The herald., 1897-11-03
TURN ON THE HOSE
MANUFACTURERS AGENTS ARE
READY FOR RUCTIONS
The Five Thousand Feet Contract for
the Fire Department Arousing
Spirited Competition

The representatives of the fire hose
manufacturing companies now in the
city, who are hoping to secure as much
Of the contract for 5000 feet to be pur-
chased for the fire department as pos
sible, are preparing to cut each others
throats at today's session Of the board
Of fire commissioners. All day yesterday
preparation for the fight. Some Of them
spent the day preparing set speeches
with which to spellbind the commission
ers, while others busted themselves in
their efforts to secure information that
they might use against their opponents.
The records were searched to ascertain
Just what hose had been purchased by
the city in the last decade and search
was made at the engine houses to learn
what had become of all of 1t. If one man
received information that a section of
hose furnished by another agent had
burst at fire, he Immediately secured
all possible particulars and carefully
noted them in specially purchased
books. kilograms were sent all over the
state by the agents asking what prices
had been paid elsewhere for hose that
Is now offered here. Every possible
preparation was made to present the
hose question to the commission in as
careful a manner as a lawyer would
present case in court.
The fight for the contract has resolved
itself into contest Of all the agents for
eastern houses against the possible
award Of the entire contract to the one
California company which makes hose.
The agents do not like that law which
gives California products the prefer
ence, all other things being equal. and
they will endeavor to show that in the
matter Of fire hose. all other things are
not equal.
Seven agents will line up for the con-
test when the session Of the board is
called to order. They will be equipped
with samples enough to stock fire de-
partment with hose and they will have
their axes good and sharp for their COM
petitors, and will use them.
One of the bids that is now most feared
in addition to that of the Bowers Rub
ber company and the California COM
pany is that of Is cents for the Dragon
brand. This is reduction in the price
at which this hose was offered several
weeks ago. Some of the agents claim
that this hose was offered to the city
February 10, 1896, for 6S cents per foot,
and this alleged fact will be presented
to the commission. The recent letting
at Spokane, Wash, will be used as an
argument against the acceptance of the
California product, as it will be shown
that their make, Victor Jacket hose, was
offered there for 75 cents per foot. On
the other hand, the Bowers company
will try to knock out the Bay State
brand by asserting that it was sold at
Kansas City for 81 cents. This will be
answered by the representative of that
brand by the statement that Red Star
and not Bay State was offered and sold
there at that price. The Mastiff brand
comes into the contest, new hose here,
but highly recommended, with one of
the liveliest agents in the fight back
ing it.
1t is expected that the commission will
take the matter under advisement to-
day, but that in making their recon-
mendation to the council they will divide
the contract among several of the COM
panies. It is almost a safe prediction
that Victor. Dragon, Paragon, Mastiff
and Bay State will be bought in 1000
foot lots each.