hours
only.
! No similar situation has developed
since With high-pressure system in
stalled there might be retired two pieces
of apparatus with horses, effecting
saving in interest on cost of apparatus
and horses, and depreciation amounting
to less than $1,000 per annum, the same
crews being required as pipe men: this
| as against the annual cost Of over $4,000
for the maintenance of the high-pressure
service.
1.-The appreciate saving Of time in get
ting to work on fire would result, as
the high-pressure service makes neces-
sary only the two short hose connections
at the steamer.
SIN connection with the report of the
National Board of Fire Underwriters re-
ferred to above, it must be remembered
that all large mercantile establishments
are provided with sprinkler arrangements
and other fire-fghting means. and even
the smallest concerns have eXtinguishers,
or grenades, on their premises. all tend
ing to reduce the possibility of very
rapid spread of flames.
Would Decrease Hazard.
sit is fact that fire insurance COM
panies regard such a system as means
of decreasing hazards. and therefore the
installation would inure. to their benefit,
but as there is no hope of obtaining a
lower premium rate those insured would
derive no benefit commensurate with the
cost. Until it becomes apparent that by
providing the system substantial con-
cessions would be made by the companies
to the insuring public, consideration Of
the project should be abandoned.
The report of the Commissioners in
cludes a detailed account Of the cost that
would be involved in installing and main
tanning a high-pressure water system,
which is as follows:
.The matter of establishing such
high pressure fire service system was
first suggested by the superintendent of
Columbia, under date Of October 3, 1901,
and, in the annual estimates of the Com
missioners since that date, an appropria-
ton has several times been requested to
install such service.
The Original Plan.
1.-The original plan provided, in brief,
for the laying Of a separate system Of
mains throughout the principal bust
ness district of the city. connected
with the Reno reservoir by means Of a
36-inch trunk line. Reno reservoir has
a mean elevation Of AIS feet above
tide level, and the laying of this main
would give a static hydraulic head in
the business district of Ais feet above
tide.
Assuming fow Of 1000 gallons a min
ute, there would be an actual working
pressure at the elevation of street be-
tween 7th and 18th streets of $50 feet, or
a pressure Of 157 pounds per square inch
which the plan had contemplated should
be installed in the business district.
THE business district, as contemplated
in the original suggestion, covered the
territory bounded by 9Th and 18th streets
and l street and Pennsylvania avenue
northwest.
This plan contemplated the use of
the existing pumping plant at the District
Of Columbia pumping station, and would
require for it's completion only the laying
of the necessary mains and the erection
of the high pressure fire hydrants
It's limitations are the pressure stated,