Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-12
FIRE ENGINE TESTS
.SETFOR TOMORROW
City's Companies Compete
for Speed Records and
Silver Cups.

The clang of fire gong pulled for
the test signal. Is" will launch to-
morrow the annual Fire Department
speed tests, to decide this years speed
champions among the Capitals engine
and truck companies.
Dashing out of quarters in the
quickest possible time. washington's 20
engine companies will compete for
leg on a large silver cup awarded by
The Evening Star, while the IA truck
companies will match their speed in
competition for a similar cup awarded
by the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association.
No. 81 Holds Two.
Two legs on The Star cup already
are held by No. u Engine Company,
whose station is on Lanier place be-
tween Adams Mill and Ontario roads.
and one leg is claimed by Engine Com
pany No %. The former company. by
virtue of its remarkable performance IN
1876 in clearing the engine house door
way In 9 seconds fiat. lays claim TO
the Fire Department speed champion
ship of the world. Last year the COM
pany came within two-fifthS of Sec
ond of equaling its own world record.
Truck Company No. ii last year
broke the world speed record for trucks
when 1t clipped out of its house on
Connecticut avenue near Porter street
In 6 AS seconds. In so doing 1t
smashed the mark of z As seconds set
tNSSr n IN
Fire Chief George Watson yesterday
issued a special order announcing plans
and regulations governing the tests,
which will start tomorrow morning at
O'Clock Chief Watson designated
Battalion Chief Thomas F. O'Connor.
Fire Prevention Engineer w. w. Dean
Of the War Department and a rep
resentatiye of The Evening Star as a
committee to conduct the tests.
Rules for Contest.
The apparatus will be clicked over
measured distance of 80 feet. A fixed
point on the engine or truck will be
timed in its movement from chalk
mark on the floor of the house TO the
sill of the doorway as the apparatus
whizzeS out of the building. Stop
watches will be held by Chief O'Con-
nor and The Stars representative, and
time will be measured to fifths of a
second.
The order issued by Chief Watson
specified the following procedure for
the tests:
Members of the company will be
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 there
for shall also be stationed IA feet from
the crank
In engine companies only one piece
of apparatus win be used, and IL will
be optional with company commanding
officers as to which piece, the engine
or hose wagon. is selected
The rear step of apparatus In an
engine company Is To be placed 50 feet
from the front door sill. II the house
is not deep enough TO allow this, a
line will be 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.
Wait for Count.
THE test will be started By striking
Ia on the big gong At the first
stroke OF the gong members shall
take their places on the apparatus
and the motor shall be imme-
diately started The apparatus shall
not be placed IN motion, however until
the officer IN charge has counted the
box, which. as above stated. will be
Is" and has called BOX thirteen,
go
The Evening Star cup was Won last
year by No, 81 Engine Company and
the Merchants and Manufacturers AS
ISOLATION cup was won by Truck Com
pAny No. Ia"