212 SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE LOSS BY FIRE ON VESSELS. 



There is also one cargo hold between the orlop deck and the main deck, in other 

 words, this portion of the cargo is contained in three steel rooms, all equipped with 

 the automatic dry pipe sprinkler system, which I consider far superior as a means 

 for extinguishing fire originating in the cargo, as against the introduction of live 

 steam, for the simple reason that the use of live steam would injure the entire cargo 

 in the space in which it is introduced; also, unless the room is absolutely air-tight 

 its efficiency is, in my beUef , practically nothing. On the other hand the sprinkler 

 places the water directly on the top of the fire and should extinguish it with a 

 minimum loss to the cargo in the ship. 



On the main deck, aft of the crew's quarters, forward, there is a steel bulkhead 

 extending across the ship, with small steel doors on either side so that the smoke 

 and draft may be stopped from entering the crew's quarters in the forecastle at the 

 extreme forward end of the ship. "We have divided the space on the main deck be- 

 tween this bulkhead and a bulkhead forward of the boiler room into two spaces by a 

 steel bulkhead with large sliding steel doors. The hydraulic elevator in the forward 

 part of the ship is also enclosed in steel doors. The idea of this bulkhead across the 

 main deck is for the purpose of stopping the draft in the event of fire originating in 

 the cargo. In other words, it is impossible for the entire cargo on this ship to become 

 ignited at any one time. The steel bulkhead extends the entire width of the ship, 

 with similar doors in it, forward of the fire room. This is done so that the smoke 

 cannot drive the stokers out of the fire room, as happened in the case of the steamer 

 Atlanta (which fire was under control of the sprinkler system as long as the stokers 

 were able to stay at their work). 



The engine room skylight and the space around the smoke stack is of steel, 

 extending well above the hurricane deck. In other words, you can stand on her fire 

 room floor and see the sky. In addition to ample space being allowed around the 

 smoke stack, we have thoroughly insulated the steel casing around the stack, using 

 a material furnished by the Johns-Mansville people, which is filled with air cells, and 

 I must say affords most excellent insulation. The engine room, which has rooms 

 on either side of it for the passengers' baggage, is fitted with wire glass windows set 

 in heavy brass frames, thus making the engine room, itself, from the floor of the ship 

 to the hurricane deck, one steel room without any woodwork whatever. Abreast of 

 the boiler room, on either side, we have fitted a double connection to the sprinkler 

 system so that in the event of fire in any port, connection to the sprinkler system 

 may be had by the local fire department. Owing to the fact that every fire marshal 

 believes in the right to use his own particular standard of hose coupling, we carry 

 on board the Alabama six different fittings, representing the six principal towns on 

 Lake Michigan where she is apt to land, that their hose may be connected. I may 

 add that where these connections are, there is also a large square opening in her bul- 

 warks so that you may enter from the dock side no matter what the condition of the 

 fire may be on the ship, as there is absolutely nothing in this space that can burn. 



