Evening star., 1915-11-28


are such that the utmost care must be
used to secure that method of pro-
4 puision for apparatus that will give
speed. reliability. and efficiency, to-
gether with ease and economy of
operation. In these points the advan-
tage of the electric over other meth
DDS OF propulsion is fast esta blishing
itself.
First Storage Battery Engine.
The first storage battery fire engine
In this country came into existence
in 1912. when engine 217 of the New
York fire department was converted
into an electrically propelled appara-
tus. The Edison Monthly gives an in
teresting account of its history and
!; operation:
The early history of 217 is we'll
known. The engine, originally a horse
drawn steamer of the largest size, was
converted to the motor type by the re-
moval of it's forward running gear and
the substitution of two couple gear
IRE theisnt "heels, a storage battery and
the necessary steering and controlling
devices. This conversion cost $4,000
ana 1t gave to the city an engine tina I
would have cost not less than $4,000
had new apparatus been purchased-in
other words, dependab BILE steam pump
ing engine was continued In service
with added speed and greater radius
of operation.
With the exception of battery re-
neWafs and replacement of minor parts
1t stands today just as it did when it
went in service. April "a, 1912. The bills
Tor repairs and renewals during the
two years have come to just s74429
$4s6.97 of which was for battery re-
neWals that were made after the ma :
chine had been in service a year and
a half. The balance includes minor
parts. labor and decorating, for the en-
gine has taken part in two street pa
rades. Adding depreciation and the
cost of charging, operation of this en-
gine has cost the city just s1,370.03
The cost of motive power for this
same type of engine, but with horses
for two years. These figures are based
on the records of two companies which
ordinarily respond to about the Same
number of calls as III The sum in
ness and stable equipment, which at 10
per cent is S105.9S year. Feed, shoes
and veterinary service for three horses
cost S5l6.S6, while the repairs vary. AS
a rule. better service costs more money.
In this case the fire department not
only has a better piece of apparatus,
but one on which IT is saving money.
The economy claim is supported by the
records of the department; the claim
of superiority is based on the actual
performance of the engine. In the case
of hre-fghting this is rated principally
by the speed In getting to the blaze.
To begin with, the engine saves time
In getting out of the house, for there
are no horses to harness incidentally y
the passing of the horse has done
away with the stalls, and the space
thus saved is utilized for garaging the
car of one of the department chap
lains). With no time lost III harness
ing and with the greater speed
through the streets and a wider range
OF operation. No. PIT is often the first
engine at hydrants to which in the
days of the horses il was due third
The experience of Philadelphia with
| electric fire apparatus has been most
successful. Two years ago the first
step was taken and Engine No. 20. d
frst-cIass steam fire engine weighing
l10500 pounds, horse drawn, was
| equipped with an attached t~o-wheel
storage battery tractor. The excellent
| performance of Engine No. 20 during
the tests made in the congested traffic
zone induced the bureau to convert
two smaller class steam fire engines
horsedrawn, to battery tractors also
1.-The two horse drawn, high pressure
hose wagons to storage battery appa-
ratus. In addition to these five pieces
Of electric apparatus the city OF Phila-
deiphia has recently ordered two com
bination hose and chemical wagons
and one sixty-five foot aerial truck to
be storage battery driven. This re-
order should be especially gratifying
, to the manufacturer as showing tndt
the electric has proved satisfactory
l under high h-speed conditions. In a re-
port on electric fire apparatus given by
Chief Mechanician George S. Walker
before the Electric Vehicle Association
j Convention last year some very inter
esting tests were described in which
] the electric excelled all the specifioa "a
tions demanded In one performance
of a fire engine. equipped with electric
] tractor a distance of four miles was
covered in eleven minutes, while the
\ same distance consumed thirty minutes
with se-drawn apparatus.
Chiefs View of Test.
! Chief Walker says of this perform
I ance: This test was made to corrobo-
j rate our belief In the battery tractor
y and any person conversant with the
Y territory traversed is well aware that it
is no easy going Along that route
] there are many hills and one extremely
. sharp dangerous curve. and the time
y made that run. eleven minutes
Y stands today record time not ex-
\ celleE by any fire apparatus of any
4 I make. weighing very nearly six tons
i over the same route. The facts
4 presented to me after over years
experience are satisfactory and the
i results so gratifying that l unhesi-
j gested traffic zone and the close ada :
cent territory thereto of any large city
] similarly situated as is Philadeiphia
] the storage battery tractor is the very
| lbest method Of propulsion for fire ap-