New-York tribune., 1908-01-25
80 SYSTEM At FIRES.
FIGHTING H4PH4Z4RD.
Disposition Of Engines, Etc, Taken
Up at Hose Inquiry.

commissioner Mitchell conducting the fire hose
,,resticatior for the Commissioners of Accounts.
x4;ch is evidently 10 be complete investigation
~ The Fire Department before it ends. asked ques-
lions Of Deputy Chief Binns yesterday which fore
.ts6cp-e6 suggestion by the commissioners that
,he whole system OF fire fighting in the department
rs changed When Deputy Chief Binns said that
insufficient wafer had been largely responsible for
The sprea5 OF The flames at the Parker Building
IRE Nj Mitchell asked many questions TO dis
resitior O. engines. location OF water mains and
cher points having TO do with the work Of the de-
pa-tuaent at fire The deputy chiefs answers 70
these cuestions showed that in many points there
.as no system II fighting fires.
In answer 10 question the deputy chief said :,
It's a chance Job from the time you go FIRE
rntn you so back Commissioner Mitchell. follow
.ug the line CT questions previously asked of Chief
Croker and Commissioner Lantry. asked Deputy
Chief Bnns # the engines had been properly dis
--ibuted the Parker fire, and II their location
-zieh; ro- have been responsible Tor the poor wa ter
supply. Deputy Chief Bnns said he didn't know
snd there were SO many things to be done so
quickly al a fire that il was impossible for the
oE5cer ii charge TO Indicate the position TO be
-sken by each engine Chief Croker had testlled
70 the same effect the day before Deputy Com
missioner Bonner said later that the engines Were
not properly placed
Deputy Chief Rinns said he not familiar Win
The contents OF the upper floors Of the Parker
Building. and in reply 10 a question. thal ne Hau
rot considered II dangerous 70 leave men il t''e
building with three burning floors ABOVE 'iieiii
Commissioner Mitchell had asked nuTll0eI %
questions apparently with view to oetet-iiiL---s
TIE responsibility for the loss Of the three l. --
who were killed IN the blaze z
The deputy chief. in beginning his 'eSti'i'o--. -
El-ited the conditions at the fire when ne 81. -.
OF the second alarm, and was eIlpi1at-0 - +t,a1
that there was not enough "atei- -, +,r the
there was some hope OF saving me pt1-- - t,,,-
-7-sr tl7--e-o,,arrers Of an hour after hlS
hen made mat l4ok'c hs----
f-or,r,fssto-e- Mitchell dwelt often on lAe 10
~ +he 5r1nroper distribution Of engines might
,sze caused the shortage Of water and many so1
DEPUTY Chief Binns TO say Tha1 ne o41-- A--0
whether this might have been so or not
,r Rims said the history OF fires in such bnlIa-
t. had been about the same and that DePeS
Co-nrsissioner Bonner had handled the f1ofle 1'Le
.s-fldirE fire Just about the way he hao t1-e M
@-e He said the men who were IL tIle oU--C--o
.e,-s +ha collause OF the section II which three
were killed had been useful II ho4a4lls Tic N" -
check up the last minute -,
commissioner Mitchell quoted report OF liie
saa-5 os Fire Underwriters, saying tlat II lLle
-5-a--s had been properly Used the pressure "O-4o
have been sufficient, but the deputy ol.le1 s6-u *
si5 ror think the underwriters could know 'Ial-
to- he added that he did not think there was q
nan which gave properly the layout OF pipes anu
- ,7ss-,ere-s The positions of hydrants are
shown but fre-nen are not expected 10 know "h4l
tze os pipes these hyorants are connected Will
Foreman Davis Of Engine Company -, VINO was
hu-t q the fire when OConnor. Of has coTnpahy' /
-as killed followed Binns on the stand he tesl- /
@a5 as "a the circumstances Of the death OF lhe /
ren and several other fOrenen also testlled as 10
ne conditions al the fire Foreman AheaTn OF /
F-rine Corr1any 81 testified that TWO lengths o. /
hsse belonging 10 his company burst onoeI elsiI'9
noun5s pressu-e This hose had been in the de-
ys-traert since 1892
reuu-y Commissions Bonner was the Iast VII
ness and vas on the stand when adjournment was |
taken until this morning. He testified that. III MS
cpinio- Judging from reports Of toTenaen- uleIe /
Vas enough pressure and that The trouble was due
:. - s5s--ir--io-7 Of The engines He recommended
he REDUCTION Of the severity OF Fire Department
tess Of hose and the holding Of manufacturers 10 .
The letter q their guarantees and said that the oo
-sel system q carrying hose was better than the
hose wagon system used