The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-13
THE TOURNAMENT.

Saturday evening the Deere Hose Com
pany, of Moline, returned from the tourn-
ament at Council Bluffs. The Moline
company carried off third honors in the
free-for-all race. They were met at the
depot by the citizens of Moline on their
arrival home, and were escorted to the en-
gine house Biehl's band, of this city,
furnished the music.
The following account of the race is
taken from an exchange:
The interest this afternoon in the grand
free-for-all race, open to the world, exceed
ed anything during the week. The Bates
team, of Denver, was admitted to this con-
test, and as it claims to be the champions
of the world, everybody was anxious to
see them go Pool selling was the field
against the Bates team, and many thous-
ands of dollars were invested The first
prize of this contest was $780, second
prize. $3.50, third prize, an Eclipse billiard
table, valued at $500. The race was two
hundred yords, attach hose to hydrant, lay
three hundred feet of hose, break coup
ling, and attach nozzle. Following are
the names of the teams and times made by
each: Hendersons, of Cedar Rapids. Time
come, 36 seconds; they were unable to
break coupling and attach hose, and hence
nothing was given them ON the race. The
next team was the Dceres, of Moline, Ill.
Time to butt, All seconds, time to nozzle,
521 This team also had hard luck
in coupling and barely saved themselves
on time to nozzle. Here followed quite a
commoiion. Under the state rule each
team is required to use the same hose and
coupling. The hose in use here was made
by the American Fire Hose Company of
Chelsea, Mass, and it was claimed by the
Denver team that the couplings were
sprung and not fit for use, but the state
state board decided that two teams had
run with them and others must do like
wise. The Bates team was then ordered
on the track They run through to the
outcome in 354 seconds, but were wholly
unable to break the coupling and attach
the nozzle. This failure elected the wild
est confusion, as it was conceded by every
body that the Denver boys would win the
race. The captain of the Bates team de-
manded another run, but 1t was denied
him. The Rescues, of Muscatine, fol
lowed; time to butt, 80; they too were un-
able to break coupling and attach nozzle,
and consequently get no time. Now was to
which is a strong rival in the west of the
Bates team, of Denver. They expected a
walkover. They started and made the out
come at 364, but they, too, could not break
coupling, and then followed a scene of the
widest excitement, for some people had
been unjust enough to suspect that the
other failing company had been foully dealt
with After the excitement snbsided the
Rescues, of Decatur, H., took the track
and made the time to nozzle in the unpar
alleled time of 42 seconds and the time to
butt in 49, This secured them the first
prize of $500. 1t is an extra fine team and
their conduct here has won them admirers
and friends The Bluff City team of
Council Bluffs, followed the Decaturs,
making the time to nozzle in Al, and the
time to but in 404. This secured them the
second prize of $3.50 The Deeres of
Moline were awarded third prize. AL
together the day was an exciting one among