Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-07-09
MANCHESTER NEEDS
MODERN FIRE engine
MORE FIRE HOSE SADLY NEEDED
AT BIG FIRE TUESDAY
MORNING.


MORNING.
FIREMEN AT DISADVANTAGE.
Fire Chief Hutchinson Gives Public
Some Interesting Facts-COuncl
Failed to Act Until Today.
The destructive fire in the ware
house section Of Manchester last
Tuesday morning demonstrated the
utter inadequacy Of the equipment
with which the volunteer fire depart
ment has to work; the need OF new
boilers at the city pumping station,
and the necessity of adding to the
present equipment modern motor
fire engine.
Each year when the boiler inspector
visits the Manchester pumping sta
ton he reduces the boiler pressure,
rating until now the boilers are rated
at 10 lbs. With this stage of pressure
the engineer is unable to supply prop
er water pressure in event of ire
like we had Tuesday morning. The
City Council has been aware OF the
condition of the boilers and has dis
cussed the possible purchase OF new
boilers, but ended with simply dis
cussing the matter. They claim that
the present water fund does not stand
for such heavy outlay. No doubt
this is true. Some of the members OF
the council suggested that the water
rates be increased to $1.75 per quar-
ter, and in this way lay up fund
that would permit the city to purchas-
ing a set of new boilers, but no defin-
ite action was taken.
The condition Of the fire fighting
equipment was referred to the coun-
Gil by Fire Chief w. H. Hutchinson,
in his annual report which was &C
cepted by the council on April Z, 1919
We are going to give this report in
full so that the people of Manchester
may be informed on this subject:
Fire Chiefs Report.
City Council, Manchester Iowa.
Requiring by the Iowa code l here
in hand you report OF fire apparatus
on hand and condition Of same the lst
day Of April, 1919.
After testing out our hose | found
that we have on hand 1850 feet OF
first class hose and 200 feet OF second
class hose. It, is doubtful whether
this 200 feet of hose would stand up
to 80 pounds fire pressure. We have
one hose wagon and two hose carts
in serviceable condition. We have q
Babcock or Chemical Engine, with
two forty gallon capacity tanks, with
slight over-hauling which Is now be-
ing done, this chemical engine Is in
very good condition. We have one
ladder truck with sufficient supply
of ladders, pixies and axes all In good
condition for our present require
ments. We have one Silsby steam en-
gine in good order with the exception
of suction hose.
find on referring back and tak-
ing with ex-chief that it has been
customary to carry anywhere from
$500 feet to 5000 feet of fire hose on
hand. But I presume on account OF
the high cost Of hose the past two
years the amount of hose has been
allowed to become reduced by defective
hose until we only have the above
amount of 145O feet Of all kinds OF
hose on hand, suitable for fire pur-
poses. l recommend and earnestly
request that the city conncil i'm
mediately buy at least $50 feet Of new
fire hose and talking with the assist
ant and firemen and looking over the
situation believe we should have
fully 1000 feet Of new hose bought
and at the immediate disposal of the
fire company.
Also, would ask that the suction
on Silsby be Immediately repaired by
buying new suction hose, for while
we do not use the Silsby much and
have not used it for several years, it
should be kept up in first class condi-
tion as the Silsby is absolutely useless
in the present condition, without it
was taken to river and used water
from the river in place of attaching
to our main.
w. w. Hutchinson,
Apr. Z, 1919. Fire Chief.
Council Acts Today.
After Fire Chief Hutchinson urged
the need of more fire hose, the council
simply accepted the report, and then
took no action until this afternoon
when an order was placed for $50
feet of new hose and repairs for the
Silsby engine. With the present sup
ply of hose, and the low pressure at
the pumping station, it is next to i'm
possible to reach property that is
located any distance from a fire hy-
drant. Should fire break out in the
city hall, for instance, the firemen
would have hard time getting
streams of water on the second floor,
to say nothing of reaching the audi
torium. The only thing that saved
the entire business district Of Man
chester Tuesday morning, was kind
Providence. Had the wind suddenly
changed the fire department would
have been utterly helpless with its
present equipment, to keep the fire