The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-30
A COnstantinopOlitan Fire Company.

We soon caught sight of the captain of
the company. He was tall, athletic fell
low, wearing short, looss trousers of white
cotton cloth. His legs were bare below
the knees; he wore Turkish red pointed
shoes on his feet, without stockings-a
loose jacket of brown felt over white
cotton shirt, and his head was covered
with metallic bowl, which shone brightly.
A leather belt encrcled his waist, and
was clasped with large brass buckle in
front. He was coming toward US in
double-quick trot, brandishing, in proud
manner, the brass spout that belonged to
the hose. He was followed by the engine
and the firemen that belonged to it. Oh,
what a sight Most of them we're scant-
lily clothed, and some did not even have
caps upon their heads, but l noticed that
all wore the regulation belt with the large
buckle in front. They were evidently Of
the class which composed the riffraff of
the city. The engine itself was nothing
more than big-sized garden pump, car
ried on the shoulders of eight men-four
in front and four behind. They relieved
one another every now and then with
great dexterity and alertness.
They soon swept by us, followed by the
hose, which was coiled over long pole,
the ends of which rested on the shoulders
of another file of men. Just as they
reached the next corner, there emerged
from side street another engine, where
upon squabble for the right of way i'm
mediately arose. The two companies
jostled and pushed forward, each party
trying to get ahead of the other. After
nd ;aI
by constant yelling, screaming and hard
words, they lowered their respective en-
gines to the ground and fell into regu-
lar fight-wrestling, pushing, and knock
ing one another down in most ferocious
manner. Their looks and actions were
frantic, and they fought like madmen.
"Ah There comes the Ser-Asker, the
minister of war. He'll soon settle their
disputed cried voice near us. And
he did.
He was preceded by neovbeyee, who
cleared the way for him, and when he
came up, he promptly ordered the com.
panies to take up their engines and follow
him, which they did with the utmost
meekness and alacrity. There was no
chance now for either party to claim the
victory, but they kept up subdued rattle
of words all the way.
We saw young woman brought out of
a burning house with copper kettle in
her hand. She was screaming wildly,
"My baby Oh, my baby The woman
had been engaged in the kitchen, with
her infant in her arms, and had been
busily occupied saving her cooking uten-
sils by throwing them into the cistern,
quite unconscious that her dwelling was
already on fire. The firemen, having dis.
covered her in that perilous place, had
rushed into the kitchen and forced her to
hasten out. On her way she had espied a
copper kettle, and had instinctively seized
it; but in her fright and bewilderment
she had thrown her baby into the cistern
instead of the kettle. Fortunately, a
sturdy fellow succeeded in rescuing the
baby, and restoring it to the distracted
mother.
The other incident was even more
dreadful. As we stood looking at the
fire we beheld man struggling, and the
next moment saw him thrown deliberately
into the flames.
George and exchanged looks of hor
ror, but the bystanders seemed to pay
little heed to the occurrence, merely re-
marking that the man was an incendiary
who had been caught in the act of spread
ing the fire for the purpose of robbery
81. Nicholas for August.