The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-07-18
DRILLING THE LIFE CORPS.
TIE SQUAD RECENTLY TURNED OUT
ny TiiE FIRE DEPARTMENT,
Rhthlng Up the Front OF Frcnch's Hotel
Hhii In ut The seventh-St0ry Windows
by Means OF scaling Lodders-
A Daring Change.

The first public drill OF the newly or.
ganized Life Saving Corps of the Fire
Department, took place in Printing
House square. One hundred and TWEEN.
ty-fve policemen under command Of
Captain lyman kept the square clear and
confined the great crowd of sightsccrs
to the edge Of the City Hall Park All
eyes were turned on the scyen.story
front of the unoccupicd french's Hotel.
Two windows at the southern end of
each floor were open, forming two per
pendicular rows of open windows. 4
number of fire chiefs from out of town
were present
The corps was two gangs OF seten men
each, under command of Second Assist
ant Chief Bonner, and under direction Of
Christopher Hoell, the instructor from
st. Louis. Among the men were John
Levlns, John NJ. Murphy, II. NJ. Jones.
Charles OShca. Hrnry NJ. Adams, Sam.
uel Battcy, f. j. Brodcrick, James
Monaghan, and Dennis Morrison. They
brought ont twelve sealing ladders and
laid them in a row in front of the hotel.
The ladders weigh about thirty pounds
each, and vary in length from twelve to
fifteen feet. The steps are ranged along
side one central pole. On the top is an
arm of iron, which is hooked like the
bcak of bird, and barbcd on the under
side.
The ladders are made of hickory, and
strengthened with Norway iron.
The corps marched out and salutcd
the Commissioners. They were all agile
and strong young men. Each hnd
wide canvas belt strapped around the
waist This contained II small pickaxc.
rope slide, and on the front large
spring hook. At signal from Mr..
Hoell the first gang seized their ladders
and placed them against the front
of the hotel. The head man then
thrust the hook Of his ladder into the
window of the first story, and, having
secured firm hold ON the sill, climbed
mp rapidly until he was on level with
the window. He then caught the spring
hook at his bcltinto the crook of his ladder
and was thus held, his hands being left
free. The second man passed up a lad.
der from below, and the head man
hoisted it and caught it in the sill of the
sccond-story window. Then, releasing
his hook, he climbed to the second story,
while the second man ascendcd to tie
first story. The other frcmen followed
in turn with other ladders, and the head
man asccnded until he had reached the
seventh floor. He entered the window
there, and all the other men ran up the
ladders, which hung in continuous
chain, and disappeared after him. -Four
minutes elapsed from the placing of the
first ladder until the disappearance OF
the last man. At another signal the
men climbed out Of the windows, and,
running down the ladders, took stations
at the different stories and passed the
ladders down again. Ladders and men
were all on the sidewalk in 81 minutes.
Tho second gang repeated this mall
muvre IN quicker time, going up in 3
minutes and coming down in 3 minutes.
Two men then osccnded to the seventh
story with II single ladder. As scon as
the ladder was linked they would ascend
it one after the other. While one fixed
the ladder on the floor above, the other
prevented him from falling by graspiug
the belt hook. II took these men 3
minutes to go up and minutes to come
down.
Next one man started with light lad
der on each row of the windows. They
straddlcd the castings while adjusting
their ladders. They ascendcd to the
seventh story in q minutes, and de-
scendcd in one minute and half.
Next, n common ladder was raised
against the wall, and after ascending this
the entire corps ran sealing ladders to the
top floor. Instructor Hoell stood on the
top ladder Just beneath the seventh floor
and, reaching over, caught another lad
der on the sill of the adjoining window
some ten feet way. He kept the lowe
end of this ladder close ohim, andstcppct
on the lowest round with his right foot
With his left foot on the lowest round o
the first ladder, helct himself swing, hold
ing one ladder by the right hand and tn
other by the left hand. Heswung acros
the wall until the two ladders formed
V. He then let go the first ladder, an
swung beneath the second window. !
storm of applause came from the crow
at this.
A fireman appeared at seventh-stor,
window, and came down rapidly on
rope, which was governed by his com
rades above. Another fireman came
down n rope, and governed his desceh
by slide at the waist. He took th'
most remarkable jumps down the side
of the wall, and avoided crushing int'
the windows by spreading his legs sc
that his feet caught the caslngs. A hre
man was then lowered from window t'
window with another man ciingihS u
his waist. Two men fastened together
by hooks. were dropped with great rapid
ity down the front of the building
Fireman Jones was lowered very slowly
and Fireman Murphy hung to his wais
with his arms alone. g,
Tbe men seemed to be well trained
and skillful in their work. Within yea,
thew will be used as instructors, to teaci
400 other firemen. The Fire Oommis
sioners expressed themselves as please'
with the exhibition.
Turv were Boosting about ancestry
"Mv forefathers,' said John, "came owe
from England in the Mayaower." "Ar'
"oni - cold PAT "kim over froI