The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-09
THE FIREMEN'S FESTIVAL.
TOURE4MENT OF THE CHARLESTON
STEAMERS.

The City In Holiday Attire-An Inn
mense Crowd-Incidents OF tho Pro-
c.ssion and the Contest-The Fastest
Time on Record-Honors to the
Pioneer, the Young America and the
MarIon-Awarding the Prizes-Re-
turning Home.
Yesterday was great day for the fremen
of Charleston. Not exactly gala day, or,
rather, gala day and something more, for IN
addition to the festive glories of the annual
parade there was stern. practical test OF the
Drawn and muscle, the courage, endurance,
discipline >and efficiency of the respective
companies, which made 1t day of terrible
labor for the brave fellows who compose the
department, but which made the prizes and
the plaudlts that they gained doubly dear by
rtsson of the exertions which were made to
win them. Being great day for the fremen,
1t was also great day for Charleston, for
Charleston is proud of her gallant fire laddies,
and with good reason. There have been two
dreadful scenes of devastation BY the fire
king in this fair city, the first in 1888 and the
second In 1861; but since those terrible times
the organization OF the Charleston Steam Fire
Department, as 1t now exists, has been per-
fected, and that department stands to-day an
intrepid, invIncible guard against the fiery
element, and furnishes an absolute guarantee
that Charleston can never again be lett 10 the
mercy of tho flames. We are now enjoying
the s'piping times of peace" so far as fires are
concerned, and have had for several months
bat few of any kind, ard none of any serious
Importance; but Who can say that, had 1t not
been for the prompt efficiency Of the steam
companies whenever they have been called
upon to act, any one Of the little fires we
hays had might not have resulted in terrible
and widespread confagration, involving
whole blocks OF stores and dwellings, and de-
stroyiug millions of dollars, worth o. property!
The highest possible proof of the efficiency of
our Fire Department is furnished by the COM
parstlvely trivial list of losses caused by all
the fires that the city has been. visited with
1or many months, and tort this happy immuni-
tyof our citizens from loss by fire the graft
tude Of Charleston is plainly due, and Is cor
daily awarded, to the fremen. 1t is an ex-
tremely comfortable feeling to be able to 60
to sleep at night In the full assurance that
there is not the remotest probability Of being
awakened before the dawn by the glare Of the
fire demon, or of waking In the morning to
find a mass Of smoking ruins where stood
some noble building, and it is in precisely
this state of absolute security that our citizens
retire to rest each night.
There is something noble In the very Idea Of
q fire department composed of volunteers. Its
members are invisible, as fremen, except
when duty calls them to don the Uniform and
WELD the weapons of their battle with the fiery
foe. They compose an unseen army of pro-
lection, and by day and night are not to be
distinguished from the body of our cltizeLs.
But let the fire.bell, which Is their tocsin of
battle, sound an alarm, say In the dead silence
of midnight, and from thousand ceuches
spring the ever-listening flremen. Before the
first stroke of the alsrm-bell has died away In
echoes, they have hurried on their uniforms,
and their sturdy hearts bound with the excit-
cient enemy. fastening through the silent
streets, they gather from every quarter to theiS
en2ine-houses, and bringing thence their trus-
ty apparatus, they speed to the scene of ac-
ton. Here they meet their terrible foe and
rush to give him battle. 1t may be
that :. che fire demon has attacked
some storehouse filed with rich treas
ures from every quarter of the globe,
and Is destroying with his Kissing breath the
accumulations OF lifetime of labor, or 1t may
be that he has fastened his myriads OF flaming
tongues upon the dwelling house of some
family who are imprisoned within and facing
q frightfur death. 1t matters not to the fire.
man. His foe is before him, and le must
conquer or die. He, perhaps, hears the pitt
ful appeals Of tender won en-, or Of helpless
children; and 1t Is not in hi 8 nature to refuse
to respond, at the cost of bis own lie If need
be-. to such appeals 70: succor.' He dashes
into the burning building, through blinding
clouds of smoke, and grapples with the demon
in his very stronghold. Now creeping preca-
riously along the starting timbers, now
swinging his battle-axe and crashing
through walls and windows, and then
hurting whole torrents of another but
blessed element upon the flames, he con-
uuers at last. He may perhaps be bruised
and scorched and battered, he may be gasp
ing for bfeath In au- atmosphere like that Of
hell, he may feel the curling flames enWrap-
ping his body, and he may know that death Is
before him; but still he fights on, and If death
claim him It finds. him at his post OF duty.
Truly, all honor and all praise Is due to the
heroes of such gallant deeds. Their courage
Is that Of the true soldier, and 1t is nobler,
higher<1oftier than that which animates the
soldier-for the mission of the fireman Is to
protect and save IL Is no cause for wonder,
then, that Charleston, mindful OF the brave
deeds of her iremen in many a terrible con
t1cttdelights TO do honor to the Steam Fire De-
parrment, and loses no occasion to bestow
such plaudits as greeted their exertions yes
terday. .n,o,
For weeks past the only conversation along
the streets and at the engine-houses was ABOUT
the tournament. Every one had his faVorite,
and few they were but thought bis own en-
eine, his fayorite, would ae.onsh the natives
by carrying off the first prize. At ghosty
hours of the night. by moonlight and star
light, the machines were taken from the
houses by the picked bands, and soon the