FIRE DEPARTMENT MATTERS.
AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF WATER, BUT A SCARCITY OF HYDRANTS.
THE CHIEF ON THE SITUATION.
MORE STEAM FIRE ENGINES NEEDED— HOSE ORDERED FROM THE EAST—
EXPERIMENTS SHOWING THE POWER OL FRICTION-FUTURE RELIEF-

1886 July 10
Mr. David Scannell, Chief Engineer of the San Francisco Fire Department, was found in his back office yesterday in the old City Hall building, and in reply to some inquiries as to the condition of the city's steam fire engines and its hose, as well as the hydrant subject, the Chief said :

"You are aware, of course, that a law was passed by the Legislature at the session of 1878 appropriating the sum annually of $80,000 for the running expenses of the Department and $30,000 for material. The Board of Supervisors, in making their tax levy, cut us out of $20,000 in the running expenses. The result of this questionable economy is that much of our apparatus has been damaged— gone to ruin, I may say— while with the $20,000 we might have kept the engines and other apparatus in good condition for working. The average life of a boiler of a fire engine is twelve years, while come of our engines have been in use eighteen and twenty years, and consequently are now almost worthless.

THE ENGINE SUPPLY.
" We have fifteen steam fire engines and companies in the Department end five extra engines, which are used in cases of breakdowns or other accidents, but these extras are so old and so damaged that they are in the shop most of the time for repairs. The streets of San Francisco are in such a bad condition that a fire seldom occurs at which come of the engine fixtures are not broken, and then comes the necessity of substituting other engines from a limited supply. Just before the Fourth of July, when fire alarms are most frequent, the Department was in danger of being compelled to put one company out of service in consequence of a want of apparatus with which to supply them. Well, as to hose, let me say that we have none except what is on the carts, but the Board of Supervisors have ordered 5,000 feet from the East, which will be received here soon. The Department ought to have 10,000 feet of extra hose stowed in the Corporation House to be used when breaks occur at fires, which are common occurrences.

THE BOARD MORE LIBERAL.
"The Board of Supervisors have realized the wants of the Department, and have ordered a tax levy through which the additional $20,000, as provided by the law of 1878, can be used for strengthening the Department. It is intended to purchase two new steam engines at an early day and two more during the present year. These engines, the same as those now in use in this city, cost about $4,250 delivered aboard the cars at the manufactory in the East, and the freight on each will be about $400, bringing the cost of the engines delivered here under $5,000 each. You will please state, "said the Chief, "that there is no fault to be found with the Supervisors at present in regard to their action toward the Department, whatever may be said of the City Fathers in the past on this subject, for the Board has allowed us the full appropriation under the law.

THE CITY'S ISOLATED CONDITION.
" San Francisco's condition is different from most of the Eastern cities, where, in cases of large fires, assistance can be had in a very short space of time, as was shown in the great Chicago fire and in other fires in the Atlantic cities. San Francisco occupies a sort of isolated position. Oakland is about the only city we could safely call upon for outside assistance, and our neighbor across the bay is none too well prepared for fire emergencies. The Oakland Fire Department rendered us excellent service in the Bancroft fire, for which the people of this city should ever feel grateful. They kindly furnished ns with two engines and companies, and covered two outside fires — St. Mary's Hospital and the Silver-street School, both of which had caught in the roofs from cinders from the Bancroft building.

WATER AND HYDRANTS.
" The supply of water is ample, but there are not enough hydrants. In the business portion of the city the hydrants are too far apart. We have, giving round figures, over 1,400 hydrants, which, if more judiciously located, might be sufficient for the city's wants. The nearer the hydrant to the fire the greater the pressure of water, and consequently the easier the work of extinguishing the fire. The cost of each hydrant, including the setting, is about $60. We will require more hydrants, the cost of which will come out of the $80,000 appropriated for the running expenses of the Department. The city, as you are probably aware, furnishes the water at the rate of $30 per hydrant, the Fire Department paying the cost of the construction of the hydrants.

PRESSURE EXPERIMENTS.
" A series of interesting experiments were made by the Fire Department in May last at the corner of Eighteenth and Valencia streets, which showed how the efficiency of engines was diminished by an increased length of hose. The Board of Supervisors, Hermann Schussler and Superintendent Lawrence of the Spring Valley Waterworks, and myself, were present. The first experiment was made with engine No. 12, the water being thrown through fifty feet of hose, to which was attached an inch-and-a-half nozzle. The pressure at the engine was kept at 130 pounds, and the force was determined by water-gauges. With fifty feet of hose the pressure at the nozzle was 70 pounds, and the distance to which the water was thrown horizontally was 155 feet. With 100 feet of hose the pressure was 50 pounds, or 20 less than with 50 feet of hose, and the water was thrown 150 feet."

Mr. Reilly, Assistant Superintendent of Steam Engines, came to the Chief’s office at this time, and kindly furnished the Alta reporter with the following table, which he said showed the accurate results of hose experiments:

Engine Pressure.           Hose.          Nozzle.                Pressure at  Pipe
130 pounds.          50 feet.     1 ½  inches.         80 pounds.
130   "                  100 "          1 ½     “               45     “
130   “                 200 "          1 ½     "                30     “
130   "                  400 "          1 ½     "                18     "  
130   "                  600 "          1 ½     "                11     "
130   ”                 800 "          1 ½    “                  8     "
130   “               1000 "          1 ½     "                  6     "

The average leads in this city, according to Mr. Reilly, are 600 feet, that at the Bancroft fire being 700 feet, the latter showing a pressure of only 9 ½ pounds at the pipe.

" The city is growing fact," said Chief Scannell, "and its fire necessities have grown with the city's growth. What would have answered every demand of the Fire Department a few years ago would be found entirely inadequate to-day. We will have to pet along as best we can for the present, trusting either to legislative action or a new charter for further relief when it is pressingly needed."
Source: Daily Alta California, Volume 41, Number 13466, 10 July 1886 — FIRE DEPARTMENT MATTERS. [ARTICLE]

Back to the Top