Fire Extinguishers

1895

The Ancient Specimens and the Transition to the Modern Machine.

What is perhaps the oldest known fire engine for pumping water is mentioned in the "Spiritalia" of Hero, about 150 B. C. This engine had two single acting pumps, the plungers of which were worked by a single beam pivoted between the two. The streams united in a single discharge pipe, passing up a trunk in which was an air chamber and out at a nozzle which could be turned in any direction. This description might stand for a great many forms of hand fire engines used even to the present day. The early Romans appear to have paid quite some attention to fire extinguishing apparatus and had an organized fire brigade.

Something like the more modern fire engine appears to have been brought out in the early part of the sixteenth century and is described as a "water syringe." This was mounted on wheels and was worked by levers. Fire engines of this kind were apparently much used in Germany. In England, during the latter part of the sixteenth century, large brass syringes were employed, holding several quarts of water and operated by three men, two holding the syringe at each side with one hand and directing the nozzle with the other and the third operating the plunger. After having discharged the water the syringe was refilled from a cistern or well near the fire or from buckets. Later those water squirts were fitted to portable cisterns or tanks.

In the latter part of the seventeenth century a portable engine, mounted on a cistern or tank, from which the water was drawn, was introduced in England by Newsham. This engine was in many respects similar to the modern hand fire engine and continued in use in England up to 1832.

The Newsham engine was perhaps the first successful fire engine and really was the pioneer of the modern manually operated engines. The pumps were of various sizes and designs and were in most cases operated by levers. Various forms of engines, similar to the Newsham engine, continued in use as late as 1850. — Cassier's Magazine.

Their Long Span of Life -- "Same Razor Everyday, 53 Years"

1922

London — Setting forth a compilation of the longevity of many of the common-place things in life — things which though soon every day are scarcely given thought — the London Mail points out that the length of useful life possessed by articles of man's handiwork forms an interesting speculation, and one which is full of surprises.

"For instance, an artificial leg had been worn by its owner for sixty years and was still serviceable at the end of that time.

"The average life of a locomotive engine is about twenty years, but there are many cases on record of this term being greatly exceeded. One built in 1846 worked for a period of over fifty years, first as a passenger, then freight, and finally as a shifting engine. Another completed over two million miles, equal to one hundred year's service, on the ordinary basis of twenty thousand miles a year.

"In the year 1913 a town in Wales was using a fire engine which had been in active service for seventy years on end. But this record pales when compared with that of an engine which was still in use at the beginning of the present century by a firm of metal rollers in Birmingham. This, a beam engine, was erected in the year 1767, and worked continuously for one hundred and thirty-six years before it was last pulled down and replaced.

"There is a case on record of a man using the same razor every morning for fifty-three years."

—Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wisconsin, Jan. 23, 1922, p. 4.


1899

A Long Service

In remote parts of Scotland the old Covenanters' love for long services on the bare hillside still lingers. At Dingwall a recent communion service in the open air lasted from 10 a. m. until 4 p. m. without exhausting the staying power of the congregation.

Ambulance Horse Sad To Be Replaced By Monstrous Motor Ambulance

Atlanta, 1913

Replaced by Motor Ambulance, "Faithful John" Dying of Grief

Faithful John awoke in his stall attached to Grady Hospital one morning not so long ago and began munching the customary breakfast of hay. As his eyes roved over the familiar interior of the stable they alighted upon a bulky intruder which looked as if it had come to stay. There was something suspicious about the monster-on-wheels that stood near Faithful John in the stables, and when he had finished his morning meal he began to inspect it and to meditate. In the midst of meditation there came a whirr and clang clang from the big gong at the far end of the stables. It was the emergency ambulance call.

Faithful John threw up his head, champed his bit and stamped and pawed the ground in eager anticipation. The stable attaches never did come quick enough for the loyal horse when the overhead gong summoned him to a wild dash across the streets. Faithful John awaited nervously, but no attache came to unloose him and lead him under the swinging harness.

Instead, a small, alert young man leaped to the seat of the suspicious monster who had come that morning, started a roar somewhere in its depths, clanged an unfamiliar gong and yelled a precautionary Lookout. The huge thing snorted and raged and chugged through the door of the stable, leaving a choking, blinding cloud of vapor behind.

John realized his doom. They were replacing him with one of the horseless devils he encountered every day on the streets — one of those things that whizz by with a snort and a roar. He had been a good horse and faithful and had never failed to answer the joyous summons from the big gong overhead. But now they were done with him, he was out-of-date and science had furnished something that could do more than he, and do it better and faster.

That was about a year ago. Ever since Grady's auto ambulance has performed the duties that once were performed, unassisted, by "Faithful John." The only runs he makes nowadays are when the machine ambulance is in the repair shop or on another call. And, although he dashes through the streets with the same avidity as of old he is breaking down with grief and his heart has been broken by the automobile.

He is 23 years old and has been in service for the hospital for seventeen of these. Dr. W. B. Summerall, superintendent of Grady, estimated yesterday that Faithful John had made as many as 25,000 runs and had covered fully as many as 50,000 miles, or more. In that time he is estimated to have saved as many as 100 lives or better. He is the fastest horse ever connected with the hospital or with any ambulance service in the city.

So far as can be ascertained, this horse's record outrivals the record of any heretofore brought to notice. Recently a fire horse in New York claimed a record of 15,000 runs. This was said to have been the highest ever attained.

Even though he becomes of no use whatever to the hospital Faithful John will be retained by Grady until his death. Then he will be buried with deserving honors and his grave will be somewhere in the fields where there are no roadways and where no rival automobiles can snort their noisy way to disturb his final slumbers as they disturbed his peace and happiness in life.

— The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, April 13, 1913, page 2B.

Fire Department Called to Rescue Kitten in Tree

1922

Rescue Kitty

Fire Department Called To Reclaim Kitten From Tree

The versatile fire department added rescuing kittens to its list of duties last night when it went to the aid of the pet Angora of the daughter of C. D. SeCheverall, secretary of the railroad rate commission, 821 W. Wilson St.

The kitten had climbed in the tree early in the day and was unable to make its way to earth again, so the fire squad, under the command of Chief Charles Heyl, went to the rescue.

—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, July 27, 1922, page 10.