Norwich bulletin., 1913-03-01

The triple action motor-driven fire
 apparatus recently purchased by the
 city of New London for Niagara En-
 zine company No. i. is conceded to
 be the most modern and very best
 fire apparatus in the world, and fills
 a need in the fire department, as now
 the pumps of this fire machine can be
 utilized in sections where there IS
 low hydrant pressure. Had this been
 in the city at the time of the fire in
 Connecticut avenue there would have
 been no destruction of any dwelling
 house and in case of fire in other sec
 tions where low water pressure pre-
 vails the loss will be leSsened by the
 machine which will not only do the
 work of a steam fire engine but is
 also equipped as a chemical and hose
 wagon. Were the machine the acme
 of perfection, which is said to be inn
 possible it is believed that one local
 newspaper writer woul find something
 to knock about in connection with the
 machine. When the Niagaras bought
 at their own expense the first auto
 in the United States the knocking
 commenced and was continued on the
 slightest pretence and has been con
 tinued
 Now the knoeker is out with his
 lead hammer on the new machine and
 even before being placed in commits
 sion and accepted by the city, though it has been put to a test that no other fire apparatus could achieve. Last Sunday there was a fire out in Mantle and the head selectman telephoned to the mayor for assistance. The mayor communicated with the chief engin- ger and the Niagaras were asked to respond. The dem onStrator for the American LeFrance company, who was acting as instructor to the men who are to drive the new apparatus. was not at the fire house. Acting un- H. tJ,z f1sa1 of one of the student drivers started with the ma chine for Mantle, seven miles away, and with the roads in a condition that made even light Vehl- cular traffic difficult Still the big machine, weighing about four tons and with a thousand feet Of hose and eighteen men, ten more than are ex- pected to ride on a fire run, covered the distance in nineteen minutes, put too late to be of service.
 On the run home when near the top of Durfee hill, on level section of the road, the machine was run into mud, so deep that the wheel hubs were level with the surface of the road While ploughing through this mess, by some wrong handling, by green driver the machine was stalled In starting anew the power was turn ed on too suddenly and as result a sprocket was cracked. Rather than take the chance of breaking other parts by trying to do almost the i'm possible, a, yoke of oxen, yes, two yoke of oxen were pressed into service to haul the heavy machine out of the deep mud. Once on terra frna, the machine proceeded under its own power to the fire house and within an hour the slight damage was repaired Out came report of the occurrence in a local newspaper in big headlines telling of the new fire apparatus get ting stuck in the mud and hauled out by yoke of oxen Of course, there was no explanation of the cause, nor of the remarkable run that had been made by the machine.
 The very next night there was an alarm of fire and the old Niagara machine made response. The demon stra tor of the new machine happened to be in the fire house, and as the was fully equipped, decided to make a run to the fire. So after the old machine had left the mouse crew was taken abroad. The new machine passed the old one in Bank street and reached the fire at the foot of Federal street, near Main before the fire alarm had completed the four round call, and arrived simultaneous ly with a company that had received telephone information of the fire be- fore the alarm was sounded Out comes the local paper with announce ment that the new apparatus was the first to ar1iv but did not get first water Naturally no mention was made of the fact that the two ma chimes responded to the alarm with two crews. Nor was any reference made to the way the new machine aided the firemen by the use of the powerful search light on the building Old Maude, as the first machine is familiarly known. came through the twelve years of continuous knocking with a good record. having saved her original cost many times over by efficient service. The knocking will not injure the reputation of the new machine. It is about time that the fellow with the lead hammer laid aside the knocker and his prejudices.
 Though not in commission Wednes- Jay afternoon, the new apparatus re- sponded to a still alarm and so quick 1 y that the fire was extinguished so 1 quickly that the damage is slight i that the owner of the property does not consider it worth while to notify -he insurance agent and put in a