Sharp County record., 1881-04-14
Creased Poles Instead OF Stairs.

In some OF the Western cities the fire
engine companies consider the ordinary
means of descending from one story to
another tedious. They therefore ignore
the stairs when in hurry, and slide
down pole instead. The pole is round,
polished and oiled, and runs from the
first floor, where the engine stands,
through the second floor, where the
hremen sleep. As soon as the alarm
gong sounds, a trap-doOr is thrown open
IN the second floor, leaving a space
around the pole about four feet square,
and the fremen tumble from their beds,
rush to the pole and slide to the ground
floor. In Chicago this is considered a
very clever and time-Saving device, and
the iremen OF that city look upon the
departments of New York and Boston
as being far behind the age.
A Sun reporter called upon Foreman
McGill of No. 81 engine, in John Street.
The foreman said: The Chicago Peo-
pie are extremely proud of that bean
pole of theirs. The last time Chief
Swenie of that city was in New York
he came down here, and we had a
long talk about it. He claimed that
it saved an immense amount OF time,
but that's all nonsense. It's utterly i'm
possible to shorten the time now, tor
we've got it down to the finest point.
Our engine is a self-mover, and it takes
little longer to get her into the street
than it would If she was drawn by
horses. Still we can all be abed except
the night patrol when an alarm comes,
and seven seconds after the first note OF
the gong will lind US tearing up the
street. The men are always down
stairs by the engine in a couple OF sec
onds, and all the telegraph poles IN
creation can't make them any quicker.
Captain G. L. Crum of No. 4 engine
said: - Pole? We don't want a pole.
It's impossible to get an engine out any
quicker than we do. Three seconds
after the first stroke of the gong our en-
CINE and men are ready to start and
waiting for the alarm to stop striking.
Actually ready before you can count
one -twO-three."
The Captain touched the gong, and in
two aud three-quarter seconds the
driver in his seat shouted, - Ready"
I'D like to know how creased pole
is going to better that time, said the
Captain.
Chief Eli Bates was found at the
headquarters in Mercer Street He
said: "Chicago's a queer town, ism tit?
That pole OF theirs is all well enough for
a country town, but what are you going
to do with it in large city? OF course
Of an afternoon it is very pleasant for
the fire company to call in its lady
friends and slide down creased pole
for their edifcation, but in the dead OF
night, when every minute is of vast i'm
portance, its nothing more nOrless than
a bother. Our men twist into their
coats while running down stairs and
save time that way. We are now build
inc our engine houses so that the men
sleep on the same floor where the en-
zine is. When was in Chicago they
had their stairs made four feet wide
On one side was smoothly planed
board. and the iiremen, intead of run
ming down stairs, slid to the floor below
on the board. 1t was poetical sight
to see big two-hundred and-htty
FOUNDER rush forward and glide to the
bottom of the shaft with smiling
countenance. | don't think we'll adopt
the Chicago pole. ~. Y. Sun.