The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-28

Director; J. Quinn, Second Director (; N. Far
rel, Third Director G. G. Reyter, Fourth Di-
rector; James s. Westendorf, Treasurer; J. T.
Maher, Secretary; j. Rosis, Engineer; W. Ma
honey, Assistant Engineer; NJ. Iawler, E. CAL
lahan, T. Monahan and T. C. Patterson, Ak
men.
The Young America was drawn by four bay
horses, who must have found it task to move
the violet and white wreaths and the masses
of verdure which adorned the'machine. On
both engine and reel were handsomely painted
scrolls with the company motto: "Where duty
calls, there you'll find u.s."
The Line Of March
Was down Calhoun TO King, through King to
Hasel, and through Meeting to Broad-street
where in front Of the Guardhouse the line was
inspected by the Mayor and Aldermen. Alter
passing down Broad to New, the column coun-
termarched and returned 10 the vicinity Of the
Mills House, which was
The Starting Point
This consisted of gallows-like arrangement
srected in the centre of Meeting-street at the
junction Of Queen. A large red ball, run down
by 'halyards, indicated to the judges in front
Of the Charleston Hotel the exact moment Of
starting. The starting judges were Messrs. b.
b. Olney and A. Stemmerman. AS each engine
came up to this point it was examined bya
committee consisting OF one director FROM
each contesting company, This, it Will be OBJ.
served, insured fair play to all, and no epgi,,,
was allowed to start until every requirement Of
the regulations OF the day had beea relieiously
complied With by it's officers, In each instance
care was, OF course, taken to select the most
active and muscular mon in the company for
the contest. - ~ -, -,
The Goal, -
Twelve hundred yards distant by actual mea-
surement, on the corner Of Hayne and Meet
Ing streets, was the fre-weil from which each
company was to draw and throw water. At
the bottom oil this well basket was arranged
to prevent the suctions from touching bottom.
One hundred feet beyond this was the central
point of attraction. Here the stream darted
from the nozzle, and rope fifty feet in length
measured the first splash of water that touch
ed the mark. at this point Messrs. Geo. q.
Walter and W. G.. Whilden acted as judges,
and, provided with stop watches, noted the
dropping of the ball, the starting of
the several companies and the instant
that water was thrown to the requi1-
ed limit. The entire street between Pinck-
ney and Hayne streets was enclosed by
ropes, which were closely guarded by Gordon
of policemen, who most effectually did their
duty in keeping clear that portion Of the
thorougbfare. Not even the memorable yell
low.sailed dog which, as usual, made its ap.
pedrance on the scene was permitted to go un. I.
scathed, and, between the batons OF the police
and the innumerable legs OF still more innu-
merable Ethiopians who fringed the sidewalks,
the poor canine must have realized the truth
that however easy it is to get into trouble it is
not so easy to get out Besides The judges,
members OF the press. and the chief and his
assistants, no one was allowed to remain with
in the enclosure. On this theatre of action,
probably ten thousand pair Of eyes, set in
every species OF frame imaginable, looked from
porch and window and house-top, to cay moth
ing Of the sidewalks, which in their monotony
of coloring remin ded one of dense lining Of
Grape.
The first in the programme were the hand
engines, and of these the first to start was the
vigilant. Twenty-nine men, good and true,
had been picked to tussle for the donors Of the
-ay.-s-a Il, oS t.-ni,-n-
o'clock, in ran the long white streak bending to
it's work. Less than two minutes roll by and
they are on the ground. The cap is lifted
from the wheel with the precision Of we'll
drilled soldiers every hand finds its place; the
lower brakes are unstrapped and dropped into
position the hose is unrolled and the nozzle
attached and apparently before half dozen
strokes are given-while the crowd are yet
wondering stream darts out at one
dash to it's limit Of hfty-feet, the Judge
shouts time !! and cheer rends the
air. The entire performance is finished in
less time than we can record it, and in
minute more the announcement is made that
the Vigilants have done their work in t,1o
minutes and thirteen seconds. Until then,
every man on the ropes and at the brakes had
held his breath as il bent on doing his whole
duty and nothing but his duty. Indeed, the
order of their President had been-"No fool
ishnees to-day, boys, and not drop until you
have won cup to drink it in" and, true to
their instructions, the Vigilants bent to their
task with vim and machine-like motion that
werenot e1celled during the day.
The next hand engine in order was the Ger
man. Sturdy fellows those, too, with abund-
auce of muscle, and pluck written all over their
broad faces. The ball drops, and the next we
see through the riit in the crowd that sways
to the pressure of the police, is line OF red,
something like stick of sealiDg-wax in motion,
coming forward at genuine Teutonic trot.
They make capital time-reach the we'll, -Ad
like their predecessors, without any fuss, get
to work. A dozen strokes bring tte walter, and
few seconds more there stands out upon the
blackboard before the gaze of the multitude,
"German, minutes Is seconds" The friends
OF the German won't their admiration on the
air. and in truth it was noble achievement
In starting this company, some point was
made as to the propriety of strapping their
brakes. It was stated by the officers, how
ever, that straps had never been used, and tie
omission was accordingly allowed. with the
understanding that ii the breaks fell during
the run, the company would be ruled out.
Next followed the Washingtons, ofAugusta,
Ga. trim-lookins fellows, we'll disciplined and
dashing. As they came bounding up the