The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-26
rHE rrRE DEPARTMENT. HoEsE's nor.

one ana II taxes good STOCK to stand the
service. The animals stand for days In
the stables with only an hour or so exercise
out Of the twenty.four, when they are taken
out, usually uuoer saddle. Then again they
may be called on to take two or three runs
in quick succession. The gallop over rough
streets and hard stones at full speed with the
heavy apparatus plunging behind lisa severe
ordeal, hard alike on shoulders and feet.
The work done by these horses 10 not proper.
ly understood. The average engine with
three men on II, weighs about as much as
the ordinary load OF coal hauled by two
horses. Should an engine going to fire
pass along with the horses -trot, there
are EXPLANATIONS OF derison from the people,
yet these same people would howl for the
Humane Society 10 interfere II the driver Of
coal wagon should venture to push his an.
imals out OF walk. Yet the weight 10 about
the same.
The same illustration applies to the hose
carts with their four and five men and long
lines Of hose. Therefore Il "a little wonder
that some horses give out and are OF no use In
the service after four or FIVE years work.
Other, however, live to good old age and
seem 10 enjoy the excitement fully as much
as in their younger days.
SOME rGTEIARcHs.
There are three horses in Wheeling's ser.
vice that may be called patriarohs. They are
'.Bill" at the Vigilant, Lion" at the Atlantic
and the roam In the engine team at the United
house. "Bill" Is q "holy terror" he is dark
bay with bad eye, with biting and kicking
propensity when not on the go, that is well
enough 10 contemplate at a distance. BE Is
good worker, however, aud he and his
chestnut mate "Archien whom they
strike their gait can whirl that North End
/ .Ia,.Ts a. n tAYriHa Rnaad Tha tryo
little bays In the Vigiiant hess carriage are
"good.un's" too, but they like "Bllp' are q
| little quarrelsome and have no use for stran-
gers. "Old Lion" ut the Atlantic Is, 1t Is be-
| lieyed the Oldest In continuous service II not
in age. He Is still apparently perfectly sound,
but his years are counting up aud he is not
as playful as he wss. For nearly ten years he
has drawn tho hose carriage. A dark bay
and uDgainly looking he has plenty OF 20 in
him and often shows the engine team his
heels. 1t would break the boys hearts II
elton" was To die.
The roam at the Unitedwas formerly at the
Atlantic house, when he used to drag the
engine in company with another roam that
died. twas In those days that the Atlantic
company acquired tie name OF having the
crack team OF the city. Those handsome
roans used to have fashion OF comingout
OF The house on the jump and tearing around
the corner as though the old Harry was after
them-this, much TO the joy OF the small
boy and admiration OF the average citizen
who appreciates such endeayors TO get 10 the
fire. El.t ls.
The Atlantic team at present Is compara-
lively speaking, o new one, but Of fair stock.
The nook and ladder horses or the Eighth
however, and the Atlantic no longer holds
the palm for having the daisy" team. Both
OF the last named teams are splendid ones,
nicely kept and able 10 go ct 0 tremendous
speed. They alio have at the United an old
cray, that Is IS vicious as an old maid, but
knows how to behave when the alarm strikes.
He has been there number OF years.
DIED IN TaE HARNESS
Only once has fire horse died in har.
ness. That was great. big ugly looking
white animal that drew the old hose carriage
formerly In the Vigilant house, now re-
modelled into handsome affair and In use
on the Island. He ives remarkably fast for
his size and age, for he was quite old, FIRE:
suently distancing his engine.team. 1t was
bitter cold winter night and Warfen's oil
re tinery was destroyed. The old gray let out
at the START and took o streak that startled
HE driver. At the fire he expired. 1t was
no wonder; the load he had was hesyy enough
for an elephant.
A stupid horse Is no good in the depart
ment. The animal must realiz3 the mean.
ing conveyed by the sound Of the gong and
be as quick to move as any OF the men. In
all the houses the instant an alarm Is struck
the horses are unfastened and the stable
doors open. Then the horse sense comes in
and like fash they dash to their places
beneath the suspended harness. Four or five
snaps, thsy are harnessed and of by the time
the first round OF the alarm Is in. 10 train q
horse to this work requires time and patience.
The gong Is sounded and 40 the other horses
run out The stranger Is led to his place and
kept there few minutes before the operation
10 repeated. Usually few trials are
sufficient to get the idea In his
head and with little watching,
he works all right. Hacks won't
answer; the hard lie Is too much for them.
One or two OF the best horses are rather sorry
looking brutes until enlivened by the hum
OF the gong, the rattle Of the machine and the
shout and whip OF the driver. Then II is
time to get out Of the way, for the FIRE engine
lis something like time and tide which wait
for no man--!t stops for very few men.