South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-20
FAULTY CONSTRUCTION
ALSO AID TO FLAMES
Points Out Urgent Need CT
Building Code-Superintend-
ent Water Works Maintains
Pressure is High Enough.

pressure. a building code encompass
ing complete code of fire preven-
.tion regulations, the appointment Of
a building Inspector. and the installa-
tion OF a municipal fire marshal were
salient points dwelt upon by Fire
Chief Sibrel and Mayor Keller at the
regular meeting of the board of pub
lie safety Friday morning.
The fire OF Thursday morning in
which the Twentieth Century garage,
one OF the largest in the city. was to-
tally destroyed at Il loss of thousands
OF dollars, and in which the Davies
Laundry and Short CO. building was
badly damaged, was laid before the
board and the mayor as an example
OF what was termed the inadequacy
of local facilities in fighting fire.
Chief Sibrel declared that the city
at present has not the pressure that
Is required TO fight a large cOnflagra-
ton. The board of public safety
stayed out Of the discussion entirely
and stated subsequently that it was
waiting for the city council 10 take
steps in the preparation of building
code in which all these things would
be taken care Of" Mayor Keller said
that the building code committee, of
which T. Il. Austin is chairman,
would start Immediately upon the
final preparation Of a code, but that
it would be some time before the
committee would be ready to make a
report"
Disagree on Pressure.
Supt. TOyne of the water depart /
ment declared TO the board and Chief
Sibrel that "A pressure varying from
so To 81 pounds had been maintained
throughout the night on which the
fire occurred.
That is pressure enough for any
city" said Mr.. Toyne.
Then there was something the
matter with the hydrants," said Chief
Sibrel. There was not that pressure
at the point of fire. We were pump
ing from three hydrants and in none
OF them would / say we were getting
pressure of so pounds. Two or three
OF the streams were normal but the
others were poor"
Chief Sibrel pointed out the faulty
construction of the garage and the
laundry building between which there
was an area-way OF about four feet
The garage, according TO the chief (
was lined on the laundry side with
several windows and the laundry on
the garage side also had several win
dOws.
Praises Work OF Ffremen.
The gasoline explosions, aided by !
the heavy wind and storm swept the
side OF the laundry building like a
coat OF paint" said Chief Sibrel Il :
feel that the firemen of the city ac-
complished wonderful work in the /
fact that the laundry building was not :
completely destroyed The structure /
of the two buildings was in violation /
or every building code regulation"
Several theories OF in what man
ner the fire might have originated /
were advanced by the chief and by
the mayor. Principal among them /,
was the suggestion that the heavy fire !
in the furnace had ignited gasoline !
tumeS with, according 10 the chief /
are heaVietr than air. and might have /
seeped through the floor and down /
an open stairway into the basement /
That the fire started in the basement I
was the contention of Chief Sibrel as
the flooring in several places was /
burned through from the bottom.
The city needs a high power pump
ing engine for adequate water pres
sure from hydrants' said Chief Sibrel !
I'VE could not have used water /
tower in the Thursday morning blaze 1
But If we had had two or three really I
powerful streams of water the end I
ing might have been different"
The fire chief remained firm IN his !
opinion that high power pumping +
engine TO be installed as part of the T.
equipment OF Central fire station was I
more practical than the water tower ]
for which the safety board has eN-
pressed itself favora bly.
Says Council Must Act
THE entire matter has been taken |
of our hands hy the city council" said /
Prest Augustine OF the board Friday /
morning. I'VE are waiting for some /
word from them before we take an
other step in this natter"
The safety board remains undecided !
in the matter OF purchasing either the !
high power engine or the water tower I
1T makes no difference how much (
pressure our engines make said Mr.. /
Toyne. The pressure from the water /
in the standpipe remains the same if /
we keep IL allied.
The installation of hydraulic valves .
whereby the pressure of the pumps la /
the new north PUMPING station VIII |
be shifted directly into the mains will /
increase the pressure at the point of i
the FIRE 10 so pounds II that amount /
is needed said Mr. Toyne at one point. I
I've viii have those valves installed !
within the next two weeks, promised /
NJ TOyne Friday morning. He /
further stated that work upon them /
would be started next Monday.
These hydraulic valves are being I
expected 20 take the place for the /
time being at least Of both the high f.
power engine and the water tower. \
The valve idea was started by In
suector Sellers Of the Indiana Inspec-
ion bureau who recently placed be- !
fore the local Ocials a set Of reyula-
>iOas relative 20 ire lighting facilities