The water
was poured into the tank by pails, so that a sort of bucket brigade
was really necessary. Then there was needed many pairs of strong arms
to work the pump handles, or "brakes," as they were sometimes called.
These handles were quite long, and usually there were two of them,
arranged something like those on a hand-car, used by construction
gangs on a railroad. There was thus room enough for several men or
boys to take hold of the poles on either side of the engine.
Sometimes those working the handles stood on the ground, or, in case
of a large engine, like the one the boys had purchased, on top of the
water tank. The water was poured into the tank at one end and forced
out at the opposite end, through the hose. On some engines there were
two lines of hose, and very powerful pumps, but, of course, the
efficiency of the engine depended on the amount of water it could
throw, and this, in turn, depended on how fast the bucket brigade
could fill the tank.
When the tank was full and sturdy arms were working the long handles
up and down, there was a steady clank-clank to the pump, and a stream
could be thrown for some distance. The engine was hauled to fires by
means of a long double rope, which, when not in use, could be reeled
up, as could also the hose.
Pages:
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55