New-York tribune., 1899-06-08

| Q.-feS, the number or the dHerent kinos OF
| in use at the present time?
.,o.-slnce the let of January. 1895 and in use at
lQ-You put in some Warrington pumping en-
| gines-three Of them? A-Yes.
| Odd you have bids for those engines? A.-fes
sir
A.-They cost 10000 They were not put in in my
Q.-Have any worthington engines been put
| In during your time7 A-No. sir
DALTON SEEKS INFORMATION
| Mr Moss-That is all.
The Witness-Counsellor. IL am not asking too
much should like TO ask the ex-Chief OF the Fire
| Department a few questions
Mr. Moss-well. your questions would better be
submitted in writing and will ask them.
| The Witness-I wanted 10 ask him II he had
better pattern than Is in use now; II there Is any
better hydrant to be found than is in use now. II
there is any better hydrant, would like 10 get IT,
! Q-what hydrant you using? Alt Is the
city hydrant and anybody can bid on H.
| Q-How long has that city hydrant been In use?
( That general pattern of hydrant? A-Well' some OF
them. I suppose have been in use for some years.
! O-Twenty or thirty years? Al heard the Chief
state that they had been.
| Q-The Chief stated that they had been In use
| for thirty years TO his knowledge? A-The
! first thing did when I got into the Department
was to go to Chief Bonner and ask him II that
| hydrant was a good hydrant. and IL he knew OF
better II he knew OF better hydrant, want
! ed him 10 tell IT to
| Q.-Do you know how much water is going TO
waste from those hydrants? A.-Well. agree with
the ex-Chief that. There is good deal Of water
going TO waste on account OF the men in the Street
Cleaning Department.
Ole said also they shaken loose down
! below. and a great deal OF leaking under ground
he said that. Ave have no reports about that
Ole said they freeze very often. and that his
Department had to go and thaw them out Al
would like know n hydrant that won't freeze.
| Ole mentioned half dozen OF them? A.-That
/ will not freeze?
/ Q-Yes. Al talked that over with the Chief En-
/ gineer OF the Department. and with Mr.. Birdsall
two or three times. Mr. Birdsal tells me he don't
think there is a hydrant in the market that won't
freeze
Q-Mr Birdsan thinks the hydrants that have
been in use in this city for thirty forty years
past the best hydrants? AFR. Brdsall tells
me that that is the best hydrant in the market
REJECTED b. OTHER CITIES
Q-Do you know that that hydrant is rejected
In even the small cities that up 10 date? A
No. sir
o-That they had a better kind OF hydrant than
New-York City has? A-No. sir.
Q-Didn't you know about the experiments made
by your predecessor Mr.. Coils? Ayes, sir.
talked with the Chief Engineer about 1t. and he
said matter what was done. we had the best
hydrant That is the first time that heard
Chief Bonner talking that way when heard MIN
the stand here to-day
Q-Don't you know that Chief Bonner has been
talking that way for years? A.-No. sir
| Q-Didn't you know that the investigation and
| examination Of hydrants through Mr.. Coils all
came very largely about through conversation with
| Mr. Bonner? Al did not.
| O-And the improvement OF the FIRE service7 A
| I did not. | know that thirty or twenty men
| came TO me about hydrants. and l referred them
| letter from Mr. Bonner that your hydrant Is
better than the one using or that your
hydrant is the better one. and you will get an
order"
| Q-Do you know that such letter came 10 you!
| Al never saw II.
| O-Do you know that Mt Bonner has written
such letters? Al have never seen them.
| Q-They never came. to your knowledge? A
| Never came. TO my knowledge.
| O-May they not have been presented TO some
| body else in the Department? A.-Possiby they
| might. go
| YOU are here You are familiar with the method
OF tapping the street pipe for the use OF private
| houses are YOU not? Al not a plumber
but have stood and watched them tap them
o.-There is a brass cock fastened into the pipe
| is there not? Ayes sir.
| Q.-What is that called? A tap.
Dwell how is it put in? A-Do you mean
whether it is drove in or screwed in;
o-Yes. how is it put into the pipe? Ave
have tappers who puts them in, screws them IN
o.-Do they first make hole in the pipe? A
No vor,,
Q.-Do you know anything about IL
! little as a Taper.
O. hole is made in the pipe and then the tap
Is driven in isn't 1t? A.-Screwed in or driven IN.
| n rsn., II driven in? A-Well l won't be
positive about H.
GREAT WASTE AT THE TAPS
n Have YOU in the Department such thing as
saddle for setting those things In? Al don't
know.
heard OF It.
- non, YOU know that such invention as a
oI4lc is in use even in small cities. which with
out cutting of the water at all the cock is hxed
into the pipe without blows in such way that not
n BIT Of water escapes? Ayes
o-You know that is done? A-fes
S-AnG DO YOU not know that through the method
used by the Department now ana mas Oeen useu .oI
some time these cocks work loose ana water
escones AZ the junction Of the cock and the pipe
do Won NOT know that? A.-Well, have never had
/ any reports about that
q DO YOU know that It is estimated that half OF
the water that comes down TO New-York is wasted
through leaky attachments and hydTantsE 10 you
know that has been so estimated Oy au'"0''''
A-No I never heard Of that
/ o-Never heard OF that? A-No
Mr. Moss-That is all.
NJ Moss-1s / W Mckay here? VIII Mr.. Bird
sail take the stand?
MR.. BIRDSALL COMPLAINS.
George W Birdsall sworn
M- Rirdsal-Before am questioned would like
10 call the Commissioners attention TO the faet
/ that every man in the pipe yard has been sub
I poenaed Leaving nobody there TO do any OF the
/ work and take care OF the office
Mr Moss-I left out few, and II everybody came
down they not all there.
The Chairrnan-How many men have you IN 'he
pipeyard Mr.. Birdsall'
Mr. Birdsar-Eleven.
Mr. Moss-I have not subpPnaed over six
The Chairman-Where were the other nve7
} In char