Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-11
F|REMEN TO MEET
IN SPEED CONTEST
City Companies to Compete
Wednesday for Cup
Given by Star.

Fire Chief George Watson today
issued formal orders for the conduct
of the annual Fire Department speed
contest for The Evening star Cup, to
begin Wednesday at 2 am.
The competition. to be participated
in by % engine companies, IL truck
comma MES. the rescue squad ana the
tiraboat crew, will decide this year S
winner Of the cup for engine com
panies and the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association Cup for truck
mpnnies. The former now is held
nv Engine Company No. II and the
latter by Truck Company No. II.
Chief Watson's orders explain that
:he cups will he awarded the com
panies Showing the greatest speed
in eaving quarters after the receipt
of tesd alarm"
He named a committee, composed
Of Battalion Chief Thomas +. O'Con-
nor, Fire Prevention Engineer w.
w. Deane of the War Department
and representative Of The Star, to
supervise the tests, which are eX-
pected to take three days for COM
petion.
Procedure Of Contest.
The orders specified the following
procedure to be observed in each
speed test:
Members of the company will he
stationed at different places on the
apparatus floor. with the driver Ia
feet in the rear of the apparatus
seat and on the side from which he
mounts to the seat. Where apparatus
is started by hand crank the man
detailed therefor shall also be sta
toned IA feet in the rear of the APP
paratus seat.
I'm engine companies only one piece
OF apparatus will be used and it will
be optional with company command
ing officers as to which piece, the en-.
CINE or hose wagon. Is to be used.
1.-The rear step of apparatus in an
engine company is to be placed SO feet
from the front door sill. If the house
is not deep enough to allow this,
line will he drawn on the pavement In
front of the door 80 feet from the rear
step. In truck companies a mark
will be placed on the truck 80 feet from
the front door sill.
THE test will be started by striking
s1-3" on the big gong. At the first
stroke of the gong members shall i'm.
mediately take their places on the APP
paratus and the motor shall be i'm
mediately started. The apparatus shall
not be placed in motion, however. I'M
til the officer in charge has counted
the box. which. as above stated, will
be 10" and has called BOX 13-go!'
New Record Established.
Chief O'Connur and The Stars rep
resentative will time the companies.
Each will hold a stop.watch, making
doubly sure of accuracy. Previous
tests have demonstrated the need for
split-second precision in determining
the time of the respective companies.
Engine Companies No. Il and % ended
in dead heat last year, with a third
company half a second behind them.
A run.off between the two leaders re-
suited in the former company hanging
up worlds record of 8 seconds, while
it's rival came within / second of tieing
the new record.
The distance Of 80 feet which the
apparatus must travel to clear the
door sill Of the house has been adj
judged the average distance covered
by a engine or truck in getting fully
under way in response to. a fire alarm.
The engine will be timed from the in
slant it starts to move away from the
mark until it's rear step passes over
The orders this year differ from
those of last year, in that companies
will be given a. short advance period
in which to prepare for the test.
Heretofore it has been the custom
for the committee to appear at the
house unannounced, but it was found
that some of the engines already were
warmed up upon arrival of the judges,
while others We're disadvantageously
cold. Now all companies will have
equal opportunity to warm their mo.
tors, so that none will have any ad.
vantage over the others.
The winning engine company this
year will be awarded in addition, as
permanent trophy. a handsome
bronze plaque, appropriately inscribed,
for exhibition in the house. This
plaque, donated by The Star. will be
similar to those awarded to Engine
Companies Nos. 81 and %, the pre-
Vious winers.