New-York tribune., 1906-08-26
FIREMEN CRIPPLED.
Hose Engines Fail TO DeUeEop
Rated PO7Cer.

When it is considered that some building is on
fire in this city at every hour of the day and night
all the year around IL indeed a pity that
with bursting hose, Out-of-date alarm system,
leaking engines. and a department divided against
itself by the jealous organizations Of ''Pinkies''
and Boxers New York's Fire Department Is
no longer the best-it is now only the largest-in
the country.
Why this constant bursting OF hose. Gripping the
\ fire service and endangering the lives OF the fire.
men? That question has been asked frequently
OF late as reports Of faulty hose at serious fires
have been made repeatedly, and criticism has been
| generously heapel upon Fire Commissioner OBrien
fOr these conditions But OBTien declares that not
| one foot of hose has been bought since he as
sumed command of the force. On the other hand
1t Is asserted that much OF the defective hose was
/ bought during the interesting cOmmssiOnershfD OF
John J. ScannelI while the trouble with the rest
experts is due to the fact that the city char
\ ter conpels the department 20 buy hose OF the
lowest bidder. with the result that cheaply made
| stuff is bought and the manufacturer ''takes a
chance" on its passing muster at the inspection
| rubber being nOtOrtously uncertain quantity
Most Of the defective hose which is attracting
attention now is a legacy from the regime OF Com
missioner ScannelI during the Van wyck ad-
nlnlstration, said close friend Of ex-Commis-
soner Sturgs. who had vigorous Fire Depart
ment hOuseceanng during his term under Mayor
Low. ''The marvel is that IL has held out so
long The grand jury indicted Scanneu and a GER
tain William L. Marks for conspiracy dsfraud
the city in the purchase OF Fire Department sup
plies. It was alleged that Scan1eu agreed 70 ia
vor bidders who paid commissions 20 Marks and
it was asserted that he let it be known that any
one who employed Marks and paid him a liberal
commission would receive department contracts.
OF nine offences charged against the alleged con-
spirators no less than five in connection with
the purchase Of fire hose. One manufacturer tes-
titled that hose which cost him s. cents foot he
sold 20 the city for 81 a foot but that he had 20
pay Marks commission of 25 cents foot which
tidy sum Of $500
All hose purchased for the department is sup 4
posed 20 be subjected to rigid test. but who is to
say whether the hose bought through Marks was /
ever tested or not? Patrick F. Ryan. chief OF the
department OF construction end repair whose
duty it was to inspect the hose. was charged with
numerous frauds by Mr.. Sturgis. and was dis
missed from the department.. Not a few well in Il
formed persons are of the opinion that Ryan. while
more or less 90 blame. was simply Obevne orsars
from higher up Commissioner sturgis az rha
time said: When the Mayor asked me which bu-
reau wanted investigated. I said the reDair shoD
because knew that was the one point in which |
politicians could find opening 20 nut IN fnefTcieDt
men, had no idea at the time of asking for the
investigation of the awful condition Of affairs ex
listing there. IL was shown at the trial that the
repair shops were in demOralized condition and it
would have been easy matter 20 make a farce !
Of the hose testing TO omit the test altogether
THE fact that the Commissioner is called IDoD
by law 20 buy hose of the lowest bidder is a great
mistake. and one which ex-COmmissioner Sturgis
often spoke Of The standard price Of the best 2I6-
inch fire hose is 81 foot. and the leading manu-
factUrers will not sell their best grade hosa FOR less
than that Why should they cut the price here ana
then be forced to cut the price for slI the other
cities in the country? The best dealers do not sell
10 New York now. and the city Is buying alleged l
best quality hose for half price. Naturally. the
hose is inferior TO the 81 a foot grade
II is asserted that all hose purchased by the Fire
Department now is subjected to rigorous test buc
Nrv<a ~Ar.-o =
'uyins hose Of the lowest bidder is penny wise and
BOUND foolish.
