Buckets on the roof?

[Bierjunge]

Following recommendations in this forum, I've purchased the two excellent books "The Marine Iron Works of Chicago" (see http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2611) and "Sternwheelers and Steam Tugs" (see http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1457).  
In all construction drawings in these books, something is depicted on the roof of all steamboats which appears to be a rack for a number of buckets. What is this?  
Is my assumption correct that it is some archaic type of fire extinguisher, presumably to fight the danger of roof fires caused by cinders out of the funnel? Or is it something completely different?  
You can see a rack of four buckets for example in front of the pilot house of the right boat at http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=784
Regards, Moritz

[Bill Hudson]

Moritz,

These boats burned wood.  Much of the wood in the Pacific Northwest was Douglas fir. Much of it pretty pitchy. It was not uncommon for sparks to fly out the funnel and land on the decks. Note on both the City of Eugene, the boat on the left of the picture, You will see  what looks like draping ch chain on the hand rails but in reality are barrels behind the rails. In my actual photo it is more obvious.   And The Gray Eagle you will see barrels on the pilot house deck and on the second deck.  The barrels and buckets were for dousing sparks.

Bill

Following recommendations in this forum, I've purchased the two excellent books "The Marine Iron Works of Chicago" (see http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2611) and "Sternwheelers and Steam Tugs" (see http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1457).  
In all construction drawings in these books, something is depicted on the roof of all steamboats which appears to be a rack for a number of buckets. What is this?  
Is my assumption correct that it is some archaic type of fire extinguisher, presumably to fight the danger of roof fires caused by cinders out of the funnel? Or is it something completely different?  
You can see a rack of four buckets for example in front of the pilot house of the right boat at http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=784
Regards, Moritz

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's & yes Moritz........Australia being of great size & of a  hot & dry land...naturally had no fire fighting services close by to the rivers... so many early snaps of our OZ paddlers confirm the STANDARD 2 1/2 gallon buckets stationed [filled with river water which looked like ] on both upper & lower decks to prevent sparked  :boom burn outs as Bill has mentioned

Now with respect to BARRELS being shown on deck level... I believe the old adage that fremented fluids do not go OFF, whereas H2O does... :music

So that is why the Captain & Crew had a   from the barrel each evening to get the fluid balance back into their systems   - Derek