622 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



boiler, which will raise steam from cold water in fifteen or twenty 

 minutes. The engine and pumps are also of the well tried kind, 

 conveniently arranged, so that one man can easily manage the 

 whole machine; the box is so arranged that wood enough can be 

 carried to last one hour, and also a sufficient supply of hose. The 

 engineer always rides, and gets up steam while going to fires. 

 The size of the box, (which is set on wheels in the usual manner,) 

 is four feet by eleven. Such an engine will throw water as far, 

 or farther, than it is usually thrown by hand, and four times the 

 quantity for the first half hour, because it works continually. 



William Tinsley, of 41 Franklin street, presented a sound 

 board for piano fortes, upon the principle of the violin, which is 

 calculated to sustain the pressure of the bridge, and preserve its 

 elasticity many years longer than the common flat sound board. 



The device consists in raising an arch under the bridge. The 

 arch is short in its span under the upper springs, and follows the 

 course of the bridge, at different distances, diverging until it is 

 broad under the lower bass. The arch is of equal elevation 

 throughout, and is cut to a counter concavity on the under side; 

 the quantity of wood being graduated according to the pressure 

 on difierent parts. Mr. Tinsley's sound board has been success- 

 fully tested. 



Mr. Larned spoke of the lower part of this city as being chiefly 

 occupied with large and lofty buildings, for storage purposes, and 

 few dwellings comparatively, and, therefore, a small proportion of 

 firemen to work hand engines; that in such locations, he thought 

 the steam power would be found best, because of its power to 

 throw large streams and continuously. 



Mr. Butler desired to know the horizontal distance to which 

 hand engines can throw water. 



Mr. Larned — 209 feet; and to throw it further, a much greater 

 power is required. 



A discussion ensued relative to the peculiar form of pipe and 

 nozzle best adapted to pass water in the most compact form. 



Mr. Lee supposed the best was the smoothest; that a spiral 

 ir :tion which water acquires by passing through hose and pipe, 



