Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-09-01
USE SPR|NKLERS
IN EASEMENTS
Chief Fitzgerald Suggests
Measure for Better Fire
Protection.
LOSSES COULD BE
MATERIALLY LOWER
Proposes Two Methods, but
Favors Sprinkling-Open
Letter on Subject.

That damage from basement fires
could very easily be prevented is the
belief of Chief John Fitzgerald Of the
local fire department. He declares
that by installing sprinkling heads in
the various easements in the business
houses of the city there would be
small chance for such fires to gain
much headway. He has studied the
situation over carefully and has con-
a fine thing. Mr.. Fitzgerald also
states that the perforated water pipe
plan is another good system for the
prevention Of basement fires.
In an open letter Mr.. Fitzgerald has
made the following recommendations:
Il have come to the conclusion that
there are two very practical and feas-
ible methods by which Easements
could be equipped so as to make the
possibility of basement fires practical
ly nil.
Sprinkling Heads.
zone method, and perhaps the bet
ter one, is to equip all Easements OF
business houses with sprinkling heads
properly equipped, and all equipment
to be installed in the same manner
as a regular sprinkler equipment, but
with no other source Of supply than
case of fire all the department would
have to do would be to connect onto
this equipm ent, and wherever the fire
would be the sprinkler head would
let loose and the fire would be extin.
guished, provided, of course. the fire
had not become too general before
the department arrived and made the
connection.
Perforated Pipe.
Another method Is what Is called
the perforated water pipe equipment
While this method is good. and, per
haps, not as expensive as the sprink.
Ter equipment, it has. nevertheless, Its
disadvantages. for with this equip
ment it would be impractical BILE for the
department to make the connection
until the fire would be practically be
yond control. because If it did the
water would escape through the per
forations in the pipes and would we
the basement all along the pipe line
and would damage whatever goods OF
merchandise that there might be IL
the basement.
Big Improvement.
while prefer the sprinkler equip
ment, still the pipe equipment is {
at the present time, and if we cal
not have the sprinkler we should b.
all means have the pipe. The bust
ness district of the city should b,
thoroughly equipped with one Of thes,
systems. 1t would unauestionably re
duce fire loss In the business distric
to minimum and would. no doubt
| reduce insurance rates: and it Woul,
be locking the door of the stable be
fore the horse is stolen. which Is
very wise precaution to take. Onl,
four months ago l saw a bushes
building in East Grand Forks burr
to the ground. whereas if it had beel
equipped with either of the system
above suggested it would be STANDING
today.
Difficult Fires.
Basement fires are the most diff
cult fires to fight. owing to the den
| sity of smoke, or which man cal
not eat but a limited quantity. An
! they are generally the fires that sea
the doom of the building They ar
very treacherous. for when you thinl
You have a basement fire under con
troll you very often see it coming in
con1agration through the roof of tn
| building. So If we can prevent it
getting start in the basement w
have prevented it from gettin;
through the roof And either of tn
systems mentioned will do this. be
cause the pipes are carried througl
walls and partitions and YOU have tn
water where you want It.
| John F'itZgerald Chief"