The Washington times., 1923-07-09
DA 7 A F Or
--
26C|T|ES
GIVEN
Communities One-sixth Size of
Washington Surpass in
Fire Requirements.


the matter Of water supply for
fire fighting purposes by Ameri-
can cities one-sixth of it's size, it
was revealed today in returns Of
the Board of Trade QUESTIONABLE
on high pressure water supply
systems in other cities in the
country:
Data Before Officials.
The data collected in this survey
ie being tabulated by Richard l..
Conner, assistant secretary of the
board, and will be presented to the
District Commissioners and to Con-
gress in the fight for a high pres
sure system in the next appropria-
ton bill.
David NJ. Lea, president Of the
rating board of the District fire un-
derwriters, who has stated that the
installation Of high pressure sys-
tenn would reduce Washington's fire
insurance rates materially. will con-
fer with Francis f. Weller, chair
man of the Board of Trade commit
tee on water supply. upon the lat
ter's return to Washington tomor.
row, preparatory to a conference
this week with the District Commits
si0ners.
Returns to his missionaries
from twenty-six representative
American cities are being tabulated
today by Conner. OF these twenty
six cities, eleven have pressure sys-
TENS which deliver water at 300
pounds pressure per square inch al
the nozzle, and of these eleven cities
three are as large as washington
and three smaller, two having less
than 200, 900 population.
Fifteen of the twenty-six cities
have pressures of more than 200
$50 pounds. All of the twenty-six
replying, one of which has a popu-
lation of but $4,000, have higher
pressure for fire fighting than the
National Capital.
Can Throw 700 Feet.
Providence, r. l., with a present
population of 254,960, has had a
high pressure system for twenty-six
years and Rochester, n. Y. with a
population of 256.417, has had a
splendid high pressure system for
fifty years.
San Francisco. with a population
OF almost exactly the size Of this
city, has had a system for eleven
years. comprising two steam pump
ing stations driving turbine pumps
A 100000 gallon oil reservoir is
provided to furnish fuel for the
system.s The pumps deliver $4,000
gallons of water a minute at a
pressure of 300 pounds at the
nozzle. This permits the batter
ing down Of light wooden walls sc
the heart Of fire may be reaAhed
Nearly ten miles of ten to twenty
inch pipe deliver the high pressure
water to $500 acres in the Sar
francisco territory, the largest such
area in the country.
Cuno II. Rudolph, president of the
Board of District Commissioners
said today:
We are going to take up the
matter of the high water pressure
1t our first opportunity"
Costs High Now,
Figures prepared by the wate,
Department for the Commissioner,
show that the installation of th,.
modern water system would cosr,
In the neighborhood of $1.563 600
Twelve years ago when it was firs,
under consideration the estimated
cost was $750,000.
The high cost Of the new waite,
system is the principal reason wn,
the Commissioners have not vel
decided to recommend it for new
year. It was pointed out TODAY TIM,
the Commissioners may postpon,
action for a few years in the hon,
of reducing the cost OF the system
The need of additional fire m
paratus is also pointed out as on,
reason why the new system shoul,
be postponed. However, II wa,
said today that with the installa
ton of the high pressure systcn
many steam engines now used /,
downtown Washington could ~
transferred to the outlying section
where motor apparatus is needed
With the high pressure system. |
would not be necessary to brin,
steam engines downtown for fires
Announcement by insuranc
underwriters that the cost of insu,
ance would be reduced. it is said
has encouraged District official,
and may result in their asking 10
the new water system.
All of the Commissioners favo
high water pressure. They are hes
tatinR only because Of the cost q
Installation which might result i
reduction in appropriations q
other departments II Congress
should approve it