Arizona republican., 1909-11-09
CONTROVERSY ARISES
 OVER THE FIRE HOSE
Concerning Care of It and Its Con-
 version to Private Use

of Mesa made complaint that the fire hose had been lying on McDon- aid street for the past wee.. and that three of them had pulled an oil wagon off the hose on Saturday night. They were indignant that the taxpayers should be made to pay for expensive hose when it was left in such condition. They stated that a citizen had asked for the use of the hose to wet the street in front of his residence. The parties most interested were interviewed and their statements follow herewith: J. G. Spangler is the gentleman who asked that the street be wetted down. and said Yes. asked for the use of the hose, but l went to Fire Chief Bracket and asked if the boys were going to practice within a few days. and if they were could they come to the plug in close to my house. as I expected number of guests and would like to have the dust settled The chief said it would be all right as it did not make any difference where the practice work was done.
 AS for a private citizen wishing tO ilOUDDOllLt lDt nose UT ut- partment in any way is absurd. What I have tried to do for this department is this: When the question of the water system came up l went before the council and on behalf of the Mesa City Bank offered the council men money enough to have the fire plugs put in closer together and said we would take a warrant for the money. This they refused. I have tried to help them in every way. and have been working to have the in- surance rates reduced. but until the plugs are put 150 feet apart instead of 700 feet. there will not be given the Pacific Coast Underwriters rating because the laws of this association require the plugs to be placed l50 feet apart. The chief of the fire de- partment was aware of the arrange ments being made to wet down the street. and as did not touch the hose. naturally concluded the fire boys would attend to the apparatus as they always do"
 Mayor Barnett said Yes. I know of this controversy. and I do not see how the city council can afford to
 
 when it would cost $500.0O. Further more. the tower of the water works is adequate for this purpose. but we cannot use that until we have for malIy accepted the water system. and we have not done that yet I tried to have the fire plugs put closer to- gether. but the council would not allow it, and in fact We have lacked support all along. We asked the citi- zens to advance the money to put in a good system while we were at it. and offered warrants to them, but none of them would come forward. so we had to do what we had money enough for. I do not see how any thing can be done for the fire boys just now, and they will have to get along the best way they can until better means can be employed"
 Fire Chief Bracket was asked if he knew of the hose being left in the street and replied. -"Yes. There is no rack on which to dry the hose. and it is a well known fact that if the hose is reeled up before drying out it and rots There is $50 feet of hose on the reel now. and has been there all along. and the 300 feet on the street is the only piece of hose which has been used for the practice work by both teams. There is no place to put it and when the boys were through with it they laid it along the east side of the street ] to dry out. It is always customary to put it either on vacant lot or some place else for this purpose. What Mir. opangler says about asking to have the street hosed down is correct. as it was as easy for the 1 boys to practice there as anywhere.
 You say it is estimated that it would cost s500O0 to build a tower to dry the hose in 90 foot lengths. ] Well I am willing tot build a lumber l rack. which will slant enough to dry the hose out for s20.0O. The 300 feet | of hose left out cost s21.0O or roc l per foot. and I can and will build al rack for -the s20 if so authorized i This morning I went out and inves- tigated the hose and found one length still too wet to be put away. | As soon as we have adequate ap- paratus to allow us to care for the att tn