The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-04-05
Branch Lines Do Not Pro-
tect Several Stone
Sections of the -
TESTS DEV y OPED
MARK M WEAKNESS
Not Pressure Enough for
One Standard-Size Stream
at Batchelder's Meadow

woeful lack of pressure and other
, alleged deficiencies in fire preparedness
developing in tests to which the city
system was put by expert engineers from
the New England Insurance Exchange
yesterday brought about special meet
ing Of the city council last night Gath
cred around the board at the council
chamber with the city fathers were Fire
Chief G. b. Gladding his first assistant
engineer, E. NJ. Tobin, Supt. F. o. Lee of
the water department and several gran
ite manufacturers. If the demonstra-
tions in three stoneshed districts in the
afternoon didn't convince the powers that
be that there is something wrong with
the fire protection system after all, the
remarks made by J. s. Caldwell and his
assistant, j. f. Driscol, the Boston en-
gineers, did the trick.
! What wasn't revealed when perfectly
good connections with hydrant at Bar
clay Bros plant in the south end were
spilling insignificant pints and quarts
" hCic tHt LhA ytIb WtIf iDOhlbI IbI
gallons came ont when the councillors
began to quiz the suave engineers from
the exchange The tests, it NAV be men
toned, were the outcome of the confer
ence yesterday between the granite man
ufacturers and the insurance people, in
which the former submitted their rea-
sons for demanding lower fire insurance
rates. Both the water department and
the fire department were represented at
the conference in the forenoon and when
the insurance men asked permission to
test the water pressure, hydrants, etc,
the request was gladly granted
In the afternoon the auto fire truck,
manned by regulars and call men was
driven first to the Wiley street meadow,
then to Jones Bros. plant and finally to
Batchelder's meadow. Engineer Caldwell
and Mr.. Driscoll took along their gauges
and in the presence of many onlookers
the tests were made. 1t cannot be said
that the tests in any instance were sat
isfactory.
So it happened that the council con-
vened at 7 o'clock. Naturally the gran
ite manufacturers, who were in session
a part of the evening with a committee
from the insurance exchange. brought
pressure to bear ON the city fathers for
a readjustment of affairs in the fire pro-
lection service. Their pressure, it is to
be recorded, had good bit more force
than was registered in the experts gauge
on divers occasions in the afternoon.
Out of the maze of facts and theories
which came to surface at the meeting
solace may be gained from the state
ment of Engineer Caldwell to the effect
that Barre's three major pieces of fire.
fighting equipment are very serviceable
better than average, and adequate as far
as it goes In short, the apparatus is
efficient SO far as its quality goes. but
scarcely more than a third adequate
enough for city of Barre's size accord
ng to the inspector. Over against this
'edeeming feature are recorded such
TENS as an inadequate fire alarm sys
EN-. faulty water pressure, due to the
of the mains, and excessive
possibilities for con1agration as stated
" Mr.. Caldwell
Tests Described
Reporting on the tests of the after
loon. the engineer described first the
at Wiley street There
he static pressure of S5 pounds was re-
uced to 80 pounds when two streams
fere in use Observation; Size of main
nd pressure sufficient for only one ade
uate stream. At Jones Bros static
ressure of 96 pounds, as registered by
he gauge. was reduced to SO pounds
hen three streams were flowing. OBJ
prvation: Size OF main and pressure
nough for only one standard stream
25O gallonsl.
At Batchelder's meadow the water test
as complete failure. 1t was a iizzle.
efore the sheds suspended operations
ose connections were made but the flow
( water did not merit test At 4:l5
clock. or Is minutes after the sheds
mt down. the static pressure Of 81
,unds increased to los pounds A read
n Of only l72 gallons was registered
IN the engineer observed that there
as insufficient water for one standard
ream. In every test one and one
urth. one and one-half and one and
Ie-eighth inch streams were used.
How Ratings Are Made
Briefly. Mr. Caldwell reviewed the cir
instances under which the investiga
ms in Barre have been made. lie stat
that the efficiency OF fire departments,
'iuulnH tHe hidlH systems, NAAeE y
ms street conditions, police protection
d conhagration possibilities in New
igland towns aud cities bad been based
a scale of 210 Classes were divided
follows: 4. lS0 TO 200; y. l30 TO 10;
100 to l2a; d. under 100; =. mill set
ments. etc. r. unprotected Only
thin 4 few months have the investiga-
= been working IN Vermont and the
rk IN Barre and Montpelier. AIr Cala-
n said vus undertaken sooner than
been planned because the exchange
she'd to present is data 20 the manu-
turers. who have been taking steps
.es-ary to organize mutual company
their own.
barre, with a rating Of l07 IN the scale
3nO. comes in class q. AR Caldwell
tel. and the chances for getting bet-
rates. be tcntured. win not be im-
wed until tie gify : listed iH tie p
-. ln comparing Barre and Mont
.er Mr. caldwell said that the eapital
= better fire alarm system because It
-ewer. Here IN Iarre the water sup