Perth Amboy evening news., 1908-02-03
Chief Mullen and Assistant Chiefs Mead and Larson
Find Alarming Situation in Tour Of Companys
Houses and Will Report to City Fathers.
MUCH BAD HOSE
In Opinion Of Heads Of Fire De.
partment, 5000 Feet or More
Of New Hose Would Be
Necessary TO Cope
With a BIG Fire.

pared for large fire was evidenced
by tour of the fire houses made
Saturday afternoon by Chief Mullen
and Assistant Chiefs Mead and Lar
son, to see how much hose the en-
tire department had on hand, and
what condition the department was
in.
At the present time the department
has 4,150 feet of hose. OF this only
2,400 feet in good condition, while
500 feet is only in fair condition, and
liable to burst at any time it is used,
and 1880 feet is such condition that
it is not worth keeping.
The chiefs and a NEWS reporter
met at the house of Protection Hook &
Ladder company at O'Clock, when
the inspection was made. The truck
company is in a fair condition, but
they need some more ladders, as only
one 55-foot rope-attachment extern
sion ladder Is owned by the city to-
day. The 32-foot ladder of the truck
company is in such shape that it can
not be used at all. The other lad
ders are in fair condition.
Lincoln Engine company has 1 900
feet of hose, 500 feet in good condi-
tioA, nVV LSSt, AdlI, anu oVV leSt uOt
fit for use. Washington Hose &
Chemical company possesses 1,100
feet Of hose, of which 700 feet is
good, and 400 feet poor. Mcclellan
Engine company has 1,100 feet of
hose, 900 in good condition, 500 feet
fair, and 200 very poor. Eagle Hose
& Chemical company owns 800 feet
of hose, 600 feet good and $50 feet
not useful.
With only 2,40O feet of good hose
In the department, 1t would mean in
case of a big fire, where the hose
has to be divided up, only about 600
feet, or twelve lengths to a company.
On their tour OF inspection the chiefs
found that nearly all of the compan-
les need material, as what they have
Is old. A number of fire plugs along
Smith and State streets, instead of
being turned toward the street, are
turned toward the buildings and in
case of fire 1t would be hard task to
couple hose on them. This matter is
to be called to the attention of the
Water Board and the Board of AL
| dermen.
Chief Mullen tried some of the fire
alarm boxes and they were out OF
order. The box at Washington and
High streets was so rusty that it took
some time before a test alarm OF
three taps could be sent in, and then
| 1t was feared for few seconds that
the box would continue to ring the
| regular alarm, instead of the test
Chief Mullen's key became fast In
this box and for time it was impos-
sible to release 1t.
After the inspection the chief and
assistant chiefs held a short meet.
| ing at the headq arters of Eagle
Hose and Chemical company, in
| Davidson avenue, and 1t was decided
to meet at the Office of Chief Mullen
on New Brunswick avenue, Thurs.
day night and prepare a report which
they will submit to the Board of AL
dermen.
| Chief Mullen told a NEWS man
that they would ask the aldermen to
give the fire department 5000 feet
Of new hose, If no new company was
to organize, but, If company was to
be formed in North Amboy, the de-
pertinent would need $500 additional
| feet.
| The NEWS man who accompanied
the chiefs, examined some of the hose
now in use by the different fire COM
panies and it is certainly in bad
condition. At the house of Washing
ton Hose & Chemical company a
length of hose on the wagon had
holes in it, so large that two fingers
could be placed in the break. A great
deal of the hose was wet and covered
with mildew, because 1t has to lay in
| the wagons as the various cOmDanies
have not enough hose to hang the wet
in the tower to dry and put dry hose
on the wagons.
At the meeting of the Board Of AL
dermen tonight motion will be pass
ed. it is expected, requesting the
chiefs to report how much hose the
fire department has and the condi.
! tion of the department in general
Alderman-at-Large voorhees,, wheI
| told of the amount of hose In the
city, said that, at the council meet
ing tonight, a motion to purchase new
hose might be passed.