Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1914-12-15
Underwriters Recommend
TOnOpah Improvements

r. B. Mathews, inspection engineer
of the Board of Fire Underwriters of
the Pacific, who visited Tonopah re-
Gently at the request of the county
commissioners to survey the district
and report on the requirements of a
hrst.class high pressure fire protection
service, has reported as follows:
Upon the request of the Board of
County commissioners of Nye county
in connection with contemplated inn
movements. an investigation of con
ditions was made on December Sd
and 4th of the present year, supple
mentihg previous investigation
made during the latter part of 1912.
Following report Is respectfully
submitted:
The most important element
among the various items of defci-
ency in fire protection for Tonopah
is the water works system; this de-
fciency lies in:
|. The inability Of the system to
deliver sufficient quantity OF water
for fire purposes under the necessary
pressure
2. Reservoir of insufficient capac-
Ity and not at great enough eleya-
ton to give standard pressure.
3. Supply and distribution mains
inadequate in size.
L. Supply mains not in duplicate,
subjecting town to danger OF con
fagration during periods of possible
interruption.
S. Hydrants small in size. OF poor
type, insufficient in number and not
properly spaced.
A standard fire protection system
for Tonopah would call for a gravity
system which would permit of con
centrating at any point in the mer-
camille section ten standard fire
streams of $50 gallons per minute
each, total OF $500 gallons per min.
ute, sustaining pressure OF so
pounds per square inch on mains
under this flow.
Reservoir or tanks should have
capacity of not less than 100000 gal
Ions, ii used exclusively for fire pur
poses, and should be at such eleva
tioa, and with supply matBs of suf
hcient size that $500 gallons per min
ute may be delivered in the mercan
tile section under a flowing pressure
OF 80 pounds per square inch, reck
oned %fom level of bottom OF tanks
or reservoir Advise having bottom
OF tanks or reservoir about 230 fee
above grade level at Brougher avenue
and Main street. which will allow q
pounds margin for friction loss II
mains under draught, the size OF SUP
ply mains to be such as to brini
friction loss under maximum fioy
within this limit.
IN NOhbAA dlAoNg
should be in two compartments, >
that one may be emptied for cleanln
or repairs and the other kept in sci
vice. If tanks be used, they shout
be in duplicate. two tanks of 1000
gallons each.
The most practicable location fc
this supply appears to be on Brougl
er mountain.
Supply mains should be in dupl
cate and so arranged that either {
Doth tanks or reservoir compar
ments may discharge through eith'
or both supply mains. Elevation
tanks, length of supply mains, t
gether with maximum flow (2,500 81
Ions per minute) are the determi
Ing factors in deciding on size
supply main
II source OF supply be located I
brougher mountain, one supply ma
could be brought down Brough
avenue and the other down Bryi
avenue, which could be tapped {
hydrant connections, so that prots
ton would be afforded for schc
mouse and considerable portion
the better residence section witho
special distributing system.
II a high preaaura avstam for 4
protection be installed 1t would pr,
aoly be practicable to cover only |
oongested value district, that is.
mercantile section and buildings
lacent thereto, together with pub
buildings OF special Importance, 81
az court house and new school bu
ing With slight extensions I