Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-11
EFFORTS TO PREVENT
F|REPLUGS FREEZING
Water Department Using Approx
ed New York Pattern and Has
Inspection Service.

The statement having been made that
the firemen were handicapped IN fighting
the fire at the residence of DIR. Albert
Robin. ut Seventh and Rodney streets.
! on Wednesday morning, by frozen fire
hvdrants, inquiry has been made of the
Water Department in regard to the
matter.
Chief Engineer +. NJ. Hopes, Jr..
said the department has adopted the most
approved plug used by the city of New
York, which is equipped with frost
jacket and so constructed that there is
no water in it to freeze. At the point
where the plug joins the main, which is
about five feet below the surface of the
ground, and below what is considered
the frost limit, there is a valve, operated
hy along stem, which protrudes from the
top Of the plug, where il is operated bv "A
wrench, which the fire engines carry.
When the valve is opened, which is ac-
complished by depressing it. through
turning, the water from the main enters
the plug and the, fire hose connected with
it. When the valve is closed the plug
| is automatically drained by small open
ing at the bottom, which empties into a
sewer or n French drain. This keeps the
body Of the plug free Of water when it is
not In use II is possible, however. that
| In extremely cold weather frost NAV cause
the valve to stick. but Mr. Hopes saws a
tap on the wrench used to open it should
quickly free it. but If this Will not suffice,
a Jet Of steam from a fire engine, injected
into the plug at the hose outlet should
thaw the frozen valve in from half min
ute to q minute and half.
In order, however, to see that each
plug has been drained and is T. good
working condition, all in use AT every
fire are Immediately thereafter Inspected
examined, drainage assured and oiled. SO
as 10 have them in shape for the next
time they might be needed In addition.
the plugs are flushed once year. Flush
ing IN extremely cold weather is considered
inadvisable, because some oa the water
might freeze in the plug before it could
be exhausted. The Water Department
has force of men whose special duty il
Is to attend 10 this work. and they have
complete equipment, including an electri-
cal outfit and testing gauge, which shows
whether the proper pressure comes from
each plug inspected. These Water De-
partment men respond to sycrv fire.
either day or night, in order "a be what
help they can In the manipulation OF the
plugs.
OF the 1000 fire hvdrants in use in
Wilmington all but five or six are of the
pattern outlined above.
As each fire company is expected to
carry al least 1000 feet of good hose. it
should be possible for every engine 10 get
| within 1000 feet of any fire for water
| supply, even if some of the plugs in the
| vicinity should be out of commission
While the Water Department, it was
learned, feels that it has been endeavoring
! TO do It's duty in the matter of fire pro-
lection. it would welcome a disinterested
survey of the city's fire fighting facilities.
| including the water service, and il Is
| understood that such an examination is
likely 10 be made soon. This would
mean a survey by competent Don-resi-
dents, who should have no interest In the
result