Chap. 8.] Before the War of Independence. 343 Stoutenburgh, who was directed to take charge of them at a salary of thirty pounds; and "the late overseer, Mr. Jacobus Turk, [was ordered to] deliver up to the said Jacobus Stoutenburgh, the said several fire-engines." November 19, 1762. The firemen were directed to wear leather caps when on duty. May 7, 1772. An engine was ordered to be provided for the Out ward. July 10, 1772. "Alderman Gautier laid before this board an account of the cost of two fire-engines belonging to Thomas Tillier and Alderman Gautier is requested to purchase the same." September 9, 1772. A committee was authorized "to purchase one other fireengine of David Hunt." The three engines last named were probably from England, for at the time these machines were in the list of ordinary imported manufactures. It is not impossible that some engines were made in Massachusetts about the time of the Revolutionary war. In October 1767, the people of Boston, irritated by the exactions and disgusted with the parasites of monarchy, determined in a town meeting to cease importing from the 31st of December following, numerous articles of British manufacture, among which were enumerated anchors, nails, pewter-ware, clothing, hats, carriages, cordage, furniture, and fire-engines. And in March 1768, the Assembly resolved, "that this house will, by all prudent means, endeavour to discountenance the use of foreign superfluities, and to encourage the manufactures of this province;" hence it is reasonable to suppose that engines either had been, or then could be made in the province; otherwise it is not likely that their importation would have been denounced. As an article of trade they were, from the limited number required, insignificant-they had no connection with luxury; and so far from being perfluities," they were necessary to protect the property of the people from destruction-they would therefore be among the last things that a people would cease to import while unable to make them. 66 su It was not till several years after the close of the struggle for independence that fire-engines were made in this and some other cities. They have, however, long been made here and in Philadelphia, Boston, &c. Small engines were formerly used, but they have gradually disappeared, the manufacturers confining themselves principally to the largest. The use of buckets has also been discontinued on account of the extensive application of hose. Village engines are sometimes constructed with single cylinders and double acting, but being more liable to derangement, they are not extensively used. Rotary engines are also made in some parts of New-England, on the principle of Bramah and Dickenson's pumps, (No. 138.) As ordinary fire-engines are merely forcing pumps, arranged in carriages and furnished with flexible pipes; it is not to be supposed that any radical improvement upon them can be effected. The pump itself is, perhaps, not capable of any material change for the better; and it is at present essentially the same as when used by Ctesibius and Heron in Egypt, twenty centuries ago: hence fire-engines, since hose pipes and air chambers were introduced, have differed from each other chiefly in the carriages and in the arrangement and dimensions of the pumps-as the position of the cylinders, modes of working the pistons, bore and direction of the passages for the water, &c. In these respects there is not much difference between European and American engines; nor in the varieties of the latter. Those made in Philadelphia rather resemble French and German engines, in working the pumps at the ends of the carriages, and without the sectors and chains; while New-York engines are precisely the same as Newsham's, both in the arrangement of the pumps and mode of working them, with the exception of treddles, which are not used. 344 Philadelphia Fire-Engine. [Book III. No. 153 represents an external view of a Philadelphia engine: the pumps and air vessel are arranged as in No. 150, but the piston rods are connected directly to the bent lever, which is moved by a double set of handles or staves. A number of men stand upon each end of the cistern and work the engine by the staves nearest to them, while others on the ground apply their strength to the staves at the extremities of the lever. The staves turn upon studs at the centre of the cross bars, and when put in operation, fall into clasps that retain them in their places. Provision is made to convey the stream either from the lower or from the upper part of the air chamber. Hose companies supply the engines with water. The firemen, as in all American cities, are volunteers, and generally consist of young tradesmen and merchants' clerks, &c. They are exempt from militia and jury duty. Each member pays a certain sum on his admission, and a small annual subscription. A fine is also imposed upon any one appearing on duty without his appropriate dress (see figure in the cut) as well for being absent. A generous spirit of rivalry exists