Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-26
lack OF WATER At FIRE
CAUSE OF CONFERENCE
Chief Joynes to Lay Matter Before
Administrative Board
at Once.
ENGINES HAD TO BE MOVED
Loss of Spotless Plant Due to Lack
of Watcr-PreSsure Jumped When
New Reservoir Valve Was Opened.
Mains Insufficient.


of Watcr-Pressure Jumped When
New Reservoir Valve Was Opened.
Mains Insufficient.
Following the Enquiry directed by
conrliss Toner Graham i. HohSon. OF
the Administrative Board into the al
legged insufficient water supply at tn.
fire sunday morning. which destroyed
the plan; Of the Virginia Baking Com
pany and the building occupied by tn"
Spotlcss Company. with a loss esti-
mated a sS5o.ooo. q conference was
called Yesterday between Fire Chief w
II Joynes and Mr.. Iiohson. at which
time the water question will he thor
ouGhiy discussed. and plans outlined
FOR improvements III the citys water
distribution system. This conference
will I've held a; noon to-day III the
Offices OF the board.
Mr.. Hobson. who is commissioner in
charge o; water and electricity, said
Yesterday afternoon that II the city's
distribution system needed certain inn
provemen;s. and the cost was not prohi-
bittve. that they whould be made. So
far as Sundays fire was concerned. that
was a reEretahle disaster and could not
be helped a this time. He proposed TO
make whatever improvements were
necessary to make the water supply
sufficient for the Fire Department. pro-
viding the expenditure would not be
excessive.
ENGINES MOVED IN
EFFORT TO FIND WATER
Fire Chief W. II. Joynes. Superin-
tepdent Eugene Z. Davis, OF the Water
Department. and Master Mechanic
Bailey. OF the Fire Department. will
attend the conference. at which officials
CT the Fire Department will place
squarely before Commissioner Hobson
conditions as they found. them at the
ire. II is expected that considerable
improvements w!ll he made as a result
of this meeting. II is known. however.
that no general Encouragement of the
distribution system such as was rec
commended two years ago by the in
surance men, can he made at this time
because of the prevailing high pricey
OF all supplies
The Administrative BOARD, however.
has some money that can be used for
the improvem OF the water system
in event that this work is necessary AT
this time. j; stated. In view Of the
position taken by the Fire department.
it is generally believed that some ac-
ton will he taken by the Administra-
tive Board
Il do not admit there was a shortage
Of water at tho fire" Mr. Hohson said.
but that is neither here nor there We
cannot now help the matter. but we can
DO something 10 prevent any rcpeti-
ton Of such a disaster. ! have arranged
conference with Chief Joynes, and he
will explain what is needed; where new
plugs should he made, new and larger
connections provided. and other i'm
provements."
SEVERAL PLUGS At
DEAD ENDS Or MAINS
In the section where the fire oc-
cured on sunday there are several
wat4r plugs known a. dead end" plugs
because OF their connection at the end
Of main. These plugs We're Installed
some years ago. when 20 passage across
the raceway of the traction companv
vas provided. II is probable that othcr
connections Viii now he made 70 I'M
prove the supply Of water from them.
Nearly two years ago experts Of the
National Fire Underwriters recon-
:nendet high pressure main o. large
Size in Cary street Tut that improve
nent would have cos; >Ztt.0gj . ihs.t
time and IS uow prohibited because
0. excessive prices
Assis;ar' Superintendent I.awIon, Of
the Water Department. ycsterday re-
ported 10 Mr Hohson As 10 The water
provided At the ire. he told how hc
had made other connections. and Mad
opened the valve d; Madison and Cary
Streets. which lLrnct into the lowe,
business section the wbter from INC
new reservoir. Following this action.
the pressure - the p.l:s from whic,
the fire engines were drawing water in
creased uatcS jal!y.
BREAKS I-eNI, RECORD
OF EFFICIENT SERVICE
In statement yesterday Robert
Lecky. il, q member o. the Board O..
Fire Commissioners declared tina, ,n=
valve at Madison Street should remain
open at all times
In his ~,
The fire Of last sunday has broken
the record Of tho Richmond Fire De
pa!ement ana through no fault ot that
department, maintained since the
burning Of the Petersburg railroad
bridge back in tho sos. ana thar &C.
that no single fire has DESTROYED two
mercantile or manufacturing establish
ments. i second building may have
been damaged, but not to The polnt o.
being entirely put out OF business. az
IS The case with the Spotlcss Corupany
on Sunday, after The FIRE had gor,cf
headway into the Spotl"ss Compass.
we got the watcr and this was don.
by the opening Of valves Wc should
INSIST mat those valves remain open
until the connection suggested an Ann.
1896, be Installed
Il am pleased 30 So. that Conru!s-
sioncr Hooson Of The Administrative
Board. has asEcd for 4 speciaI renori
from the Water Departments ana !
W0G!d urge mat the report SHOW for
me information Of tn" public. Just the
foliowinG information Did tic opcn-
ING az nc valves Leading to the %c,y
No,i 90 "ny'n'ns more than IN
crease the Tow OF water Certainty il
did not increase the size Of tho main.
which 10 comments upon IA an inter
view published this morning n IN.
open race"ay - The railway and
I've ION hanE vas accessible for Gre
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