The record-union., 1894-03-13
THEY CANNOT AGREE.
A Majority and Minority Report on
Fire Hose.
Agents for Paragon. Baker, Imperial
and Red Dot Hose Camp on
Pennish's Trail.

AT last nights session of the City Trus-
tees the report of the Fire Department
Committee on the proposed purchase of
bose was read. 1t was majority report
by Trustees Wachhorst and Pennish. A
minority report by the Chairman was
also appended. The two reports are as
follows:
TO the Honorable the Board of Trustees
Of the city Of Sacramento, State of Cali
nld-GENTLEMEN In the matter of
purchasing hose for the fire department
OF this city. we, as the majority of said
committee, beg leave TO report as follows
1our committee met to discuss the
merits of the various hose offered us, but
were unable to agree on a unanimous
choice. Our Chairman, Mr.. Leonard,
favored the Paragon, offered by an East
ern Hrm at 81 per foot, while we are in
f&vor OF purchasing the Bakers Fabric
offered by Messrs. Schaw, Ingram d
hatcher at 80 cents, or cents per foot
cheaper than the Paragon. We have care
fully considered the merits of the two,
and lind the Bakers Fabric to be recon-
mended equally as well. if not better
than the Paragon. The guarantee of 500
pounds pressure to the square inch and
OF TOUR years duration, solid woven and
made OF the best material, is what we
have well considered. We are informed
that cotton-lined woven hose have only
been in service for about four wears. and
therefore 1t is almost impossible to state
with certainty which OF any of all the
hose is the best, and were compelled to
rely on the best guarantee and response
blllty OF such houses making US bids.
We considered the guarantees of three
large, responsible firms of this city, to wit:
Baker u Hamilton, Schaw, Ingram q
hatcher Sacramento Pipe Works., and
HOlhrOAl< MarriIl n SfntcOn raproSantinor
agencies for different brands Of cotton
lined hose, and therefore concluded that
If either Of these would compare favor
ably with those of first quality, to enter
into contract with the firm whose
guarantee regarding quality, strength
and durability would be superior to any
other represented here. As the result
we found the Bakers Fabric TO excel in
the required qualifications.
Another fact to be considered is this:
The firms mentioned herein are men who
pay taxes on many Thousand dollars
worth of property in our very midst,
which surely entities them to a first con-
slderatlon at our hands. By patronizing
home industry we promote our general
welfare, and we can see no reason why
we should not place the contract where
the best results will be obtained.
AS mem bers of this committee we have
extended great courtesy to our Chairman,
and have always allowed him the ex-
elusive management of the affairs of the
tire department, and are sorry to be COM
PEELED to acknowledge at this time our
first disagreement. We have approved
his buying Of horses, work on engines,
etc., as long as the money was kept in
our community; but we now seriously
object TO favoring foreign industry before
considering our own when the results are
at least equally as good. We owe duty
to our neighbors. our fellow-merchants,
and under this principle we have reached
our conclusions. Respectfully yours,
Ii. WACHHoRST,
7. j. PENNISH.
Sacramento, March II, 1894.
SACRAMENTO, March II, 1894.
TO the Honorable Board Of Trustees,
Ctty of nlentO-GENTLEMEN: Your
Committee on Fire Department met Fri
day evening, March 9th, TO decide on the
brand Of tire-hose to be purchased for
use of the fire department. The Fire
Committee failed to agree. Mr.. Pennish
and Wachhorst decided to recommend
the Baker Fabric fire-hose. After making
inquiries throughout the fire department
l ind the Paragon brand has been in use
from October, 1891, and is in hrst-class
condition to-day, and after looking over
the samples of hre-hose exhibited TO the
committee, have no hesitation III recon-
mending the Paragon brand Of tire-hose.
Yours, etc., CHAs. E. LEONARD,
Chairman Fire Committee
An agent, in response to an invitation,
stated that he had been engaged for many
years in testing hose. The Red Dot"
hose, which he recommended, has been
in use for many years and has been used
by the city for two years.
The Bay State hose, sold by Baker az
Hamilton, was stated TO be equal 10 any
and a four-year guarantee offered. They
were willing to test it against any hose in
the market.
William Schaw, representing the Baker
hose, said he did not wish to say any
thing against other hose, but he had been
informed that some hose offered was a
jacket-hose, which he had been told was
not wanted in the department.. He was
authorized to state that loo feet of the
Baker hose could be tested against the
Paragon or any other hose. Ii the Baker
hose is accepted, LOCO feet will be kept in
this city to replace any that should give
out. He would put 800 feet of hose into
the hands of the Chief Engineer for any
test he wished and leave the matter of
which was best to his decision. lie sug-
gested that amount in order that no spe-
cial lengths might be prepared for test
ing, but that the test for all might be fair.
A representative OF the Imperial brand
stated that it had been in use in this city
for four years, at time when hose was
not taken care of as it should be.
1t was still in good condition and if the
committee would take length and cut it
in two and they found any sediment be-
tween the Jacket and the inside he would
make the city present Of 800 feet
Chief Engineer Guthrie stated that no
cotton hose had been in use here for
more than three years. The Imperial
was still in fair condition.
A representative of the Paragon hose
said it was a solid woven hose, with two
distinct layers of fiber, so that if the out
side be burned by cinders the hose is not
ruined. Sediment gets in between the |
outside and inside of jacket hose. Some
Paragon hose bought in this city in 1876 |
is still in fair condition.
1t was in those times rolled up just as
rubber hose was, without drying, and |
that treatment will rot it. The san Fran |
cisco department has purchased 10000 /
feet OF Paragon hose after thoroughly |
testing il, This city can hardly afford to |
experiment with jacket hose. He had |
also put in bid for jacket hose at eighty
five cents, which he claimed is equal to
any.
trustee Leonard said that the majority |
report of the committee rather lnslnu- |
ated that he had been allowed TO run the !
department He had told the bidders |
that he wanted the best hose obtainable. |
and that he did not want them to put in /
cheap bids for inferior hose in order TO |
catch an order. he wanted the best |
hose.
Trustee Devine said he had examined |
the hose in use, and thought the Paragon !
the best. The Jacket hose is still III good /
condition.
Chief Engineer Guthrie said he favored |
the Paragon hose. II had satisfied him |
self OF its value very largely by CORE |
spondence with the Fire Departments of
the various cities.
He had taken pains to investigate it
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