The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-08-07


The ordinance prohibiting the park
ing Of vehicles within 10 feet Of FIRE
hydrants is not properly enforced.
We find no ordinance requiring the
annual cleaning of chimneys. which
accounts for the many chimney fires
in the past. By having the chimneys
in the town cleaned regularly. Will re-
duce fire alarms TO great extent.
Many places where ashes are kept in
wooden boxes and cartons. defective
fiues. pipes and stoves. These eondi-
tions would not be permitted to exist
if system Of inspections were adopt
ed.
Upon taking the water pressure we
found many hydrants that were leak
ing at the stem. stuffing box and seat
valve. This condition should be RENE
died without delay.
That the city has no system for re-
mova of rubbish and trash from build
ings. which accounts for the amount of
rubbish found.
There seems to be no regulation as
TO the distribution of fire hydrants,
and this no doubt is the cause of many
districts being in some degree unpro-
tected.
The city is absolutely at the mercy
of the flames, owing to the lack of fire
equipment with which to combat fire.
We find that there is not the proper
enforcement compelling property own
ers to securely fasten and lock vacant
buildings. In several instances we
found buildings with unlocked doors
and open windows, and IN each instance
found rgeat accumulation of rubbish,
and in one place old discarded mat
tresses, which would be very entic.
ing place for hoboes and tramps to
quarter.
The water system and source of sup
ply are owned by the municipality.
Gravity system. Pressure in principal
business district 10 pounds; in the
Heights district, chiefly residential, 30
pounds.
Source of primary supply,:a noun
tain spring 50 miles southeast of town
at an elevation of about l05 feet above
the reservoir.
Flow from spring estimated at eco.
600 gallons per day. From intake Ga
concrete reservoir of 10000 gallons ca
pacity) main of IA inch wood stave
pipe extending "a miles, supplying two
S-lnch mains, one mile in length, one
of which provides direct supply for
hydrants in the Heights district, while
the other connects with the reservoirs.
Source of secondary supply, two liv
ing springs located about one half mile
southwest Of the business district.
These supply secondary concrete res.
erVolr.
An Independent system, owned by
Apple Growers Association, takes its
supply from Indian creek.
Water is carried through an oper
ditch to third reservoir which sup.
plies few hydrants in the warehouse
district.
A 500,0 600 gallon concrete reservoir is
located at an elevation of $50 feet
above the mercantile district. The
pressure is reduced to 10 pounds by a
reducing valve on Ninth street be
tween State and Oak streets.
A $50, 600 gallon concrete reservoi,
is located at an elevation of 200 feet
above the mercantile district. At this
reservoir is provided 300 gallon elec
tric centrifugal pump which is used tC
supply water to the Heights dstric,
located above the reservoir. This is ar
emergency supply.
A ,O00, 600 gallon reservoir, owned
by the Apple Growers Association, is
located at an elevation of 1926 feet
above the warehouses at railway.
From reservoir No. ! supply mair
of l2-inch and l0-inch pipe leads to the
distributing system in that portion OF
town south of Montello avenue.
From the primary source of supply a
a. and 8-inch main supplies direct the
distributing system in the Heights
district.
From reservoir No. an 8-inch main
connects with the general distributing
| system.
From reservoir No. 3 l2-inch main
extends to the warehouse district for
power purposes and to supply hydrants
S-inch. 6-inch and 4-inch mains in mer.
camille district.
SiX-inch and 4-inch in Heights dist.
rict, but dead ends.
All cast iron mains.
Ffty-three 2t-inch hydrants.
The following defects of hydrants
were found while taking readings:
Corner of Twelfth and Wilson streets,
leaking around main stem and stuffing
box. Tree too near hydrant, which in
terteres with opening ofshydrant. 9,
The Pleasant View school of frame
structure has no hydrant in the i'm.
mediate vicinity. Hydrant should be
installed on Eleventh and Pine streets.
Ninth and State, threads worn on
take off.
Ninth and Oak leaking around seat
valve and stuffing box.
Cascade and Second, leaking around
main stem and stuffing box.
East First and Sherman, hydrant
leaking at seat valve.
Hydrant at vinegar factory difficult
to open.
The hydrants are not given the at
tentlon they should have and in nearly
every instance, when they were opened
it was shown that the packing had
worn out. that they were not oiled.
making it difficult to get water. An.
other very bad feature is that the hvd-
rants are set too low, thus retarding
the movements of the fremen when
making connection. There are at
various points in the city. telephone
posts and trees too near hydrants.
In the business district a very bad
system is followed by allowing the
street cleaning department use of the
fire hydrant
It should be borne in mind that hyd
rants are installed for protection
against fire, and that their use for any
other purpose should be strictly pro.
hibted.
1t is the universal custom that where
others than fremen are allowed to use
hydrants they are invariably in poor
condition, and when required for in.
stant use it is almost impossible to
open them. due to the fact that the
valve is jammed or stilson wrench
has ruined the main stem.
Three hose reels, each with 500 feet
of 28-lnch hose one village truck with
one 24foot extension, one l6-foot and
one l2-foot ladder two 3-gallon chemi-
cal eXtinguishers five play pipes one