The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-09-07
MANKATo FREE PRESS.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER, 7, 1893.
TIL, Ger,nan Fireman,


there is no alarm-not the slightest
and no excitement. writes a correspon-
dent from Berlin. | don't think that
one could discover anything which. in
tie most remote degree, could be said
to resemble alarm or excitement. |
know of nothing more solemn or sadder
| in this life than the calling out of the
German .frewehr. 1t is n painful sight
To see the brave men who compose il
dragged out of their chairs, where they
may have been just about To lake the
first wink of sleep they have had for an
hour. More painful still is the reckless
haste with which they are expected to
dress for the terrible work before them.
| think the average time allowed for
putting on rubber coats, boots. and caps
does not exceed twenty minutes. 1t il
no wonder that these men invariably
tile young, rs has been proved by Prof.
Schmidts recently published statistics
al the Berlin fire department. Well.
when the chief has called his men
around him, or rather when he has
stood them in u row before him, he calls
the roll. An attendant then hands each
man Il coil of rope and II sort of battle
blade being shaped like that winch Min
crva wears on her skull-cap. While
this is being done the other attaches of
the frGTehr are not idle. Oh, no! A
horse and wagon appear in front of the
FrehdHS, AMI in this wagon can be seen,
il one viii look CLOSELY, couple of lad
derS. either OF which is at least ten feet
in length. There is also some more
rope. and there are also some more axes.
which. III eases ot great emergency, are
distributed among the populacc. The
house is burning MI this time, but that
doe In't matter.
There are generally eight men and
the chief at each fire station. The chief
stands in the middle of the street, u
crowd of admiring citizens surrounding
him. and puts the eight men through Il
course of drill. At the conclusion of
the mancuver two men take their places
on cac!, side of the wagon. like pail
bearers. two in front and two behind.
the chief walking ahead with gold
plated trumpet in his hand. the driver
mounts To his seat. and the funeral pro-
crSSion moves on.
SLOWLY and sadly the mOurnful cnrtega
weniS i,S way, the iirrmen shouilering
their baiilc-aNcS ami Keeping the rrriI-
lati"n military step. Now ami then the
horse shows signs of Impotence, bat he
is immediately checked by the driver
The chief iurns ever and anon To see ii
any of his brave followers have tainted
from fatigue; but, finding that they are
still where he lett them, he sounds an
order on his trumpet. the men change
their battle-aXrS from the rich; To the
left shoulder. the driver Stcadies the
horse. who is anxious To walk faster. and
the pageant moves on.
The fire i still raging. The flames
have spread until they now envelope IN
entire block. The sky is blood-red and
the reflection lights up the city, but the
freUehr can not be moved by scenes
like this. Ii is used to them. The
question now in the mind of the chief is:
"Can we reach the tire just after the
walls have fallen in and when there is
nothing more Ia he done?' If he is
an old fireman and understands his
business he will know how To time him
self.
As the procession ncars the neighbour
hood of the fire the speed OF the horse
is slackencl and the men walk slower
The chief conSil,s his watch and calcu-
iatcs rs to the length of time Il block re-
quir2S to burn, and the wind blowing
rs il is tonight. Having satisfied him
self that there Is ii least lift"cH minutes
To spare, the wagon stops in front of Il
beer hall! the men fall into line, and.
led hy the chief. they select two of the
fn t..hl ful l., 4 l.,I
beer.
The men are so weighed down BY the
heavy rubber clothing. the coils of rope,
the battlc-aNeS. and the helmet-caps
that they are scarcely able lo speak for
n few mmorntS. When they regain con
SERIOUSNESS, one SAYS 10 the other.
'.Do yon think We will get there in
time tn return before bed-time?'
II t!,nl. -, | never knew the chief
Ia mis- seeing IA fire go ont of its owr ac-
cord vet
"Wcli, hope he is calculating all
right now. told my wife ii be home
at 10 O'Clock tonight; il is now half past
g. will be IN hour late. | can not
stand this life
Neither can |, says the other, emp
tying his beer mug. Il got wet at fire
the other night, and was so hnarse
that ! oouldn't sing al the mannnrchOr
yesterday
Come" saws the chief. "If YOU |
are rested sufficiently, we must be go
ing"
The men form in line once more. and |
are put through another drill, after |
which they take their places around the
hearse, and they are on their way 10 the
fire again.
Before they have gone very far, how
ever, they meet the crowds returning,
aud :. policeman steps up and informs
the chief that the fire Is out, the block
having burned to the ground. The chief
reprimands the policeman for not notify
ing him before. The policeman tells
him that he could not have done SO I'M
less he had walked fast. which was for
hidden by the regulations, as il would
make iiini Perspire, thereby soiling his
collar. The eXnlan2lioii IS considered
satisfactory to the chief. lie gives his
orders for The return, and the horse and
men travel much faster. The station is
reached il. halt an hour the horse and
wagon are put away; the battle-axeS and
rubber suits are hung up; the Kerosene
lamp is eXinG;iished. and the FIRE de-
partment sinks into heavy slumber
A man must know how to rest before
ha can hprnup "a tiramnn in this country |