New-York tribune., 1908-01-16
HOSE DIDN'T SUIT HAYES
DETECTED TO CONTRACTS.
Formcr Commissioner Vas Opposed
to Windsor Fire Appliance Co.


Yfchoias J. Hayes. Fire Commissionsr in ises ana
feaS who was in Office when the Ninosor flre AP-
rs.snc- COMPANY headed by II. Francis Lough-
r,zn row John II. O-5riens deputy. obtained large
contracts for hose said last night that he had
ne-u opposed al THE tirae Of the letting OF me
contracts TO giving tneu 70 the Windsor company
u knew said Mr. Hayes. that thls company
csS not ttzels manufacture hose, and II SCENE"
-a6sculous 20 me thst i should, IN competition
,usth -e,asni-e5 manufacturers. be able TO make
Tn. lowest bid So strongly did feel in the mat
ter thA- when the company put II 10" pld lo'
about forty thousand Feet Of hose wrote 10 tle
Board of Estimate &nd Apportionment explaining
the situation and asking for permission TO oINioe
The contract with the next lowest BIDDERS
I considered that IL not for the best IN
terests Of the city 10 give 30 large contrac' 10
single firm particularly in the peculiar cl'cuI
stances and had no hesitation in saying SO at the
tine As result Of my sction ii the matter the
11y,nsso- oornpanv obtained less in the way Of
contracts than would otherwise have been the
case e..
AS <o- the specifcatInns for hose purchased in
nv administration 81 was my desire 10 nave lhel
&c drawn that any decent snd repuuanIe '"aiu-0
u-e- could bid. I asked friend Of mine, wei ao-
r-e,-,.d with the details Of the rubber ana nose
business 10 draw up specifications. ano alter lIis
hsd beer done. they were submitted 10 rep
,5ves of several manufacturers, who saio 1IieS
would be willing 10 BID
.,.-.- nsss These bids represented standard com
NAMES and while there were not so many DIGS OF
th. second letting those that were submitted "e-o
-er-esenta-ive- AS ssy. didn't want 10 give ooi-
e-scrs 10 q concern like the windsor company oU1
fnsre the fact o. the low oio- anu tii
nothing else 70 do
~. eu If the hose bought from the Winosor
eornpany vas delivered and put in use during tne
administration of Mr.. Hayes John n . 6Ile"
NAV De called upon explain why Il was thal
IN. Windsor company not required TO replaoe
>oss burst IN 1905 when the three-year guarantee
-.ss s4su running He may also be asked 10 e1-
-sssu WHY the bond Of the American surety Coin-
s,eny guaranteeing the product OF fhe "IluSo'
sompsuy and the enforcement OF lis guarantee
was never collected Certainly the WINDSOR com
psuv has not met all its obligations, ana NJ r
1soughnan seeks 10 explain this by SAVING ma ma
.he cornpzny was allowed TO transfer It's obgauohs
- the Trenton concern that actually supplied 1ne
hose
II was learned yesterday that the Fire Depart
v-sr- asked in last years budget for an spproprla
.foa Of x coo eco for supplies and apparatus The
xur allowed was szZ3.oo0 Il had been INTENDED 10
spnly I5 per cent of the amount asked ioI 10 I4e
purchase of hose. but there was no Limitation on
rhe amount that could be spent for hose out OF the
slrl finally allowed This year the department Is
allowed IN the budget s7z3o 600 for supplies and
equipment. There are also some revenue oohuS
that can be applied 10 the purchase Of hose Inc
purchase Of hose for the new high pressure system
unless q special provision is made, which is not
considered yet.
The investigation by the commissioners OF ac-
counts got into full swing yesterday, and account
ants were sent 10 fire headquarters 10 look over
-he records. The investigation went back through
she hooks cf the department long ago as lsdl.
40 information the progress Of the investlga-
ZION was given out No officials of the Fire De
r,artment had anything 10 say. They prefer 10
wait until the commissioners OF accounts nave sol
further along in their work
Mayor Mcclellan said yesterday that the COM
-issioners OF accounts could conduct the investga-
1ion as they fit long as they uncovered al
the facts He said he had heard nothing to
grand jury action. although there were rurnors
concerning such action all way. The District At
1orney's Office offered during the day 10 help the
commissioners Of accounts If occasion arose
The change in specifications for the supply Of fire
hose first mad, in fhe administration OF
Thomas SturEis. Manufacturers Of fire hose saio
yesterday that these specifications well meant
but that they were drawn up by men ignorant Of
the business of manufacturing hose and that con-
Sitions made that were almost impossible OF
1ulflnent. In some kinds Of hose tie specihca-
tions called for certain weights length, and also
for the Of material that Of necessity made the
weight in excess OF that desired
IN other cases, the use Of a specified quality of
fine rubber was called for, and this, according Il
these manufacturers. was equivalent 10 requiring
the ula1ufs fsciure Of coins or Jewelry from pure
gold without alloy. AS a result many of these
firms refused 70 bid. and some. after bidding once
twice. withdrew. disgusted-
In 1926 under the Specifications drawn UP by
order Of Commissioner OBrien ny Hugh Bonner
the Gutta Percha and Rubber Manufacturing Com
rsny bid for 2ooeo feet Of 2-fnch rubber hose hop
ing TO recover OF the business had formerly
enjoyed through its sale OF the Maltese Cross
brand. specifically commended by the Cnderwrit-
ers' Association. The bid for this hose was be-
tween % cents and g the price Of the conpan s
regular product, The Maltese Cross. being s. 10 z
foot
Corrrnissloner O'Brlen said yesterday that tlt
specification Uncer which this contract was let wal
the only one drawn UP under him by Mr.. Bonner
1nd that this was the only time used. i
practically The same specification however a.
that used before and by Tie department. and
on This same specification contract let tbs
Manhattan Rubber Company at the price Of s. 50
foot the spring Of 1877 This the only bid re
cefve6 that time.
L learned yesterday that the Eureka Fir.
Hose Company and the Fabric Fire Hose Company
were both controlled by the United States Rubbel
Company. and that a consequence. their bids
have been. n effect, those Of = single concern
Both manufacture cotton hose, and both have beer
steady and successful bidders in the last years
The Esureka hose has give good service
said