Evening journal., 1921-07-14
AWAIT ACTION
ON COUPLINGS
If Safety Directors Make
Change, 1t Will Cost
Plants $4,000
SNAP TYPE ARE
NOW INSTALLED

Hose manufacturers who have
submitted bids for 10000 feet Of
fire hose to the Directors OF Public
Safety are anxiously awaiting TO
hear whether the directors have de-
cided to change the style Of hose
couplings. II is said the thread type
Of coupling advocated by the direc-
tors sold for $3.50. while the snap or
modern type which has been in use
here for a number Of years, sell
for $3.50 each.
Just what action the directors will
take in the matter could not be
learned this morning but 1t is claim
ed by a man who studied the situa-
ton that II the snap couplings are
discarded It will mean a loss OF $780,
600 or more to the '-ss-- Is industrial
plants Of this city and vicinity.
These plants are now equipped with
such couplings as are also the local
fire companies. Among the plants
equipped with the modern type of
couplings are the dupont Powder
yards. the Harlan plant of the Beth
lehem Shipbuilding Corporation. the
Pyrites Co.. Ltd. Joseph Bancroft
and Sons Company, The American
Car and Foundry Company. the
Pullman Company, and scores Of
other industrial plants as we'll as Of
fice buildings throughout the city.
In addition 20 the discarding Of
these hose connections, 1t was said
today by firemen that II the thread
coupling is adopted, the present
threaded fire plugs would have to be
changed, which would entail a cost
Of thousands Of dollars. These plugs
at present are threaded. but the
threads are not the same as those
suggested by the directors OF Public
Safety None Of the present hose
pipes carried by local fire apparatus
could be used II the couplings are
| changed. and in case the Whining
| ton Fire Department was called on
| for duty in Chester. Philadelphia or
any Of the nearby towns. their hose
and apparatus would be useless, as
| these places use the snap couplings.
When W. T. Budd. secretary OF
the Chamber Of Commerce was ask
ed this morning II that body was
planning 10 ask for the retehtion OF
| the snap couplings on the grounds
/ that = change would cost manufac-
/ turers thousands OF dollars he said
"Firemen. or those versed in FIRE
matters claim that the snap coup
lings come apart at times. Further
more, ne added. 1--WE feel that we
have two members Of the Directors
Of Public Safety who are fully able
10 give the city the best kind OF a
fire department and we should no
place anything in their way t'
hamper them"
Firemen. however. claim that tn
use of the thread coupling is a back
ward step. in chat it requires twl
men 10 connect a section of hose
while one man can snap a line O
hose together with the snap coup
p ling The possibility of the thread
, becoming buried with the threa
/ coupling is always present. and IN
b. present thread style coupling is no
standardized.
5 1t was said this morning that &
B New York the hose threads on IN
s various docks are different fror
those used by the fire department
there and fremen here are wonder
ing why the snap coupling should b
discarded at this time after the In
dustrial plants have all been equir
ped with that type. when in Ne
York the hose couplings are not un
form.