The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-12-22
WATER RUNS So
FAST HOSE IS
SET ON FIRE

BOSTON, Dec. 22.--So much pub.
lie Interest has been aroused by tho
phenomenon developed In tcsts OF
fire hose here when flames broke
through cotton coating OF tho hnge
through which water was being fore.
led at high pressure. that the Fire
Commissioner, John H. Murphy, has
been reocIvlng requests 10; informa-
Itlons from sll over the country.
Ignition Of fire hose while wa
ter was being pumped through II
though no fire was near. is some
thing new TO those who consider the
fIre-flghting business as d science.
To determine the cause OF this pc
cullar Incident and ascertain how to
avoid II, the Boston fire department
will undertake n series OF tests and
Experiments.
Professor Augustus n. Gil. OF the
Massach chusetts institute Of technology
at the request OF Commissioner Siur-
ply examined the hose burned and.
without making a chemical analysis.
reported his belief that the hose was
ignlted from excessive friction caus-
ed by vibration between two cotton
jackets The hose was OF the new
standard two-and-one. half inch rub
ber lined double cotton Jacket type.
made according to specifications OF the
Boston fire department. which con-
form with those OF the national
board OF fire underwriters.
a 75O-gallon pumping engine was
being tested under the direction of
engineers OF the national board OF
fire undcrwrIters and officials OF the
Boston fire department. For four
hours the engine had drawn water
from the Charles River basin when
the order for the high pressure test
was given.
Two lines OF hose were used. one
from each side OF the engine and
each about 800 feet long. Most
gates were placed between the first
and second length OF each line and
tho gates were choked down to about
onc'third capacity. the gates on the
engine outlets being similarly redue-
ed.
About IL minutes after the engine
was started with q pump pressure
OF 200 pounds. smoke came from
the hose about a foot from the coup
ling at the engine connection. Inyes-
iigation showed that the hose was
very hot and In 4 moment flame
burst through the outer covering. |
u minute the same thing hap |
pened TO the hose on the other side |
OF the engine. II was decided by |
the chiefs and experts that the chok. I
ing down OF the gates had resultedi
In a tremendous amount OF water I
being forced through a small open
.ng. The water In passing through !
the engine gate instead OF filling the !,
hose at the coupling was forced in
nt 9n angle, striking one side OF the |
hose with n fine sharp point. with /
sufficient force to generate heat.
This point OF water. together with
The friction caused by the two cotton
Jackets rubbing against each other
apparently caused the flame.
The fire did not injure' the rub
ber lining, which was not even char
red, the flames working entirely in
he cotton mixture. This was scorched
Tor several inches around the burned
hole.
The conditions under which the
engine was working when the hose
gnited were said 10 be such as would
never occur while fire was being
fought and for that reason the fire
lighters have only a keen academic
interest rather than serious thoughts
,f their hose burning during a fire
inless II comes In contact with flam-