The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-24
Getting Ready for a Fire in New York.

Getting Ready for a Fire in New York.
Engine Company "a, in Morton street, is
said to be the quickest in the world. Captain
VIM. Mclaughlin was found yesterday in his
room on the second floor. Hesaid, when asked
how long it took him to hitch up: Excuse
me, 1 decline to state" 'Why?" Because
you'd think me liar. Do you know how to
use stop watch ?"
II do"
The captain walked downstairs to the first
floor, where his men were standing about in
little groups The floor was as clean as could
be. Every little bit of metal work on the en-
CINE and tender was glistening like polished
glass. Within four feet from the head of the
shaft of the engine were two horses in stalls,
directly beside the wheels of the apparatus
Formerly the horses had to run from the rear
of the building Twenty -fours horses are
magnificent animals. They are perfectly
matched eight-year old grays, nearly fifteen
hands high, with clean, tapering legs, perfectly
arched necks, small heads and fiery eyes. Yes
terday, when waiting for the stroke of the
gong, ready to jump forward under the har-
ness, they were pictures of animation. Their
immense strength and rigidity seemed to melt
away, and they became as 1.-THE and agile as
kittens, paving the floor, throwing their beau
| tiful heads high in the air.
"They know there's something in the wind"
muttered the captain; mighty cl ever beasts"
| The captain handed watch to the reporter,
saying: "That watch belongs to Captain Eus-
tbs, the oarsman. 1t was used by William B.
Curtis to time Courtney and Harlan at Wash
ington. 1t registers an eighth of a second.
When l strike the gong, you push that little
knob. When the driver shouts 'Readyp you
push that one. Ifyou hear click or see any
part of the outfit unclasped, don't stop the
watch until it's remedied. am going to hitch
up ten times"
The reporter stepped within a little inclosure
on line with the END of the pole. The har-
ness, already attached to the engine, was sus-
pended by system Of pulleys over the places
where the horses were to stand. The collars
were hinged at the top, but were open at the
bottom, and they hung like pair of open
scissors. When the horses neck is beneath
this collar it is only necessary to let it drop
and close it around his neck, when it clasps
automatically. With the same movement the
reins are clasped to the bit,which the horse al
ways hasin his mouth, and as the whole har-
ness falls upon the animal, at the clasp of the
collar he stands completely harnessed.
The captain approached the gong. The
firemen were all on the alert.
"Clangp
The watch was started the horses, whose
halters were unhitched by the same current OF
electricity that rang the bell, leaped forward
and stood like rocks under the harness, with
their necks held up ready for the collars, which
two fremen sprang forward and seized
There was quick click, click, the driver
yaulted into his seat, seized the reins, and
shouted "Readyp'
The watch was stopped. The horses were
examined, and found to be perfectly harnessed
and ready to start The captain asked the
reporter:
"How much?"
"One second and fve-eighths."
eff I'd said that I'd been called liar" sale
the captain.
The horses were released. They ran bacl
again to their stalls and were haltered. There
was another trial, and the team was hitcheC
and harnessed in one and one-half seconds
This made the captain smile. The time occu
pied by each of the other eight trials was
expressed in seconds as follows g @ g "a
q. rs, 7-S and 1-2.-Neao York Sum-