Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-02-22


na4v ar:nd an Interesting Ho,1r.-Ro
qrcss Of the Cremation Soclsty,-.a
.Ncu CFamatory.
One Of the first institutions that the
visitor to New York calls to see 10 our
Fire department, and in the Case Of
distinguished people from other cities
or abroad, one OF the Commissioners
.;erer.lly taxes them to An engine
hou.e We ara justly proud Of our
ire laddies. aud the rapiiity with
.rhicb a company gets ready and starts
for FIRE is really lhenomenaI. 1t
AXES no moro than from two to five
seconds for the horses to leave their
.rtalls be harneesed, hltrhed to the an
sine and start ont at top speed with
.he 5000 pound machine after them.
!, IS very hard at times on the over
worked fireman to tumble out Of bed
1t nigh. and bitch up IN order to show
some British Lord or other distin
.snlshed arrival in town their skill,
hut th-y DO not mind tin tho least.
There is not man in the Department
who would not be glad to be placed
in one Of the engine houses in the Vi
entity Of the hotels where visitors so,
,ourn. Tips are plentiful for people
as rule are sppleciative, and thus
;he men in tAe different ompanIeS
generally make very respectable side
,ncomes. Persons fond Of such' things
and horses, as well. should not neglec
10 visit the training stable Of the De
rar.nent in One Hundred andTwen
With Street on the West Side,
where new horaes are broken FOR
their work it 10 not large, Being able
10 accommodate but eight horses. 1t
is IN charge Of thres fire nen adm rably
suited to the work before them.
The Fire Department he's always in
service about $50 horses and buys
about SO rer zunun to reE lace an
equal number that are worn out or
condemned The maximum price paid
for horses for the department is $500.
None however ia bouch. outright,
thirty days trial being invariably de-
handed. The main requisite for the
animal outside Of speed and strength,
Is that it should be absolutely sound
and FREQ from hlemishes. It must not
be kicker, nor a bitter, sor show q
;e- dencv 70 balklness The preliIn!
aary examination being satisfactorv;
the horse is Immediately turned owe y
70 the training stable. There the frs,
thing the people set out to learn IS
whether the animal has quick intelll.
gence. II it is unable to grasp after a
few days, the necessity Of jumping out
Of the stall, plungiag to It's proper
place at the pole of the eng inc, anc
rushing out at full speed the nome q
the driver ,akee up the lines. Then
he cannot be kept.
The school is fitted up very much
like regular engine honse IN The
centre ID an engine about 1000 poundf
lighter than the ones used for active
rervlce. Above it, on opposite sides
Of the pole, and banging by long corda
from the ceiling are the sets Of harness
ready for instant dropping on the
horses and hitching. a little back Of
the engine are the stalls An alarm OF
are is always sent directly to the Cen
trail Office. By means of a switch it is
Transmitted to every engine house
where it sounds a gong When these
st.l Ike they are so adjusted AZ to move
Agystem Of weights which FALL there
by pulling wire loosening the horses
from their stall. These wires arc at
,ached to spring both in the side oil
che stall over which the ring in the
and Of the halter is placed, which slip.
fl as soon as the bolt is pulled. The
first tu;ng done with green horse is tc
get him to learn that when he hears
he rous it ,a bis duty to get 10 his