Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 47.djvu/623

 introduction of steam fire engines two and four wheeled reels, drawn by horses, were used as tenders. These have been replaced to a great extent by the modern hose wagon. It is claimed that hose can be drawn from flat coils in a wagon with greater rapidity than from a reel, and when once the hose is out the wagon can be used as an ambulance or to bring supplies. It will be impossible to give the names of the manufacturers of hose reels and wagons, for not only are innumerable firms engaged in the business, but often the apparatus is furnished by local carriage builders. All the makers of steam and hand fire engines and ladder trucks manufacture hose wagons and carriages of every variety.

For many years the only hose generally used was made of leather, but to-day this has been practically replaced by either



rubber or fabric. Samuel Eastman & Company, East Concord, N. H., make a specially tanned leather hose that is riveted together in such a manner that the friction is reduced to a minimum. The nature of the material makes it possible to place permanent leather straps at frequent intervals, thereby aiding the firemen in handling.

Rubber hose is made by combining fabric with solid rubber. In heavy hose an inner lining of rubber is combined with light cotton, and an outside lining is combined with heavier cotton. These two are firmly cemented together with the laps on opposite sides. It has been seen that fabric hose was invented in Holland in 1672, but generally discarded as being impracticable. The early canvas hose of this century was made of sail cloth riveted together, and was never very successful. The jacket hose of today is woven seamless and lined with rubber. Another seamless