344

Philadelphia Fire-Engine.

[Book IIT.

No. 153 represents an external view of a Philadelphia engine : thepumps and air vessel are arranged as in No. 150, but the piston rods areconnected directly to the bent lever, which is moved by a double set ofhandles or staves. A number of men stand upon each end of the cistern andWork the engine by the staves nearest to them, while others on the groundapply their strength to the staves at the extremities öf the lever. Thestaves turn upon studs at the centre of the cross bars, and when put inOperation, fall into clasps that retain them in their places. Provisionis made to convey the stream either from the lower or from the upperpart of the air chamber. Hose Companies supply the engines with water.The firemen, as in all American cities, are volunteers, and generally con-sist of young tradesmen and merchants’ clerks, &c. They are exemptfrom militia and jury duty. Each member pays a certain sum on hisadmission, and a small annual subscription, A fine is also imposed uponany one appearing on duty without his appropriate dress (see figure in thecut) as well for being absent. A generous spirit of rivalry exists amongthe different Companies, which induces them to keep their engines in ahigh state of working Order.

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No. 153. External Viow of a Philadelphia Fire-engine.

No. 154 exhibits a New-York engine. The pump cylinders are ar-ranged and worked precisely as shown in the section No. 150. Theyare six and a half inches diameter, and the pistons have a stroke of nineinches. Previous to the formation of hose Companies, each engine wasprovided with a reel of hose; this, when not in use, was covered by acase 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 invariabiytaken 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 betweenthe goose-neck and the fire descends to the ground, and hence the waterin the pipe is unnecessarily diverted from its course and a correspondingdiminution of effect is the result. In all cases the hose had better be con-nected 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. 160)