6i6 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



horses, was established. To-day there are several stations with 

 nine wagons and a Silsby steam fire engine, which latter is used 

 to pump out cellars. In Boston, as early as 1849, the insurance 

 firm of Dobson & Jordan employed some men to carry bags 

 holding oil covers. In 1858 these were carried on Ladder No. 1. 

 In 18G8 an old milk wagon was purchased by the insurance com- 

 panies and filled with covers, brooms, shovels, etc. A regular 

 protective department was established in 1870. The insurance 

 companies in all large cities now support protective departments, 

 and in some places an effort is now on foot to merge them into the 

 regular fire departments. 



All departments are equipped with supply wagons that re- 

 semble hose wagons in their construction and carry baskets of 

 coal, extra hose, etc., to every fire. In 1879 the New York de- 

 partment built a wrecking truck. The Boston department built 



Fig. 23. Wrecking Trick. 



a similar truck in 1893. So far as learned, these are the only dis- 

 tinct wrecking trucks in use. The truck is long and low and sup- 

 plied with a variety of tools for making repairs on apparatus at a 

 fire. An extra wheel, hose, nozzles, etc., are also carried. On 

 one side of the truck is a vise, and on the other a chemical ex- 

 tinguisher. 



In 1883 the New York City Department tried the experiment 

 of building a five thousand gallon tank, mounting it on wheels 

 and drawing it to some place between the water front and a fire, 

 that the fire-boats might pump into it and the engines draw there- 

 from. The apparatus proved unsuccessful, however, and has been 

 abandoned. 



The wheels used on fire apparatus have to be of unusual 

 strength to stand the heavy weights, great speed over rough 

 pavements, slewing in car tracks, and other strains that would 

 demolish ordinary wheels. In the Archibald wheel the tire, 

 spokes, and hub are put together under heavy pressure. The 



