The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-28
L Z N DID SPE T. f..
APPEARANCE OF THE MEN AND THE MA
CHIMES.
WAITING FOR THE VERDICT.
The Line of Mnrch-Sketches of the DIFF.
ferent COmpa mi es-The Race for tho
|S%Cup-Thc Incidents or the Day


and hats are drawn from their hiding places
tor the benefit Of honorary members or super
annuated fremen, who are to turn out once
moro; the engines are rubbed and polished
until every particle of brass and cop-
per shines like a miniature sun; new
recruits are drafted in by the score to
swell the number at the ropes; and from one
end Of the city to the other there is heard the
hum of busy preparation. Nor is this at all
singular. The Fire Department Of Charleston
bears upon it's rolls more than one thousand
mon, the flower Of the intelligence and worth
Of our city. They represent every interest and
every profession, and the oldest and most ven
erable citizen has deeply at heart the victory
Of the company to which his boys belong. In
their ardor and zeal he sees renewed his own
lusty youth. aud by their aid recalls the days
when he. too, beltedsand helmeted with the
best Of them, might march on the annual par
ade. The ladies, also, take lively interest in
the appearance Of the companies, and weave
with nimble fingers wreaths and corona Is with
which to adoln the machines. And when
the labor of love is done, they are found along
the line Of march to cheer the young combat
ants with their presence and encourage them
with their smiles -
upon parade day, but this year the agitation
and excitement have been greater than ever
before. There was never o fireman's parade so
anxlously looked for, or so much the subject of
discussion and calculation, as that CT yester-
day. A change was made in the whole plan of
the parade. 1t had been the custom for the
different companies to assemble and march
through the city in the forenoon, the playing
ALL: r~1ooo IL
off was the trial which determined who should
possess the prize. Each engine in turn was
brought out and played its best, the company
throwing solid water the greatest distance be-
ing the victor and receiving the silver cup.
This was an excellent test as far as it went,
but it did not prove what was the relative
efficiency for fire purposes Of the different
companies. hand engine or a steamer
might be bought at great expense which would
throw ten inches or even ten feet farther
than the engines already in the department..
This engine would carry off the prize, not by
the superior skill and industry OF the men, but
by the greater cost Of the machinery. Aud it
might happen that the engine so victorious
would be the last to arrive at fire, and there
fore OF the lowest order OF practical efficiency.
love OF fair play is the great characteristic
OF Charleston fremen. Many Of them felt
that they were labocing under great disadvan-
tages. But all they bad to do was to obey or.
ders, and keep to the rules laid down for their
guidance. And this they lid. The whole SUP
ject was, hOwevoa, x.v-.L. L.s..e 4lo DvnLu
of Firemasters by the First Assistant Chief Of
the Department, r. NJ. Alexander, Esq, who
nual parade true trial Of the merits of the
n ont ania
considered, and set Of rules we're drawn up
for carrying it into effect.
The New Plan.
Is founded upon the assumption that the most
valuable company in the Department, all things
being equal, IS the one which can traverse
given distance and throw stream of water Of
given length in the shortest space Of time
This is the whole theory, and sound one it
is. What the details are will be seen by the
following extract from the rules:
The exercises will begin by the hand engines
starting from the corner Of Queen and Meet
to o fire, running TOUR hundred yards, with
eight mon to the one thousand pounds weight
of engine, reeling off one hundred feet of hose
at the termination Of the four hundred yards,
taking suction from the drain pit in Meeting
street, opposite Hayne. and playing fifty feet
AS soon as the fifty feet is obtained the time
The steamers will follow the same regula-
tions, except that they are allowed five men to
the one thousand pounds weight of engine
(not including engineer and freman.) Steam
such fuel as they desire. No member pulling
on the reels will be allowed to handle the
engines during the run. Fires to start engines
will commence when the word is given by the |
MOTTO. Cold water must be in all all
the boilers, and the boilers must be cool. Any |
engine having heated water IN their boilers |
will be gnled out After the fifty feet is OBJ
at the pit ten minutes, but not to exer ,ise. ]
Hose reels may precede the engines on the |
run. r1I. but but will start tosether The men run
feet OF hose, attach the pipe and work the |
engine. One officer from each steamer and !
hand engine TO be appointed to inspect the |
boilers, suctions and boxes, and TO see that |
the brakes are strapped down and secured in |
the usual manner.
The double-break hand engines will be allow
ed to use their lower brakes only, if they 80
desire.
This programme was wholly and entirely
different from any that the fremen had had
before, and it was net surprising shat il threw
them into fever Of sgpectation.
Making Roady.
For the last month the different companies
have been making ready; and during the last
eight or ten days they appear to have been
practcina every night. Most Of them tried
the regular course in Meeting -street; but
there were others who preferred to keep per-
fectly quiet, to practice at defiance, and to
trust to bone and sinew to rattle them over the
stones when the trying moment came. There
were some few mishaps, Of course. Firemen
will run fast and shout till the welkin rings,
the consequences or which are o probable
stumble and an inevitable ''out of breath"
All, too, were encouraged by the thought
that they had q chance Of Carrying of
the coveted prize. Some relied on their
staying power, others upon theft dash. One
party thought that muscle was not gem
teel and another was Of the firm opinion that