New-York tribune., 1908-01-24
CROKER BLAMES MAINS
CHECK WATER At FIRES.
Chief Reiterates Need of Hose
HIGHER Here than Elsezchere.

Chief Croker prss on the stand all yesterday at
.be investigation Of Fire Department conditions by
she Commissioners OF Accounts, consumed by anx-
,.tv 10 get 10 the fire in Williamsburg most of tho
,,-7e The chief disagreed with several views
r-essed on the stand the previous day by Comnis'
.3nner Isartry, advanced q new theory as 10 the
water troubles that hamper the department, ano
made at the request OF Commissioner Mitchell sug-
sestions and recommendations for the Improvement
cf the department
While the Parker Building fire was being men
tloned toward the end Of the afternoon session
Crief Croker suddenly turned to Commissioner
Mitchell end said:
TN tel you what the trouble with the pressure
- lis n the mains The gates in the water
mains have to be closed most of the time at places
where they should always be open because the
Water Department is afraid that if the full amount
OF water goes through the mains viii burst
When Commissioner O'Brien Of the Department
o. Water Supply Gas and Electricity hearo oI
chief Crokers remarks about the closing OF water
yates for fear Of damage TO the mains he sala'
Croker doesn't know what he is talking aooot.
There's nothing 70 it We keep al tne waves 0
gates open and the mains are al rlshl -.
Commissioner Mitchell regarded Croker e'~
,.-+ :. highly important and said after the ad-
to1r-nuaeut that Il would be carefully inVesueaOS
chief Croker was most emphatic again IN ue
sc-itjng the acute need Of hose he salo tIe @ @ 80
needed at once was 270coo feet oi thS 4' 80 g..
4. 25s-sncb hose 5ocoo feet s-inch hose 1VV'V -
-.k,ncb hose aiI those being for ordinary use ~
rne5n. companies: 5000 feet 25z-inch NOSE 4 -
high pressure system, and 1905 iee' 072 - %
for hreboats The cost Of this SUPPLY. -, 80,
"a. bipb measure hose would be s-ooe" inc -.
'io IS sod x.i4h great emphasis, that the
- .-,;-3-,g snecihcation by the depar rulsht Gnu
,5-s-+fsing ~ contracts be amended so that tiie
,o,,,n,jssjoner shall have the power 10 80 INTO zig
- .,.-l.e. and buy standard brands OF nose
- f,,e recommendations made by the chleI
= +bs- the IRE alarm telegraph system be re-
-1.ced At q cost OF $4,000. He put even TINS
change however second 70 the necessity OF ouslnS
-he hose al once. Commissioner Mitchell asked uie
rfief IL he had understood him correctly the day
hesore as saying that the reports OF tie oanser
e-o-, 2 confederation had been exaggerated Inc
chief dtd not want say that, but neither oio ne
want 70 say that there vas grave danger. he S1o
finally that The department was seriously below
rgr although be had idea that there could be
repetition here OF the Baltimore San Francisco or
Chicago disaster.
Commissioner Mitchell asked about the condition
OF he fre houses throughout the city. Chief Croker
6ia no- think they we're bad The day before Com
missioner Lartry had said he had been unable 10
buy hose OF account Of the need OF repairs TO
houses 70 make then, habitable Commissioner
Mitchell asked If the repairs were needed more than
The hose and the chief said he would rather buy
TENS for sleep IN ana set the hose than
20 without II eny longer
In the morning there were many questions as TO
what Chief Croker had done TO call the attention Of
vs-ious Fire Commissioners 70 tbs needs Of the de-
rar-Ient for hose The witness produced copies of
7urae-ous letters 20 Nicholas J. Hayes, John H.
O R-ien and Commissioner Lantry, explaining the
need for rev hose and asking that II be supplied
a. dc rct know, most instances Just what &C
ton the commissioners had taken In the matter OF
asking for appropriations
The matter Of replacing defective hose also cams
u Chi-f Croker said he had never had anything
DO with thar phase Of the work of the depart
before since his appointment TO the hose
committee. But he testified that he had written to
bo-h Commissioners Hayes and o'Brien, saying
that certain lots OF hose had proved defective and
should be replaced. In the case OF the notice TO
Commissioner OBrten the Windsor hose spe-
riacauy mentioned Apparently nothing In partcu-
lar done IN this connection by either commits
sione-. The witness said that he had received no
request for statement Of the hose shortage from
sry o1e OF the last three commissioners
Tbs distribution Of hose occupied good deal OF
tire. Chief Croker gave the details from the rec
crds q the department. Commissioner Mitchell |
asked cid hose could nor DC from lower New
YORK % The Bronx or Brooklyn. and the chief |
SAID he thought not there we're many important
companies II both boroughs-
Commissioner Mitchell asked If he had expressed
disapproval approval OF purchase OF hose, and |
1he chief. after hesitation, said he had not
becs1se he had found that such opinions. although
required By the department rules, pretty gen.
erslly oisregarded-
Il Nas shown by official reports from PhiladeI- 1
plia that high pressure hose had been bought in /
that city. rGpturing. after tests OF great severity
81 pressure OF so pounds, and guaranteed to |
stand. al delivery, pounds pressure. in 25O
secUtive tests. for - cents foot Chief Croker /
asid that New York was unable TO buy ordinary /
=. inch hose for less than 81 foot He had al /
ready estimated the probable cost Of the high |
r-essure hose at between g - and s. 80 foot /,
Commissioner AEitcheI asked many questions as /
10 tie knowledge cf the officers Of the department
Uf The location OF water Mains and the responsi-
bity Ct the officers a. ere for the placing OF /
companies. Then he gave the chief plan OF /
nc streets around tie Parker Building and asked |
him indicate on the map the hydrants to which /
tseuty-tve engines at the fire were attached, but
Ihe chief sai5 he vas not there and did not know /
enough about the conditions 70 do so. comnais- |
sCneT Mitchell vas insistent, but finally yielded |
tie point.
Depaty Chief Bnns. who was IN charge al tne |
frker Building fire viii take the stand this morn
.Hg. b1t CHIEF Croker, like Commissioner Lantry, /
all 3e recalled later.
fo--nissicrer Mitchell said after the hearing that
re u-esart stage Of the investigation should not |
iss- long 7 Is intended develop enough facts
. STOW what should be done TO put TIE FIRE De-
pzrt1ne1t Oh Z. proper basis Then public hearings
T5I - suspended, only TO be resumed wnen more
oslvllg has been done. Then every one ccnnecteo
x e-y way with the purchase OF bad hose VIII De
s1t CT tne stand.