The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-05-26
FIRES IN CoSsTANTISopLE.


During a Fire.
The cry Of Yankin war is the
Turkish for fire." 1t is heard less
frequently now III ConStantinople than
liz former years, when fires were an every
night calamity. I-For sometime the
building Of wooden houses has been
strictly forbidden; "a kind OF fire brigade
has been organized, and the people
manifest their ill.humor in some other
way than that OF incendiarism. Never
thelsss q week scarcely ever passes
without fire. Scarcely is it discovered
from the watch tower on the heights Of
Gandilli, than it is announced by the
firing of five, seven or nine shots from
tho battery there established; ut the same
timo ignals indicating its precise locali-
ty are made-by flags during the day
anil lanterns during the night-to the
watch towers Of Galata and OF tho
Ma kent in Stamboul. Before the heavy
booming of the Krupp guns has died
away, runners dressed in red, an'i carry.
ing short lance in their hands, start in
ali directions to announce to the different
ministers OF the porto, whose duty it is
to attend at every FIRE, and to the police
and military authorities, the situation Of
the fire. In former times it was also
tho custom for the sultans 10 attend on
similar occasions, and one Of the odalisks,
dressed also in red, had the special duty
of announcing to the sultan, il he was in
tho harem, the outbreak OF fire. OF
late years this custom has died out, and
only the ministers OF war, marine and
police are bound to be present, the
grand vizer even OF our days dispensing
with that fatiguing duty, except in cases
OF great emergency. As soon as the
runners are passed, the watchmen ap-
pear with their heavy clubs, which they
strike against the pavement, shouting ut
the same time at the top of their voices
the cry Of HYankin war |" adding the
name OF the locality where it is rigging.
A few minutes afterwards the " sakas,"
orr water carriers, with their heavy
leathern pouches, are seen running to
the scene Of the contlagrntion; forithere
are no convenient water pipes or plugs
to be opened, and the whole supply OF
water consistsin what the ."sakas !" can
collect from the neighboring wells or
public fountains
The fire engines soon appear, escorted
by the "tulumbadgis, or iremen. The
"eugincs are nero squirts carried by
four men. 10 each engine arc attached
some thirty or forty "tulumbadgis;"
with their chief, and runner or crier,
WHO, armed with short lance, precedes
them and makes why for them. II the
engines are very small they are very
numerous, and it is not uncommon to
see III the space of IN hour some forty
or fifty, with tllcir escorts of iiremen,
pass through the narrow high street OF
Pera. AS to the tulumbadgis, they arc
all volunteers, and taken from the low
est dregs of the Turkish population
oyrrgrown shOeblacks, bankrupt lucifer
matches sellers, livery stable boys, and
conductors OF doukeys form the great
majority Of these active and promising
gentlemen, who receive no pay except II
suit Of clothes Mt the BairLm, and are
supposed to live upon the backsich or
grltuities which they receive from the
people whose property. they have saved,
and who in reality live on plunder. In
consequence Of this system they are
most jealous in their attendance and
their desire 10 be the first oil the spot;
und it is q strange sight 10 sec these
rutliaus, half naked, rushing through the
streets, changing the bearers of the en-
gine from time to time; without slacken-
lug their speed, and yelling Rll the time
tv make the people, the dogs and the
tlonkeys get OF their way. If two COM
panics Of these barbarians meet by
chance such is their desire to be first on
tho scene Of the promised plumber that
sharp race ens,tes between them, and
il victory is doubtful theycome to blows.
The engines are generally followed by
companies OF soldiers i'll fatigue dress,
carrying long hooked poles, which are
used for pulling down the houses, and
this is, in truth, the most effective and
easy way Of mastering a fire, for the
houses, being mostly built Of thin
planks, are easily pulled down. and thus
waste space is made round the already
burning property.
At the scene Of the fire, the sight is
much the same rs i'll all countries on
those occasions, except that the noise
and confusion are increased by tile fact
that the furniture Of the houses Of u whole
street is being removed at the same time,
tho inhabitants never waiting for the
conaagration to get near them, rs it |
runs along among the wooden houses
with fearful rapidlty. Thesepeople Anl
their furniture, or at least tho part Of it |
which is not robbed in the confusion by |
the fremen or the carriers, arc con-
Quoted to some open space, where, under |
the gur1h'pf tho police, they sit down |
OH their property to wait with true Tur-
ish calm, and patience to sec what fate
will do. At last the fire is mastered, or
dies out OF itself. according to the zeal
displayed by the fremen, who il largely
paid by the proprietors Of the Threatened
houses, will sometimes do wonders with
their diminutiye engines, or will refuse
to work altogether, and then n new
body Of plunderers appear in the shape
Of numerous fellows armed with spades
and long sticks with iron hooks, who,
notwithstanding the efforts OF the police,
rush among the still smoldering cindCrs
ilsearch OF coins, Of jewels, or Of iron
and brass fittings, etc. Gradually the
cinders cool down, and then the cats ap-
pear III search OF their homes, md after.
ward tie street dogs, who drive them
away, md hasten to secure nice warm
hole in the cinders, where to lay down,
and these remain at last masters Of the
ruins, as they were before the mGsters