Evening journal., 1916-01-17
WATER APLENTY
At Store Blaze
SAYS engineer
Continued from First Page.

Mr.. Hopes says the recommendations
of the National Board OF Underwriters
have his hearty approval and should be
cimplied with. About fifty per cent. Of
the recommendations affecting the water
distribution system have been COM
pleted by the Water Department heI
says.
After Mr.. Hopes report was read this
morning the Water Commissioners
adopted u and ordered it filed. Mr..
Hopes submitted with his report blue
print showing the location and size OF
water mains In the center OF the city.
aud the location of the Foord- Massey
store The report OF Mr.. Hopes is as,
follows:
January Is. 1916.
Board of Water Commissioners.
Sirs Following the fire at the
FOOrd-Massey Furniture Company and
John 4. Feeneys furniture store on
Saturday January 1. 1916, statements
were issued through the press OF this
city to the effect that lack of water
and water pressure seriously handi-
capped the iremen in the proper per-
formance Of their work.
In view of the important relation
OF an ample supply or water 10 ade-
quate lire protection. an investigation
was Immediately conducted by this
department The following report con-
tains the results OF this investigation
and considers only those matters
/ which properly belong 10 the ques-
ton Of water supply.
/ Water Pressure.
From the viewpoint or 1re protec-
ti0n. the pressures required in the
mains depend upon whether fire
streams shall be furnished directly
from hydrants or whether fire en-
gines arc to be used The distribu-
tion system OF Wilmington has been
/ laid out on the latter plan. and con-
templates the use OF engine streams
at all times. Under this ARRANGEMENT
the maximum pressures maintained in
the pipes need be no greater than
/ those necessary TO overcome friction
and produce proper velOcties with
, out causing the fire engines 10 Op-
crate under suction. That the pres
sures and sizes Of pipes with but one
exception to be noted later) were ca
pable of supplying sufficient water az
the fire in question. can be definitely
demonstrated.
In Report No. &c OF the National
Board Of Fire Underwriters (April
1910, the attention OF this Depart-
ment was directed to the lack of
proper pressures in the principal
mercantile district, as demonstrated
by tests along Market and King
streets, between Eighth street and
Ninth street. To overcome this con-
dition, the old 30-inch forcing main
along Eleventh street was thrown
into the distribution system at Elev-
enth and French streets, reinforcing
the present 16-inch line down Mar
ket street by a 24-inch cross-connec-
ton along French to Tenth street
and out Tenth street to Market. This
connection. which is OF importance in
the question under discussion, was
completed at the time OF lowering
the mains around the New County
and Municipal Building MAY. 1915.)
! In addition, 12-inch high-pressure
, main was land on King street from
, Eleventh to Eighth. Il being the in
tention Of your board TO extend this
line out Eighth street prior to repay
ing. That this work was not COM
pleted at the time OF the fire is un-
fortunate. but in no way effects the
points at issue.
Water Supply.
As regards quantity Of water. your
attention is respectfully directed TO
the attached blue print showing the
location OF the fire, the principal
] mains and fire hydrants tributary
thereto Calculations regarding the
flow OF water in compound pipe sys-
TENS are extremely complicated and
Z would be OF no general interest in
J this report An inspection OF the blue
| print. however, will show that cir
Gle OF 500 feet radius. with its center
at Seventh and Shipley streets. inter
cepts 16 lines OF pipe.-not including
/ 3 and 4-inch domestic mains on
e Eighth street which have no fire pro.
= lection value
J., These lines OF pipe are distributed
4 as follows Supplied from the filter.
cd water reservoir at Weldin Farm
n (High Service) one 4 inch and two S
{ inch mains; supplied from Coo
{ Spring Reservoir (Low Service) -four
e 6 inch mains. seven S inch and two
l6 inch mains.
9 The number OF standard fire stream.
$3.50 gallons per minute) which
k should be simultaneously available il
II a city OF the general character OF vii
mington is about "a authorities
f Kuichling and Freeman) This il
e equivalent TO a total flow OF 5000 gal
S Ions per minute. or 375 gallons pc
= minute per line of pipe intercepte,
e in the district under consideration.
}. The distribution system tributary Il
o the FIRE is adequate 10 supply tn
above amounts with the exception o
q inch line down Shipley street iron
Ninth 10 Eighth streets. While tn
; size Of this pipe is increased TO S incl
r at Eighth and Shipley streets, the lin
3 is not cross-conected 10 feed i'm NOR
than one direction. This condition
. results from the fact that Eight
2 street is the dividing line betweel
! the High and Low service zones. an,
5 the two pressures cannot be com
= bincd
s The Reliance Companv's engine 10
Gated at the end Of this line. wa
Is undoubtedly handicapped for water
n but all other engines should hav
received an ample supply.
Conclusions.
- The writer. after carefully invest
H. eating the facts. is Of the opinion thu
&c the following engines received an ad,
VI quate supply Of water under pres.
.ct ures sufficient to produce nositiy
si- heads AZ the hydrants Fame. Brand,
lal wine. Independence. was'rlngtol
IN Woccacoe. Union. Water Witch an