Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-16
OFFICIALS STUDY
FIRE APPARATUS
Visit Williamsport to See How
Motor Pieces Work; Learn
About Paid Dept.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


To study motorized equipment for
the Harrisburg fire department. city
officials spent yesterday afternoon in
Williamsport, inspecting triple COM
bination motor driven chemical. hose
carrier and pumper apparatus.
One of the pieces inspected was a
centrifugal pumper on a triple COM
bination truck Duilt by the Seagrave
company. The machine was taken to
the city limits and two streams at
tsched to the pump which has a ca
pacity of $50 gallons a minute.
Numerous features of the engine
were pointed out by members of the
Williamsport fire department, which
has paid service. The centrifugal
pump can be used TO empty cellars
which have been flooded with water
in extinguishing fires.
City Has No Pumpers
The Harrisburg department. while
equipped with seven steam engines,
with capacities from 500 to $50 gal
Ions per minute, has no bumpers.
These can be included with hose
wagons and according to present
plans. Commissioner E. z. Gross,
superintendent of parks and the fire
department. is planning TO purchase
at least two pumpers-one for the AL
lison Hill, and another for the West
End district. The fact that the pump
can be used as soon as il has been
connected with a fire plug, will add
greatly TO the efficiency of pieces used
in answering alarms in outlying dis
tricts, it was pointed out. and at the
same time will save the wear and tear
of long runs for additional steam en-
gines, unless called by the general
alarms.
To Study Problem With Care
Careful study of the needs of the
city companies with a view to estab-
department, will be made during the
next few days by City Council and
fire department heads. Every effort
will be made to have all motor driven
apparatus in service within the next
four months. it is said.
According to some of the bids sub
mitted on Monday. tractors could be
installed on some of the newer pieces.
as originally planned, within three
weeks. Nothing has been decided how
ever. about awarding contracts, be-
cause of the many possibilities for
combinations which can be purchased.
One of the first companies which
will be motorized will be the Citizens
as it will be necessary within the next
few months to place this apparatus
with the Friendship Fire company. in
ters are obtained. The Mt. Vernon
aerial ladder truck will be sent to the
Hope engine house also. Both the Mt.
Vernon and Citizens companies will
be compelled TO vacate as the houses
are in the Capitol Park extension zone.
At Williamsport yesterday, the Har-
risburg officials We're met by Perry S.
Harman, superintendent of public
safety. who is in charge of the fire de-
partment there. An auto trip over
the city preceded the inspection of the
fire apparatus and alarm system.
Learn About Paid Department
Mr.. Harman explained at length the
efficiency of n paid department fire
conditions 3. in Williamsport, water
pressure. need of additional equipment
and plans for future Improvements.
Late in the afternoon Commissioner
Harman with the Harrisburg party
went to City Hall.
Dinner was served at the Hotel
Updegraff, TO the following: Commits
sioner Harman, of Williamsport; Com
mission Gross. Commmissioner Will
lam II. Lynch. superintendent of
highway department; Fire Chief. John
c.. Kinder. Assistant City Clerk, r.
Ross Seaman. City Mechanician r. V.
MaeNeil. ]. ]. Keffer, engineering de-
partment. and Henry r. Early of the
Seagrave company.