WHAT OTHERS SAY.
KNOXVILLE’S FIRE BRIGADE.
WE will soon have a fire alarm system (Gamewell), I think, and thirtyseven more hydrants located. We will probably build two enginehouses, and I confidently expect to have the finest brigade in the South. I have worked hard for it, and have got our people about educated up to that point. I commenced with an appropriation of $5000; last year $9000; and this year I shall have about $18,000. I wanted $25,000.
PHILO B. SHEPARD, Chief of Brigade.
KNOXVILLE, TENN., February 20.
LURAY’S NEEDS.
THE council held a meeting Monday night and had the question before them of fire apparatus, and I was appointed a member of the committee to correspond with fire departments.
Our town has about 1500 inhabitants and is built almost entirely on one street, which makes it about one mile long, and water can only be got from wells and cisterns, and a stream which runs across about the middle of the place.
The trouble is to get the water where we most need it, as the streets ascend each way from the stream, and the ascent is considerable. Therefore I think it would be better and cheaper for us to get a chemical extinguisher. I wish you would send me price and description of such apparatus. T. R. CAMPBELL, Town Sergeant.
LURAY, VA,, February 17.
THE FORT MADISON WATER-WORKS.
IN compliance with your request, I herewith hand you a short description of the water-works in the city of Fort Madison. The works were constructed during the summer of 1885, and have been in continuous operation ever since, the plant being owned and controlled by an Eastern syndicate, which makes a special business of constructing and operating water-works throughout the country.
The plant at present is composed of one duplex compound condensing Blake pump of 1,500,000 gallons capacity every twenty-four hours, a reservoir of r,500,000 gallons capacity, situated upon an elevation directly east of the city proper, seven miles of main pipes ranging in diameter from twelve-inch to four-inch, thoroughly distributed throughout the city, and sixty-eight double-nozzle Ludlow hydrants. Hydrants are situated about 500 feet apart, running east and west, and about 300 feet apart upon streets running north and south. The reservoir into which the water is pumped is upon an elevation about 200 feet above the city proper, and furnishes pressure throughout all parts of the city which is abundant for fire purposes, as well as for domestic supply. The pumps are so connected, however, that direct pressure may at any time be applied to the water in the pipes in the event of an accident to the reservoir, which is highly improbable. The source of supply is the Mississippi river.
The works as now constructed are abundantly large to furnish efficient service in a city of 20,000 people ; it is needless, perhaps, to add that in the event Fort Madison expands as much during the next five years as present prospects would seem to indicate, our company will be called upon to make important extensions and enlargements to the works within that time. Yours very truly, P. M. HANLEY,
FORT MADISON, IA., February 28. Superintendent.
