A Hose Bridge for Street Railways.

A Hose Bridge for Street Railways.

The annoying detentions in street railway travel in our cities in case of fire, caused by the obstruction of the tracks by lines of hose are familiar to all. An ingenious and simple device, by which such obstruction is avoided, is the hose bridge herewith illustrated, which has been for some time in use at St. Louis, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver and other cities. It is the nvention of Chas. J. P. Heim of 2834 Dickson street, St. Louis, and is simply a portable bridge designed to support the fire hose at such a height above the street railway tracks that cars can pass freely beneath it, and is not an experiment, but has been in use for about two years past, and has abundantly demonstrated its utility upon numerous occasions. In one instance, during a fire on the line of the North Chicago Cable Railway, two bridges were used, one carrying three lines of hose and the other two lines. The bridges were set up and hose put on them without stopping the engines, the pulsation of the water in the hose, the most powerful jerks of the engine when couplings gave away or hose burst, or when the water was shut off at the nozzle, having failed to move the bridge. The main points aimed at in the construction of these bridges are simplicity, lightness and strength, it being not only necessary to prop up the hose, but to keep it there, as an accident of a falling bridge might do serious damage. The bridge is adapted for use not only on horse-car and cable roads, but on all motor lines and electric roads, whether operated by the overhead, storage battery or conduit system.

The cut shows the bridge for a double-track railway. The same bridge is changed to a single-track by leaving out one arch bar, 18, and the centre legs, using only the two outside pair of legs. The change is made by removing one bolt in the arch, 18, and the bridge is constructed of the best quality of tubing, and all fittings are of malleable iron, galvanized throughout, pipe and all. The weight is only 475 pounds for a double-track railway, complete.