The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-17
Japanese firemen.

Saws an English pcrlidlcM IN
graphic account OF Japanese hremen
and the methods employed by them IN
extinguishing fires IL was big fire
there WAS no doubt about It, In Con
stantinople and Me- York. fairly big
events of this sort occasionally occur.
and are made much Of, but 10 see King
Fire in all his Awiul power and glory,
Japan should be visited. Although We
had been pretty prompt in oheying the
alarm bell. We found that the lire had
already made considerable progress, and
Mt first, unprotected as We were by
helmets or hools, We found It difficult
even 10 look at the raging scene before
US. All we could make out was vast
expanse of dancing flame, intersected by
lets Of smoke, and the black outlines OF
burned or burning buildingA- by de
crees we became accustomed, and We
saw our brigade double up into action,
place the engine IN position, squirt AL
the flames, which seemed 10 have the
most undisputed mastery everywhere,
and send forward the hook and ladder
msn-reckless fellows. who seemed 10
have the utmost contempt for flames
and falling timber, and whe went into
the danger As il they were going 10 a
wedding. To us, accustomed 10 the
stern. silent. business-hke manner Of the
London firemen, there WAS something
sayoring of burlesque in the efforts OF
these Yeddo brigades 10 combat the
flames. The general effect was that ol
what is known as pantomlne rally
every one bowling. shouting, running
10 and fro, and upsetting one another,
amid u shower Of beams. tiles, and aru-
cles of furniture, without any apparent
order or method. There was great
deal Of movement and great deal oi
uproar, and, during the whsle perform
ance, the flames seemed TO wander just
where they pleased. singeing here,
blistering there, but, as n rule, COM
pletely cutting what they came IN CON
tact with. Meanwhile, our engine had
come 10 utter grief But this, 10 our
eyes, was Of very little consequence, as
il had served simply 10 dampen the
Jackets Of the firemen 80 It was re-
moved, and all the energies OF the bri-
gade were devoted TO the object OF pre-
venting the spread Of the fire 10y the
whole demolition Of houses. With this
object in view the hook and ladder men
were sent forward into the houses which
were more Immediately threatened with
destruction, while the battering rams
huge piles OF wood with tremendous iron
forks at the ends-wcre run up under
the charge Of the most stalwnrt coolies
nf the brigade. The captain, armed
with huge standard. was sitting
straddle- legged on the roof Of honsc,
and by his movements those ut the bTi-
gude were directed. Until he retreAicd
not a man dared to dream ot yielding an
inch, and we trembled for the safety OF
our fine old friend as we saw him ap-
parentiy alone IN = blaze Of hame. or
half hidden in the dense volumes OF
smoke, which rose from the burning
masses on all sides Of him. And here
we NAV remark tha. although the disci-
pline OF the brigadcs, their methods at
procedure, and their total unbuuncSs-
like air Of doing everything were ~ be
condemned in toto, too high praise
cannot be bestowed on the individual
PLUCK and agility OF the members. We
In Eurupe are now familiar with the e1-
traordinary feats OF Japanese acrubats,
but 10 see this skill and agility put 20 a
practical nse one should assist At a
Yeldo fire. When the word is given for
the hook and ladder men t0 gp into
action, il is a treat 20 see some score ui
muscular. active.limbed young fellows,
not one OF whom pauses moment TO
look at the danger into which he Is
going headlong. dash into the houses
already tottaring 10 their fall, swarm on
the roofs, swing from rafter 10 raiter,
struggle up almost perpendicular slopes
Of loose tiles, often with a rope IN their
mouths. Jump over yAvning chasms Of
fame AS il they were two-foot bitches,
fasten the grapples TO the blazing
timbers, Jump down and signal an g all
right TO gang Of coolies below, who
are hanging TO the chain or rope. The
wall totters back ward and forward for a
minute, but extra mettle is put into n
final pull. and down comes the whole
blazing side Of house, burying half-n-
dozen firemen, sending up huge pillar
OF smoke and sparks 10 the sky, and
calling forth q tremendous yell from the
admiring crowd. Scarcely has il fallen
when dozen active fellows are hard at
work with their fre- hooks. From under
one heap Of timbers jump ont two or
three of the hook and ladder men, who
rub their bruises and laugh frantically.
Out of a cavern Of smouldering ashes
crawls another, with an arm broken
while from the innermost recesses are
pulled ont two or three poor, blRckened,
mutilated remains Of what were few
minutespback rollicking fellows in the
prime and strength Of manhood. These
last are gently carried off on shutters
and tomorrow will be followed TO their
last resting place under the cryPtomer-
las and azaleas on the hillside yondcr
by crowd of relations and comrades,
proud in the midst OF their sorrow Of the
deaths met with in the public cause.