Another phase Of the question was touched unor
" manufacturer Of fire hose. who said: .,Ons
rtlclsh tnat can be made OF this City's fire fight
RS Is that they are extremely careless in the
anohns OF hose. suppose Chief Cookers SLAM
ash methods have some effect on the men AZ !
NY rate they drive over hose with great reckless
es esS Iee' ana unreei IL careiessly, bang ladder
eeis on 1t and neglect 1t when il has become
rozen under which condition IL Is liable To sario
amage unless well looked after .
Hose is tested annually at 15s pounds DrsuSrrs e. .
ne SQUARE men, and is Kept in service until ft :,
ursts' ~ IS extremely dangerous for the r,.r 90 =
nythng goes wrong with hose If two nv 4nr.e 81
zen are hehting flames at close range and the p
a'sr supply at the nozzle is suddenly checked the 6
ave OF name has the men az it's mercy" b.
HoSe Is by no means the only weak spot in N,a 81
V'N hre hghttng equipment" said an exDsr. g,
no no IN the old days Of volunteer COMPANIES 60 NJ
"n 'ne engine New York is the only Is--a "
- III 'he country that does not VISA chAr,t,,t Of
lshes for lighting small fires In some cI,io - in
y" as 70 per cent Of all fires ara extirs,isbo7 W
''eaHS or these engines. The cher,icsl ho : u
:" tank ot water. containing bicarbonate % zosa -
:" - Suped AT the proper time 20 cauaa ,b . n
suIe necessary to throw a stream yaluabIa IA
"T : saved as there is hose 70 be- r,D O,,, pe
'ne tender and no coupling to the bvdrsDt o. sh
'No % men can do the whole thing A smau boss s.
several nnuta m fpnt hafe9S blaze be reached by %
q efa be,iica1 IRON the steam FIRE engine oy ST
81 cs, were tfied here in the 7Os vrba, tho tr
Is1ti! out hut the men objected to tbsro ay
ntenty that they dropped T6e @oIn ~ IleIn so ~ ~
~ 10 the deDaTtNent ''N-l VI men neceS- r
New York has the same sfear, A..
,es as eT Flcks cks hose wagons and similar js pc
az II Eoe OIHes important CITY. The ONLY tbiDp di
lit engine Th 'ieer CITIES lack is the search pr
rep,on ,sod snE y y h00hy Of Chief Csrokers laS
4 tes u q lisi.' inside. nor outside hufijjDS ar
al usa altroahs are therefore of little prac mr.
!1Ta !tT s'Gcntly appeals to the chief NN''''S m
~ StLVhsI by the way Is largely respoDoibI, Is
few vearo ~ harmony existing In the department. be-
remens Mutual BENEFIT A. sociatioD Tto 70 o Sns 81
,,, mrae SHOWN as the Piakcs' because fbesr ar,
.; htS were printed pink sIiDs C>rcEar
! ,slil1ed the New York Fire Departmenf EeDSSoI
u Association, the members OF vrffcb 49, I- giV
. de,t. nuNSIS. ana to which the officers -beIonc thG
~ Fut utileilt' IN INV opinion. will never bowo (h(
tspIH dc corps until these two rival - cor
ne. hii@su9ns are combined In some way 'N' UE- ~
Natiopsi Rr, % 1-n VISION Is lax is shown bv der
eht investigation OF the New YoTt r-i S1StF mJ
IN eH! NOT only criticised the alarm s,sstaTN all
zen commissioner OBrten - 10 havs SSiieelt A
eW Cie, hut stated that the nanav the
F,Ife ,SInes , HnH tee condition into which fhSv
of the first SIZE uS aS b,1r The average capac- Pm
anG me sronX was as7 salons les 49,. aus
~, en Is , ,SapStIies % 500 SALONS a minute Tb Ion
the i'lakels Only two engines eliscbsStS u1t tha