among the different companies, which induces them to keep their engines in a high state of working order, No. 153. External Viow of a Philadelphia Fire-engine. No. 154 exhibits a New-York engine. The pump cylinders are arranged and worked precisely as shown in the section No. 150. They are six and a half inches diameter, and the pistons have a stroke of nine inches. Previous to the formation of hose companies, each engine was provided with a reel of hose; this, when not in use, was covered by a case of varnished cloth or leather. Most of the engines still have reels, which are carried as shown in the cut. The stream of water is invariably taken from the top of the air chambers, which resemble the one at No. 150. This practice is bad, because in most cases that part of the hose between the goose-neck and the fire descends to the ground, and hence the water in the pipe is unnecessarily diverted from its course and a corresponding diminution of effect is the result. In all cases the hose had better be connected to the bottom of the air chamber, or to its side near the bottom, as in Nos. 148, 152, 155. Very long chambers (as the one in No. 150) Chap. 8.] New-York Fire-Engine. 345 retard the issue of the liquid more than others which discharge it from the top, because the water has to descend in them nearly perpendicularly to enter the orifice of the pipe, and its direction is then precisely reversed, for it has to rise perpendicularly in order to escape. In exterior decoration American engines are probably unrivaled: the firemen take pride in ornamenting their respective machines, and hence most of them are finished in the most superb and expensive manner. The whole of the iron work, except the tire of the wheels, is frequently plated with silver; every part formed of brass is brought to the highest polish; and while all the wood work, including the wheels, is elegantly painted and gilded, the backs, fronts, and panels of the case that encloses the air chamber and pumps, are enriched with historical and emblematical paintings and carved work, by the first artists. A new organization of the fire department of New-York has long been in contemplation, and the project of a law to that effect, is at this time under the consideration of the legislature of the state, and of the corporation of the city. The most valuable contribution of American mechanicians to the means of extinguishing fires is the riveted hose, invented by Sellers and Pennock of Philadelphia. It is too well known both here and in Europe to require particular description. No modern apparatus is complete without it. The Mechanics' Institute of New-York offered a gold medal (in January 1840) for the best plan of a Steam fire-engine. The publication of the notice was very limited, and but two or three plans were sent in. Of these, one by Mr. Ericsson, a European engineer now in this country, received the prize. No. 155 represents a view of the engine. No. 156 a longitudinal section of the boiler, steam engine, pump, air vessel and blowing apparatus. No. 157, plan. No. 158, a transverse section of the boiler through the furnace and steam chamber. No. 159, the lever or handle for working the blowing apparatus by hand. The following is the inventor's description, in which the same letters of reference denote the same parts in all the figures. 346 Steam Fire-Engine. [Book III. 'A the double acting force pump, cast of gun metal, firmly secured to the carriage frame by four strong brackets cast on its sides. a, a, Suction valves. a', a', Suction passages leading to the cylinder. a", Chamber containing the suction valves, and to which chamber are connected suction pipes a", a", to which the hose is attached by screws in the usual manner, and closed by the ordinary screw cap. The delivering valves and passages at the top of the cylinder are similar to those just mentioned. B the air vessel, of a globular form, made of copper. b b delivery pipes, to which the pressure hose is attached: when only one jet is required, the opposite pipe may be closed by a screw cap, as usual. The piston or bucket of the force pump to be provided with double leather packing: [cupped leathers] the piston rod to be made of copper. No. 155. View of Steam Fire-Engine. No. 159. Chap. 8.] Steam Fire-Engine. 347 "C the boiler, constructed on the principle of the ordinary locomotive boiler, and containing 27 tubes of 12 inch diameter. The top of the steamchamber and the horizontal part of the boiler should be covered with wood, to prevent the radiation of heat. c the fire door. c' the ash pan. D No. 158. c" a box attached to end of boiler, inclosing the exit of the tubes. The hot air from the tubes received by this box is passed off through smoke pipe c', which is carried through D D, making a half spiral turn round the air vessel in the form of a serpent. c1, iron brackets riveted to the boiler, and bolted to the carriage frame, d, a wrought iron stay, also bolted to the carriage frame, for supporting the horizontal part of the boiler. |