The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-03-05
THE CHINESE FIRE BRIGADEs.
How Celestial CONGREGATIONS are Man
aged.

dent contains the following article
from the pen of y. Il. Dennys:
People who have but a super
| fetal acquaintance with that vast
swarm of humanity constituting the
Chinese nation, WILL very probably
be astonished to learn that our pig
tailed friends have long since organ
lied brigades similar to our own for
extinction of fires. To Canton be-
longs the credit of having first car
| ried ont this arrangement and adopt
cd the use Of engines, about hun
| dred years ago; tradition alleging
/ that the officials of that immense city
were so struck with tue superiority
of the hand-pump used by the resi-
dent employees OF the old East In
dia Company" that they at once
copied it, and have faithfully stuck
to the patent ever since. The Chi
nese water dragon" rs it is fanci-
| fully called, Is, to be sure. but a
sorry specimen of mechanical effort
beside the efficient and beautifully
constructed steam fire-engine of civ
ilized countries, as 1t strongly re-
sembles a small squirtin the volume
Of its jet, and is of such limited pro-
portions that it can easily be carried
or dragged by two or three men. 1t
| Is, however, an improvement on the
yet older hand-bucket. and the Chi
nese deserve some credit for its
adoption. In the organization of
their brigades, they may further
claim that of originality. having only
/ the vaSle accounts q the Com
| pany's employees to aid them in
drawing up the needful regulations.
1t must not, however. be supposed
that matters of this sort are taken in
hand by the paternal 'government"
of the empire. On the contrary,
such undertakings are essentially
| private.
The following is a list of the
strength, copied from a native pub
licatiOn: ! general superintendent.
/ foreman 10 superintend work on
roofs, 4 foremen of water-carrierS,
i chief horseman, , hookmen and
water-carriers, II bumpers and drag
gers. well-opener, > ladder-carriers.
2 engine-pushers and water-carriers
: lantern bearers for housetops. 10
lantern-bearers To light water car
riers, lamp lighter for housetops.
| lamp-lighter for streets. Total 81
To each OF whom a gratuity Is award
ed, varying from about ten To forty
cents. for their exertionS at any par
tlcular fire. In addition to these
sums paid for 10y subscriptions lev
led on each house in the district.
the person whose house has been on
fire Is compelled 10 bestow upon the
brigade collectively present in the
shape of roasted pig, or its money
value, the latter being usually pre-
| ferred. Sometimes, however. the
sum collected is not divided among
the members, but is added to the
general fund; in which case the reg
ular remuneration is on a slightly
more liberal scale than that above
indicated. Besides this. the house
holder is also supposed to present n
piece of red cloth and some tinsel
paper to the engine, which is adorn-
ed with them as trophies; and very
proud Its managers appear to be Of
! these marks of Acknowledgement
The engines are antique-looking
square boxes, on minute wecels, and
are usually constructed Of teak or
blackwood-a species found only in
the south Of China, of n reddish
black color throughout and taking a
high polish. From the center OF the
box rise the pumps, rudcly con-
structed iron or copper cylinders,
their pistons worked by a lever.
much III the same way as formerly
adopted in the exploded hand-en-
gnes of former generation, the
number of bumpers varying from
four 10 ten. AS the idea of an air
chamber Is not known to the Chi
nese, the Jet is, of course, alternat-
ing, and Its extreme range seldom
exceeds thirty feet. The total cost
OF engine and hose averages $3.50,
though when presented by rich men
10 their fellow townsmen they at
times cost more. The hose reel Ia 5
not yet made its appearance, and the
length of tubing is therefore restrict
ed. The engine house and head
quarters of the brigade is usually
some vacant room in a convenient
locality. Within it are suspended a
table of the gratuities before allud-
ed to, and a copy of the rules which
bind members of the brigade.
Every member is provided with
coarse but serviceable uniform.
the name of the brigade being paint
ed on Its front in conspicuous char
acters. He is also furnished with
bamboo hat-that is hat made of
bamboo splints, plated together in
the ingenious manner for which the
Chinese are celebrated; and a wood
en- badge, each marked in manner
similar to the dress. The object of
TINS badge Is to give the bearer au-
thority to enter houses; at the mo-
ment fire breaks ont a countless