The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-04-15
DRILLING THE LIFE CORPS.
TEE SQUAD 11C1NfLY TURNED OUT
BY THE PRE- DEPARTMENT.
Dsassae % the Hrsss 81 FrsaeA's Hstsl auA
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q oeal1aG LaAAsrs-A Dar4ae Chasgo.


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The first public drill Of the newly organ
lied Life Saving Corps Of the Fire Department
took place yesterday afternoon in Printing
House square. One hundred and twenty-five
policemen under command OF Capt lyman
kept the square clear and confined the great
crowd Of sightseers to the edge Of the City Hall
Park. All eyes were turned on the seven STORY
front Of the unoccupied French's Hotel. Two
windows at the southern end Of each floor were
open. forming two perpendicular rows Of open
windows number Of fire chiefs from out Of
town were present
The corps was In two gangs OF seven men
each under command Of second Assistant Chief
Bonner. and under direction Of Christopher
Hoell. the instructor from St. Louis. Among
the men were John Levins. John M. Murphy.
H. M. Jones. Charles O'shea. Henry NJ. Adams.
Samuel Battey. E. ]. Broderick. James Mona
CHAN. and Dennis Morrison. They. brought
out twelve sealing ladders and laid them N Q
row In front OF the hotel: Tho ladders weigh
from twelve TO fifteen feet, The steps are
RANGED alongside one central pole; On the top
OF 4 bird and barbed on the under side.
hs s,S SS MADE OF hickory and
missioners. They were all agile and strong
youn m.od men; Each had vile canvas bst
l ls spring hook; AN signal from M. Hoei!
them against the front of the hotel. The head
man then thrust the hook Of his ladder into the
l% Roa ho Tf he ssGTy bnS rspSS
then caught the spring hook at his belt into
hands being loft free. The second man passed
up q ladder from below. and tho head man
story window. Then, releasing his hook. he
imbed to tho second story. while the second
int witt s1t other The sdaars
and the head man ascended until he had
rsashSd the seventh vent o9r He entered the
the ladders. which hung IN. a continuous chain.
and Disappeared after him; -Four minutes
until the disappearance Of the last man. At
another signal the. men climbed out Of. the
stations at the difYerest Stories and PASSED the
all on the sidewalk in 80 minutes.
ing down minutes % Two I men 1 then SU as
der As soon as the iadae M was linked f they hey
you'd ascend It. one after the other. While one
tee "m bs ns S e
belt hook. 1t took these men minutes to 60
up and minutes to come down.
each row OF windows. Thoy straddIed the
window stills and caught their spring hooks In
the casing while adjusting their ladders. They
assembled to the seventh story in ~ minutes.
and descended In minute and half.
Next. a common ladder was raised against
the wall. and after ascending this the entire
corps ran scaling ladders to the top floor. In.
structor HOell stood on the top ladder Just
beneath the seventh floor. and. reaching over
caught another ladder on the sill OF the adjoin-
ing window. some ten feet away. He kept the
lower end Of this ladder close to him. and
stepped on tho lowest round with his right
foot. With his left foot on tho lowest round OF
the first ladder. he let himself swing. holding
one ladder BY the right hand and the other BY
the left Ell, hand he swung ssross the wall until
the first ladder. and swung beneath the secoHd
window. storm OF applause came from the
A frSman appeared ct seventh story win
dow. and came down RAPIDLY on q rope. which
was governed BY his comrades above. Another
fireman came down on rope.- and governed
his descent by a slide at his waist. Hc took the
most remarkable jumps down the side OF the
wall. and avoided crashing into the windows
| by spreading his legs no that his feet caught
the castings. A fireman was then lowered from
| window to window with another man cinging
| TO Ills waist. Two men, fastened together by
h,ook g. were dropped With great rapiaity down
| hung to his waist with his arms alone.
The mon seemed to be we'll trained and skill
| full IN their work. Within a year they will be
ueod.a rs instructors. to teach 800 other bremen
the Fire Commissioners expressed themselves
az pleased with the exhibition