The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-11-16
49, - -
NOVEL FIRE LADDERS
What the Assembled Chiefs Wore Shown
81. Ipuis.

"h"' tno heSehDleu Chiets Wore ShOwna
81. Louis.
After reviewing the engines drawn IN in
line along the Eighth street parks, the fire
chiefs yesterday morning went to the elbow
OF the canal, the place appointed for the
tests OF engine appliances, extension ladders
aud liie'saving Inventions Across the
canal the celebrated Pomper Corps of St
Louis was at work, the men with thei
twelye-ioot ladders skinning IN and down
the face of a six-story. building like so many
cats.
The ladders, in construction, are sim.
pllcity itself. A single pole of hickory,
with rungs projecting from either side, is
surmounted by q hook of Norway iron,
bent at long right angle, and supplied
on the under side with rerrated teeth. The
ladder can thus be readi y hooked through
windows of great depth. In the drill yes
terday one of the corps, with this ladder,
got grip on the second story window, and
running rapidly up seated himself in the
opening, pulled the ladder up after him,
reached up to the next window, where he
got another grip, and i'll q jitly was one
story higher, and SO on up to the very roof.
The descent was still more rapid. The drill
was then made by four men, directed by
the voice of the captain, who on occasion
OF fires uses shIill whistle to convey bis
signals. 1t should he stated that each lire.
man wore q broad belt of canvas and
leather, depending from the front OF which
by strong strap was q large wrought iron
snap hook 50 that on mounting TO the top
of the ladder the fireman could snap his
HOOK around one of the standards, and he
thus secure from all possibility OF falling,
and at the same time have his hands lice
for holding hose or assisting people from
the window.
THE HOOK SERVES ANOTHER PURPOSE
Making Il rope fast on the inside OF the
window, he can, after taking two or three
turns with the rope around the upper RIM
Of the snap nook, obtain sufficient friction
to enable him not only toilet himself down,
but to take one or two men with nun II
they are strong enough to hang on chrls;
Hoell, captain OF the corps, lowered hlnseli
i'll this way yesterday from the NTH Story
and as he came past the third floor WILLOW
another man caught on and came uoWI
with him. At the word of command one OF
the ladders was hooked over the WILLOW
sill. At another command man ran
lightly up, stopping near the top Az vi,
other command his hook was shappsu
around the standard, aud he stood on .no
rungs, his waist on a level with Tue Su,
and his hands free. Instantly ano,He'
ladder was handed to him by fireman ~ ~.
>, and raising it quickly he hooked IL on Wv Wv
sill of the third.story window above h hOI,
AT another command he unlocked us oVn,
stepped on the second ladder, ana ran w.
to the third story, fireman No. mea A. n,au
mounting to the second story, Dull
now hooked themselves to their respt,vistr,v
ladders, and third ladder was qulvshss
passed up by fireman No. No, | reaS S,Ss
up with this and hooked it on the Sill o. 1 Wy
fourth.story window, and then, at q T ,SI,S
mounted again, No: > following 10 .,e .ID 4
story, and No. 3 following to the seconaN; W.
fourth ladder was passed up by fireman ~ a ,Hs
t. and No. hooked it on the, Sill o. t ,oI.
| fifth story. Again he mounted, No. 4 ne
lowing to the fourth story, NO on W
third, and No. 4 TO the second, IN a,Osi
second each man had entered the wii niur;u'
| the floor at which he had arrlved'-loii''O
natl Commercial