The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-09
tell what the FIRE showed the need Of.

tell what the fire showed the need OF.
said:
"a, showed the need of q new hook
and ladder, with n water tower attach
ment. II we had had that and had
been able TO pour o. big stream OF
water into the top floor of the Mat
thews building when the blaze started,
we could have stopped the fire at
that point. The present hook and lad
der is useless and might Just as well
have been left in the house.
"The fire showed the need OF eat
least 5000 more feet OF hose. Every
single foot OF good hose in the city was
in use at the fire. Suppose n blaze OF
any size started in North Scranton or
West Scranton. We could have done
nothing and whole blocks might have
been wiped out. Not only was every
hit of hose needed at the big fire. bit;
Ii we had wanted TO take. 1t away we
couldn't have. It was all frozen
stiff after about an hours use
and couldn't have been loaded into a
wagon.
1--WE need at least 5000 feet of re-
serve hose which, in case of a big fire
could he sent TO any part OF the city
| to be ready for an emergency. The de-
partment now only has two hose jack
| cts to put over n break. We could
have used dozen Thursday in cover
ing breaks in the hose. We have only
| one door opener. Each company
| should have one
We should have patent block pull
leys to pull several lines of hose rapid
| ~ TO the roof of a. building at the
same time. instead of wasting n half
hour pulling them up, as We did on
| Thursday. We should also have a
large supply of stand pipes. which en-
able one man to handle n hose with
ease and gives the other men chance
TO do something else. At present. we
only have one stand pipe"
| Mayor Moir stated that the fire
showed the need of better facilities
for lighting fire and expressed the hope
| that the estimates committee would
allow the fire department sufficient
funds this year to thoroughly ana
properly equip II.
MIR. SCRANTON'S OPINION.
President w. W. Scranton. of the
| Srienton Gas and WStcr company
| when seen by Tribune man last nigh:
| secuted the idea that the early start
| gained by the flames could be in any
way attributed to the lack of the prop
or water supply running through the
| mains:
"rhe regular power was on" he de-
| ciared, "and ii there was any trouble
| in getting the streams at work on the
burning buildings 1t certainly cannot
bG attributed to us. Anything which
I tln 10. l,n l.g.lt ,Il
moreover, can surely not be laid at OUT
| door, as we are not responsible for
the city hydrantS. The normal rate
of water was being maintained and
| poor hydrants and kinkcd hose were
what occasioned all the trouble.
I'VE are not responsible for stupid.
ity of fircmen in manipulating theiI
machinery, or neglect of city officials
and on them alone can be visited the
blame. We are no more responsible
Tor the conditions OF the hydrnnts thar
for the plumbing in q mans house
Our part of the contract merely Is
to send the water through the mains
When notified, we repairs the hydrant:
for the city at the latter's own eX.
pense.
THE guage in our office. less thar
"A block from the i've, showed forty.
five pounds rien; along. One Grcinar
complained TO our superintendent, Mr.
Reeves, that a hydrant was dry ant
when he went to investigate he found
that the fireman simply didn't know
how 20 open the hydrant. 1t was opened
in the right way and the water flowed
"The story to the effect that W,
opened the gates and let more water
into the mains after the fire had beer
burning for some time is not true. w,
had our regulation pressure on all tn,
time. One trouble in this city Is tha
the nozzles of the hydrants are &C.,
small. They should be four inches in
stead of two and one-half inches"