South Bend news-times., 1914-07-15
WILL TEST FORCE
Of WATER PLANT
IN FIGHTING FIRE
SiameSe Twin Connections to
be Employed in Outlying Dis
triCtS for Saving of Pressure
at High Elevations.

Texts Of water pressure 10 ascer-
tain whether or not IL is likely 10 be
sufficient for hre-hghting purposes IN
the outlying districts, are To be made
again Thursday afternoon the fire
and water departments cooperating
Mayor Keller. Supt TOyne OF the wa
ter works, and mem bers of the board
Of safety. are 20 witness the perfor-
nance The plan is 10 purchase en-
gin1s or boosters for the fire de-
partment in case the tests do not
measure up TO the standard.
Siamese twin connections viii be
used at the test THURSDAY double
connection which carries the water
from the hydrant through two lines
OF hose TO a point near the fire. where
il is collected again into a single
hose. II is claimed that this will
add about One-third to the force of
the stream, and may prove sufficient.
The agitation for fire engines or
boosters" began some weeks ago
when houses on the Donovan prop
eTty in the south side of the city
were burned because there was not
sufficient water force to enable the
fire department TO extinguish the
flames. About 1. 600 feet of hose were
laid extending out beyond the farth
est hydrant. and there was virtually
no force to the water at all. Supt.
TCyne declares that that section of
the city is about 100 feet higher than
the foot OF the stand pipe and re-
duces the pressure 10 about go pounds
when il ought TO be not less than rs
pounds
Complain of Pressure.
The question of pressure has also
been raised from several business
blocks in the downtown district In
some blocks there seems TO be no
force at all. an open faucet emit
ting out a small stream, and that
with decided leisure Since other
blocks Immediately adjoining have
plenty OF force. and il is noticeable
that those where the pressure is
light are invariable old buildings.
where the plumbing is old, the de-
partment explains the condition not
as a fault of water pressure, but of
horizontal pipes inner-cOated with
lime.
I'VE had that same condition in
the city hall not long ago." says A. II.
Rice. member of the board of works,
and had TO take out some of the
horizontal pipes and put i'm new ones
They were literally filled with this
lime coating, and would pass a stream
no larger than a lead pencil. while
even that moved without force. After
the new pipes were put in there was
no moro trouble"
The new pumping station and plant
has been completed so far as con-
Germs the essentials. according 10
Supt. Toyne. The new pumps are
in working order. furnishing a low
duty service of 5000. 600 gallons daily
and a high duty service of 12,O0O.-
600 gallons daily, which is capable
of increase to 100000 by high
power service. The service pressure
is quoted at 80 pounds. and fire pres
sure at 40 pounds, but the quota
tions apply more particularly to the
downtown business district on a near
level with the bottom OF the stand
pipe.
Would Destroy Plumbing.
Supt TOyne declares that if the
pressure downtown were made strong
enough 10 supply an so or 40 pound
pressure in the outlying districts due
10 the higher elevations. there would
be scarcely any plumbing downtown
that would be able 20 stand it.
The tests TO be made Thursday are
TO begin with a pressure the same as
ordinarily furnished from the water
plant in case of fre-at about 100
pounds at the station. 1t will be
increased as necessary to see how
high IL viii he necessary to go To
meet the requirements The men
at the plant are not to know what
IS going on any more than as if il
were an ordinary case Of fire. Tests
viii be made TO the south. west and
northwest OF the city, where the ell
eVatlOnS are the highest