The herald., 1897-11-05
FIVE AWARDS
Hose Contract Portioned
Among the Bidders
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE
COMMISSIONERS WILL TEST THE
DIFFERENT BRANDS
Hitching Ordinance Signed by the
Mayor and Effectual Today.
Flower Street Grade

ASter nearly two hours spent in exec
utiye session in the mayors office yes
terday morning the board of fire COM
missioners decided upon the manner III
which they would recommend to the city
council the disposition or the cohtrac|
for furnishing the fire department Win
1000 feet of fire hose. They finally re-
turned into the committee room ana re-
ported that they had resolved to DIVIDE
the contract. giving to each or the Ioi-
lowing brands q representation OF looJ
feet: Paragon, Bay State, Mastll,'
Victor Jacket and Dragon. The price
that will be paid is so cents per foot for
each of the brands except the last men
TONED which is to be Is cents. AS it
stands the board appears to be incon-
sistent with the state law with reference
to preference being given Caillorlid
products, but il is explained that the ul-
vision is in the nature of q test OF the
various brands of hose.
If the proposed issue of bonds for the
Improvement of the fire department car
ries at the polls in December 1t VIII De
necessary next year to purchase be-
tween $1,000 and 10000 feet of hose TO
equip the new companies which VIII po
established. 1t is the desire of the COM
mission that the several brands of hose
be carefully tested in the meantime ana
the brand which shows the best results
in practical use and actual service Will
get the bulk of the business next year.
In the meantime the commission VIII
instruct the members of the fire depart
ment to report all burst sections ana
a record will be made so that it Will be
known lust what brand of hose will stand
the greatest strain. Due allowance Will
be made for the difference in time that
any of the brands are in actual service
and a complete record of what use Is
made of the hose will be kept
The agents for the different hose COM
panies who have been here for weeks
irving to get the business arrived early
at the city hall and stationed themselves
in the office where the sessions OF the
public boards are usually held. All OF
them were there by the time the mem
hers of the commission arrived, but they
were not destined to witness the dellb-
erations of the board on the hose ques-
ton. The commissioners repaired al
once to the private office of the mayor,
and there, for nearly two hours, the
matter was discussed. Chief Moore was
sent for and his opinion of the several
brands was asked. He was asked to
point out the different results noticed
In the use of each and in reply made
q long explanation of the matter.
There was considerable difference OF
opinion among the members as to no"
the contract should be divided. and
when the award was agreed to it was G
compromise.
Shortly before noon the commission
filed into the other office, where the
agents were anXiously waiting. MI
Kuhrts offered a motion containing tn;
awards mentioned, which was adopted
by the unanimous vote of the commis'
sion. Mayor Snyder then explained wha'
was intended in the matter of testing
the hose and mentioned the fact thai
another and larger letting would b'
made next year. The commission thel
adjourned
The award is exactly as was predicte6
Wednesday morning in The Herald.
differs from the former award in tha
the Paragon brand gets 1000 feet, Will
the Dragon, which was ordered in :
2000-foot lot. now only gets half tha
amount, and this, too. in spite of th'
fact that the price on tins brand wa!
reduced from so cents to 10 cents. Th
California company, makers OF th'
Victor Jacket brand, VINO, a few day
ago, laid claim to the entire contract
got only one-fifth of it. All of the agents
expressed themselves as perfectly salts
fled with the award.