The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-07
Sale of Scrapped Material
Calls Forth a Lengthy In
quiry of Department.
NINE WITNESSES
GAVE TESTIMONY
Commissioner Stated Mo-
One Was Under Charges,
Decision Expected.

- an lilNSStlRdtIotl, lAstlnS Two
hours, held in the council chamber
yesterday morning, nine witnesses
We're examined by the city commits
sioners in the probe being made into
the sale of some fire hose by Fireman
Martin Mitchell to Captain John Crit
fifth. No decision was rendered, the
commissioners announcing that their
findings would be made public later.
The probe was made to determine
whether or not certain fire hose sold
by Fireman Mitchell to Captain Grit
fifth was the same hose that he had
bought at auction from the city, OF
whether other pieces OF good hose.
with couplings had not been added.
Chief w. r. Bicker, Mr.. Mitchell, and
several other members of the depart
ment testified that it was the same
hose, and that apparently the whole
complication was the result OF care
lessness in scrapping the hose for auc-
ton.
Chief Bicxer took the stand first ,
stating that Mitchell had purchased
the hose at public auction, when the
city commissioners were present, and
that after the sale the hose had been
slowed on the back porch of the Cen
trail fire station. until It was sold by
NAitehSA ~ CIptulh SsfIAitu. fAS 10 tio
couplings, the chief said that permis-
sion had been given Mitchell to use
the couplings. end that it was Gus
tomary to do this. with the UNDER
standing that they would be returned.
Captain Griffith was then examined,
and stated that he buys much hose for
use on the waterfront: that he had
bought fire hose before. and that in
all OF the transactions IL was the
practice to sell the couplings with the
hose, and replace them afterward
with other couplings. He said that he
had contracted with Mitchell for the
hose for IA cents a pound, exclusive
of the couplings, and that there were
1880 pounds of hose. To the direct
as to whether he knew of
any graft in the sales, the witness
said that he did not.
Assistant Fire Chief Hack" Rfera
testified that fire hose is capable Of
being used until IL cannot hold moro
than 70 pounds of water pressure.
When the hose becomes unfit for use,
the witness said, IL IS discarded and
the couplings taken off. Sometimes.
he said that when the break Ii near
the end, the section is cut off, and the
coupling replaced, making it slightly
shorter.
He stated that the hose sold was
not supposed to have been sold; that
there We're &c pieces. weighing 1910
pounds, less couplings. He said that
the couplings are usually cut eff when
hose is crapped, to be used again. A
set of couplings, the wit
ness estimated. is valued al $500 or
10 cents per pound. as junk.
The witness stated that he did not !
know Of any other hose delivered TO
Griffith, and testified that the chief
has sole power to- scrap hose when IL
8 found unfit for further use. but that
ae did not know whether there were
my good pieces In the lot that. Mitchell
bought at auction or not
Fireman Frank Anderson next took
he stand and corroborated the details
brought out by other witnesses con-
'erning the amount and weight of the
hose disposed OF by Mitchell after
ouying it from the city. He said that
1e had strung the hose in the yard,
With the expansion rings in il, and
hat three lengths OF IL were tested
or 100 pounds pressure by the assist
Int chief, but that he could not eay
whether it was good hose or not.
hough some Of IL did not look like
unk. AS to the authority to junk
lose, the witness said that Mitchell
has the power to Junk hose at the Gen.
raj station, together with the chief.
'ut that the captains Of all the sub
stations have also the power to junk
he hose In their respective stations,
md send II to the headquarters foe
disposition. and that some OF the good
lose could have come from another
tation.
G. III. Kelscn, another member of the
ire department. FOLLOWED Mr.. Anderson
n the stand, and confirmed the state
nent concerning the tests Of the three
engths made by the assistant chief.
ut said that It appeared to be old
ose
Similar testimony was given by Leon.
John Campbell. and T..
all members OF the fire. de-
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