November i, 1902.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



eT* 



ARTISTIC CABINETS OF HARD RUBBER. 



THERE are in bonded warehouses in New York to-day, two 

 cases containing samples of art work, of which hard rub- 

 ber is a part, that undoubtedly point to a line of work that will 

 some day be quite a factor in the rubber manufacture. A 

 French artist is the creator of these, and the inventor of the 

 vulcanite finish. These goods are samples of mural decora- 

 tions, statuettes, busts, beautifully carved panels for cabinets, 

 etc. They are made from terra colls., papier mache, and cheap 

 materials of various kind, over which by a secret process is put 

 a very thin coating of hard rubber in any color, giving most 



beautiful and durable effects. The rubber coating being very 

 thin, there is of course very little addition to the cost, and a 

 great increase in both the durability and beauty. The sam- 

 ples embrace several doors from the beautiful cabinet shown 

 in the above illustration, and have all the effect of black oak. 

 Of the busts shown on the top of this cabinet, the one in the 

 middle is made by the new process. These goods are in the 

 charge of Mr. Reuben AUerton, of New York, who imported 

 them as samples of a new art, and who plans to arrange for 

 their manufacture in the United States. 



FIRE HOSE STATISTICS OF CITIES. 



AMONG the numerous subjects on which statistics are 

 compiled by the United States department of labor, at 

 Washington, is the comprehensive one of " Statistics of Cities," 

 embracing almost no end of particulars. For several years 

 past these statistics have included the details relating to the 

 amount of hose and other fire department equipment in cities 

 having 30,000 population or more. The number of cities em- 

 braced in this table is not the same every year, for the reason 

 that before the last census some cities which were supposed to 

 have 30,000 inhabitants were found later not to have. But 

 this fact is not important, since the total amount of hose cred- 



ited to the cities in doubt does not aggregate 100,000 feet. 

 The total number of feet reported is as follows: 



January I, 1 899 140 cities. 3,361,160 fefet. 



January I, 1900 129 cities. 3,176,902 feet. 



January I, 1901 I35cities. 3,413,01 1 feet. 



January I, 1902 I37cities. 3,451,881 feet. 



No particulars are given as to the basis of estimating the 

 amount of rubber hose for each fire department. For instance, 

 in one case may be reported the number of feet of hose 

 " owned " by the city and in another the amount of hose " in 

 service." But whatever the basis of reporting, there is hardly 

 any doubt that in the cities of the class referred to there is 

 something over 3,000,000 feet of fire hose. There is likewise a 

 very large amount of fire hose owned by cities 

 and towns having less than 30.000 population, 

 so that it may not be an extravagant estimate 

 to give 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 as the total of 

 tire hose in use in the United States. This 

 estimate would call for at least 1,000,000 

 feet of new hose for replacements every year, 

 without reference to the increase of equip- 

 ment in many departments. 



Headquarters Fire Department City of New Vorlc, 

 Chief of Department. 

 Borough of Manhattan, October i , 1902. 



To THE Editor of The India Rubber 

 World: In reply to your favor which has 

 been referred to me for report. I would state 

 that the average life of fire nose in use in this 

 department is from 5 to 6 years. 

 Yours respectfully, 



EDWARD F. CROKER, 



Chief of Department. 



To THE Editor of The India Rubber 

 World : The question has been propounded 

 to me: " If a particular city has 100,000 feet 

 of hose of all kinds in use to-day, about 

 what would be the annual replacements nec- 

 essary to keep the equipment up to this size ? " 

 Such a question can be more readily answered 

 by a comparison of fire department statistics 

 that state the average amount of hose pur- 

 chased per annum, and the aggregate amount in service, than 

 from the experience of a fire hose manufacturer. 



There are so many conditions that affect the durability of 

 fire hose, even if the all important consideration of quality be 

 ignored, that it is difficult to establish an average for replace- 

 ments, unless a careful study of the statistics referred to may 

 permit it to be done. 



For instance, an equipment of 100,000 feet may be ample to 

 require but a reasonable service and afford a sufficient reserve ; 

 or it may be so inadequate that the service of the hose is 

 much more frequent and severe. One department may give 

 the hose better care than another, may better protect from in- 

 jury from vehicular traffic while in the streets, may use it 

 chiefly on smooth pavements. One department may have to 

 protect a city largely residential, while another may have the 

 protection of a manufacturing or commercial community 

 where fires are likely to be larger and more frequent, and the 

 liability of hose to come into contact with chemical and other 

 injurious substances greatly increased. 



If two departments whose hose needs are about equal, should 

 expend an equal sum of money annually in the purchase of fire 

 hose for say a period of twelve years, and each should use the 

 hose until destroyed while in service, the one to purchase high 

 grade hose and the other a low grade, it is probable that at the 



