Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-03-15
From Philadelphia.


Correspondence Of the Democrat j Sentinel
PHILADELrHIA, March IL, 1885,
Our fire system continues to be constant topic
of agitation and dispute We have now some
where from eighty to hundred engine and hose
companies each independent of the other. rrcog.
nizing no authority beyond its own officers, and
many Of them in constant state of quasi war
with rival companies. At fire there is no con
cert Of action, each party acting its own whims
or caprice may dictate The engine houses have
become the regular abodes of large portion of
the young yagabonds about town, and academies
of instruction in all the minor vices Full Of
spirits and fond of excitement, nothing pleases
them well the fearful tolling of the fire bell,
aud the instant they dart ferth TO the scene Of
cenfagration, and if g fight" can by any posi-
biiity be commenced, their enjoyment is complete.
A; considerable proportion Of our fires have
their origin in no other cause than the desire of
some of these wild spirits to help put it out, and
enjoy the (to themJ pleasing rccreations which
accompany that task Many efforts have been
made to reorganize the whole fire system, but
with very limited success, as they are all strelu
ously opposed by the body of the present ircnlen,
who are numerous enough to form a very reepect-
able capital for small beer politicians, who hatttr
their prejudices, to operate upon. Still, public
opinion so imperatively demanded reform, that.
Councils, several months since, passed bill pro-
viding for the introduction Of some little order
and system into the Department, although it fell
far-short Of what was generally demanded, and
was indeed pre- tty much such a law as the Fire
men themselves asked for. Now, however, many
of them refuse to assent to its provisions, and 1t
is doubtful whether It can be enforced.
Although the fighting companies are occasionally
thrown out of service, and the beIligerents some
times punished, they nearly always manage to
escape through the power Of the political influence
they possess for when a company orstwo can as
often happens, control the politicsof Ward, they
can easily find plenty of sycophantic schcmers
ready and willing to arrest the course of Justice
and shield them from meIited punishment
Young men and half grown boys, who come from
the country to reside here, particularly apt TO
be fascinated by these institutions and it is com
mon remark Of their employers, that, from that
moment, half their usefulness is gone, if not en-
tirely destroyed.
1t is amusing sometimes TO hear of the risiiciaz
ious extent TO which they carry their disputes be
tween each other. 1t more nearly resembles the
practices of the Indians than any custom Of civ
ilized life The mere suspicion of belonging to 4
rival company has brought down upon many a
poor unofending but luckless wight an unmerci
ful ogging, and his only satisfaction is to return
the compliment upon some of the members Of tie
company who thus maltreated him whenever oc-
casion Offers Not long since an instance Of this
kline came under my notice young fireman OF
a rival company, who heat him very severely
Patrick vowed revenge, and on the occasion Of the
next fire provided himself with half brick-bat,
and watching his opportunity, sought out one Of
his aggressors and inflicted upon him quite a Sc
we're blow with that weap n In the confusion he
escaped detection, and the wounded man, after
suffering for some time, finally recovered. "A
friend of Patrick IS who was informed of his con
nection with the affair, demonstrated with him on
such conduct. and among other things told him
that he had narrowly escaped killing his victim,
and bringing down upon himself the fearful
charge Of murder. AS patrick's education had
made linn somewhat familiar with shelleah fights,
and implanted in his mind extremely liberal ideas
of the strength and powers of endurance Of the
human skull, this was an entirely new idea to
him, and with true Irish naviete he exclaimed,
g Och, sure you must be jo}ini Don't be tellin
me that ge,stle pat Of a b1ic-baf on mans
pate will murther him ~
Talking of the firemen, reminds me that some
of your sporting readers may fee! some interest ia
the foot races of the champions of the different
companies which have come off on several occa-
sons recently in the ring Of Wclcb's Circus, for
the prize of silver horn. The competitors were
to run round it twelve times. making distance
of quarter of a mile. The best time made was
one minute and twenty seconds Meantime a
wonderful amount of private racing has been
going on by way of practice, through our. streets
and around the public squares A lady who hap
pened to be in the way of a pair Of racers run
ming ON bet of a dollar, very uncerenoni-
ousy knocked down the other day, and like scenes
have been SO frequent TO become quite nui-
sanee in some parts Of the city.
business is becoming quite brisk, and the He
tells are crowded with country merchants. OF
course there is no probability that near many
goods VIII be sold this season as last Spring but
stiIl Philadelphia, from present appearances, viii
hold herown quite as well in this respect as any
I of the o3hes Atlantic cities ssissl His
T. A Mechanical Theatre, recently imported nom
Fr anee, in which automatons are made TO aci
dramas, plays and farces, IS advertised on exhie'-
tior in the amusement column of the Ledg@-----
IF PLAYS can be acted by machinery, suppose wo
shah next have sermons preached and eases plead
in Court by the same means.
s Truly Yoprs- 1855 80