The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-06-25
EFFICIENCY Of FIRE
F|GHTING APPARATUS
SHARPLY CRITICISED
ENGINEER MAKES NUMBER OF
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
ITS IMPROVEMENT.
MAINS ARE ENTIRELY TOO SMALL
Hydrants Should Admit Of the Flow
Of a Much Larger Volume of Water
Need of An. Electrical Engineer for
Columbia Emphasized.

meeting of the citizens with the Ten
nessee Fire Prevention Association,
measures were brought before the
former for the betterment of theifre
fighting facilities Of the city. There
was a severe criticism of the eficien-
cy of the water mains and eonnec-
tions which cuts down the -ire-fght'
ing capacity Of the auto truck. The
feature of the meeting was the re-
port of Engineer H. B. Long, who had
inspected the various fire-fighting APP
pliances Of the city.
Mayor Dedman introduced Mr.. Will
liams, the president of the associa-
ton. The mayor emphasized the will
lingness of the board of mayor and
aldermen,to do anything to better the
| reputation of Columbia as regards
fires.
Mr.. Williams spoke in part as fol-
lows: "Of the three hundred build
ings that we have inspected today
two hundred and twenty-five could be
improved This is our second trip to
Columbia. 1t is the only visit that
we have ever repeated. The reason
for th;C io flot Co1uD,h;o,c I0ccac hy
fire are more than any other city in
Tennessee. The laws that you should
adopt and which will be presented to
your board of mayor and aldermen
will do away with many of your.
fires" He then introduced Mr.. Hall,
the secretary of the association.
The latter traced the history of in
surance and fire-fghting. He stated
that like everything else people were
turning from cure to prevention as
the remedy. The loss by fire in our
cities is five times greater than that
of European cities. The national and
estate associations were organized to
fight this discrepancy. He introduc-
ed MI Schuyler, who spoke approx
mately as his interview that appeared
in Tuesdays Herald He also gave
the average insurance rate in the
United States to be $500 as against
45 cents in European cities. Tennes-
see used to have law to investigate
fires after they had taken place but
only recently has she had one to in.
vestigate and prevent fires. With the
cooperation of the people this could
be successfully carried out.
]. Knox Polk was the next speaker.
He brought out the point that all the
citizens have partial ownership in
all the private property of Columbia.
inasmuch as all property goes to
make up the wealth. of the communi-
ty He spoke of the fire prevention
ordinances that have been placed by
the association in the hands OF the
board Of mayor and aldermen, and
the immediate need of
their adoption. Mr.. Williams further
the new ordinances.
H. B. Long, an engineer, then spoke
and his report proved the sensation
II the meeting. He first emphasized
he need of an electrical inspector for
Columbia. He showed that in the bus.
ness district that the water mains
we're four inch, while they should be
It least eight inch. He spoke of the
iced of opening up the ground valves
% that in case Of fire and the burst.
ng of the mains all the system would
lot be paralyzed. The, engine Is i'm.
Ter a frightful handicap in case of "a
arge fire on account Of the smallhess
Il the valves OF the hydrants which
will permit only ATS gallons per min.
tie where 1t should deliver at least
90. He recommended that brick
tation FOR the department should be :
INSTRUCTED with sleeping. quarters ON
he second floor. That the efficiency
4 the men be increased by more drill.
hat suitable means be employed for
he drying of the hose. That eight / 2
nch pipe be laid in the business dis. .
rict. All gate valves be opened. In $
aging new mains that nothing less G
han six inch pipe be used. That all 4
ydrants in the business district be i
eplaced with ones having four inch s
utlet instead of the present ones q
hat have only two and a half inch
utlet, thus materially decreasing the G
fficiency of the department He re- t
orted that the equipment was as s
God as money would buy, but that a
he department should be better il
rained. AS an illustration of this e
oint he said that after the engine
rived at the Bethel House this aft
rnoon for a test that it took sixteen
minutes for them to get a stream of .
7ater through the hose. That the Z
lie Of the nozzles should be increas.
d so that they would throw a solid