La Junta tribune., 1915-01-16
FIRE TRUCK DEMONSTRATION

Given . Tryout and Found Not
Wantins-Formaily Accepted BY
City Council.
La Junta's new auto fire truck
was unloaded last Saturday. under
the supervision OF F. A. Bruce, de.
livering engineer. The fire truck
has been giving q demonstration al
most every day since It's arrival. the
first one taking place on Saturday
afternoon, the day Il was unloaded,
but the official demonstration did
not take place until last Wednesday
afternoon. Half the town of La
Junta gathered around the court
house park Wednesday afternoon to
witness the official test. and includ-
ed In the bunch were the mayor and
several members Of the city council
OF Rocky Ford, the assistant master
mechanic OF the Denver fire depart.
ment. and three representatives Of
various insurance companies.
The auto fire truck was hitched on
to the ten inch main on Santa Fe av.
enue, at the northwest corner Of the
court house park. and the first test
was through thousand feet OF hose
running south on Santa Fe avenue,
the nossle being located on the cor
ner Of Santa Fe avenue and Fourth
street. The hydrant was opened
and the first test was made with city
pressure alone. which registered
forty-seven pounds At the hydrant
and ten pounds At the nolxle. after
going through 1000 feet Of hose.
When the engine on the fire truck
was hooked on there was 2s5 pounds
pressure At the engine and 100
pounds at the noszle.
The next test was with two lines
Of hose 500 feet loRs, which showed
las pounds pressur0 q ~ engine
and sixty pounds at the ntosles.
with three lines Of hose there was
1so pounds pressure at the engine,
with eighty pounds pressure at the
nossle on one line Of hose. fifty-eioA(
= The seooad. and flfty-two q ~
third. with three llnss Of hose land
the engine attached there was an
output Of 500 salons per minute.
while with city pressure alone the
output was only 2ss gallons per
minute. With two one and one.
quarter Inch noxzles. and one one.
inch. the pressure At the engine was
l0s pounds aud the output S%5 gal.
Ions 10 the minute. With Il one and
three-eighthx inch nozzle u stream Of
water WAS thrown clear across the
court house park--s distance Of 800
feet.
The final test was made In the
Otero addition. NJ the corner OF
Twelfth street aud Carson avenue.
On this test. with city pressure alone.
there was ten pounds pressure nj the
hydrant and eight pounds nj the
nozzle. When the engine was hook.
ed on there WAS i63 pounds Of pres.
SURE nj the nozzle. aud II took the
combined strength Of six men Ia
hold the nozzle. A stream Of WA.
ter iS0 fct long was thrown from
this point. where the city pressure
practically amounts 10 nothing. ~ Il
IL higher thsn the reservoir. with
the city pressure at this point the
total output WAS 100 gallons per
minute. and with the engine attach.
I'd COS gallons PER minute. 20 Il II
very evidcnt what q difference Just
= little auto firc truck makes.
The auto fire truck In the very best
Investment that the city Of Ia Junts
ever made. and time will demon.
strate the truth Of this assertion.
Some peopie In the down town dis.
trtct ere already talking Of cuttina
out their Insurance. ~ they feel
comparatively safe With such . fire
fighting apparatus always on the
JOB. The fire insurance underwrit.
err Who were preseat will not make
any promlses Of . reduction In rates
on account Of added fire protection,
but are already claiming that the
town 10 underssied aud that the add.
Cd fire protection Will about equsiiss
the discrepancy.
The rev auto fire truck vas for.
maiiy accepted b. the city council
at . special nsetias held Thursday
asteenooa. aad L. Juata's up 10 dsis
fire fishsins nachlae u nov on duty
q The city halI as1 ready 20 do bust.
ness sieht OF day.
Chaaos = (sasa0s Clsrsss.