Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-10-24
The Engine Company Controversy.

tains long Article endcavoring to sustain its
previous statements that MazePpa Company of
this village sent challenge to Drlugc Compa-
ny of Clareniont to meet the former at Keenc
and that ITS reception OF the second prize at the
Bellows Falls muster was a just award on the
part Of the judges. These are the two points in
the controversy. 1t will not be expected that
we shall follow the editor of the Eagle through
all his long-winded reply TO our former article.
II is enough that we attend to his material ale
cations.
In relation TO the challenge" he says
The Telegraph operator here, Geo. w.
Mcrrifeld, Esq, informs US that message d.
rccted 10 him, came from The operator at Brat
tlchoro, in substance as follows:
The Captain Of MuAeppa Engine Company of Drnttebo
wishes to tell the captain Of Delugc No. Of Clare
mont, that will meet them at kecnc on the 10th"
II the message had been directed TO the Clar-
emonl Fire Department, Of course II would not
have been taken as a challenge for any partcu-
lar Company, but as it was directed TO No. 8,
it was taken and understood TO be a direct cha-
ienge, and more particularly so on account OF
the little misunderstanding between the two
companies al Bellows Falls on the ith OF July,
which vas, however satisfactorily settled on the
only here but at kccne and other places, that a
challenge had passed between the two compa-
MES. Even Bratt-boro gentlemen 50 under
stood it, and talked of the matter with gentle
men from Clarenont, while at keenc attending
the Muster in question. as one well understood
at lIrailleboro. One Brattleboro gentleman re
marked to a member OF our Delugc Co. that IN
view Of the late disastrous FIRE at Brattcj oro,
and the severe loss TO some of its members, Ma
zcppa Co. would not have been IA, Keene had II
not been for the challenge sent by them to Del
uge Co. and no member of Mazeppa Co. was
heard to deny it. Now all this talk about the
challenge may have originated here, bu, in view
OF these facts, which are susceptible Of proof
strong as holy writ, no rational person will ie-
lieve it. We will not pretend that Mazeppa Co
sent the above message, or were at all RESPONSE
bile for it, hut we do know It's substance came
from the operator at Braitleboro to the operator
| here, and was answered by individual members
OF Deuge Co. through our operator, TO the eff
feet that Deluge No 8 would be happy to meet
them at Keene. Atcr the above fiat denial OF
the whole matter by Mazeppa No. 1, it is mere
/ question Of verachy between the Bratileboro
! operator and Mazcrpa Co. which We leave them
! 10 settle as best they can, bat we have the best
| Of reasons Tor believing that the Brattleboro
operator will not deny having sent the message.
In o IT former communication we denied that
any such challenge had been sent by Ma4eppa
Company as had been charged by the editor OF
the Eagie In reply to the above We merely
call attention to the communications suboined
to this If these do no, make out our case as
strong as we have stated it we are much mis-
taken.
In relation TO the playing at Bellows Falls i
will be remembered we took exception to tn,
decision OF the judges allowing the Deluge Com
pany second trial, and contcnded that accord
ing to the niles established the Mazeppa Com
pany was entitled to the second prlze. The Ed
gle says:
"Our entire Fire Department was invited t,
attend the celeb alton at Bellows Fails, on tn,
4th Of July, aud to participate in The contest tu
the handsome prizes offered for the best playing
The invitation was accepted and hur three com
pin,s voted TO 90, Drluge No 8, and No.
companies taking their tubs and elected the Ed
itor OF the Eagle their Marshal. mouihpiece ant
head for the o 'casion, at which, of course VI
felt very prou |. An went oil well the fnre par
OF the day the procession was large and impos
ing, the Grafton was good the citizens of Below
Falls were very polite and attentive to thei
Eu SIS, diiu 'HlHg Pdsseu III
af ernoon preparations were made for the conies
t Tor the prizes the order of playing being decid
n q by lot. Druge Co. of Claremont, under Cap
+. n. Blanchard, being the first to play. TIL
rules Of playing were promulg gated by tho Chi,
Marshal. one of which was that each compan
= should fill its hose and then come 10 a siop, an
S announcing that they were ready, should in on
1 minute take the stream from the ground, an
play up the pole. This was all satisfactory,
far as we could learn. Deuge Co. took the
tub to the reservoir, made all necessary prepar;
lions for PLAYING, i'll her hose, and rith0m con
d ing 10 dead stop, Capt. Blanchard announce
that he was ready, and played just forty seconds
i We have ilalicsed the words in the abo,
y which contain the gist of the matter in dsput
G BY aientvely reading the quotation it will
e seen that the Eagle fully acknowledges the vi
N lation of the rules established by the judge
re which is precisely what we have charged. Tn
'r violated rule was that after filling their hose Il
% engine should come to stop; the Deugu Coz
pany did not follow this but "tcuhOW coming
a dead stop" it proceeded to play. 1t seem'
to US al the time aud still seems To u. that
10 rules are If any sort Of consequence at SUI
,r times they should be practically adhered to.
m ain regard TO the nsinuation that Deluge Z
ne was assisted by strangers, we will only say tn
-, there were but forty men upon the brakes, a.
" every man wore the uniform of the Compar
49, and all were from Claremcnt except six. A,
ID, generally the case there were some members
TO Drluge Co. who could not leave home, and s
BE uf their uniforms were filled by friends FRI
of Springfield, VI. Now we would ask Mazep
No. 4, how many men there were upon
brakes who didn't belong to the company
We pause for reply
The Mazeppa Company at Keene was co
Isl posed of nearly one.half volunteers, and we E,
~ posed that fact was generally known. The I
y itor says in the above that all but six Of the n
81 attached to the Dcluge Company were fir
nh Caremont and that six were from Springfe
m. In this We think he is mistaken. There w
I'd. men, who worked on its brakes at Kcene, fir
this village, some of whom have since boas
Ter that every engine that won prize they help
'ul work.
"IIad the result been different from what
on was, who is there that believes that Mazer
NJ Co. would ever have denied the challenge 81