Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-06
Firemen's Pet Horses.
SOME OF THE QUEER TRICKS AND INTELLI
GENT ACTS THAT THEY DO.

SOME OF THE QUEER TRICKS AND INTELLI-
GENT ACTS THAT THEY DO.
From the New York Herald.
The pride of the fire laddie is the engine, truck
or horse, to which he is attached, and to have
these look as we'll as possible he considers not
only duty, but source of pleasure and graft
fcation. This pride, however, he extends par
ticularly to the horses The captain and men
of engine company No. 10, at No. Stone street,
are pardonably proud and enthusiastic over
the good points in their engine team. There is
perhaps no other company in the city which
can show superior pair of horses The ami
mails in question took the first prize at the ex-
1888, and visitors to the station shown
magnificent double set of silver mounted har-
ness awarded to Jim and Niger, as this famous
team is called. The harness is used only on
special occasions, as on parades, and each set is
valued at $3.50 to S175.
When Niger is asked ifhe is fond of sugar he
gracefully mods his head to his questioner. If
asked what he would do with it he smacks his
1ps together1n a manner that leaves no doubt
in the mind OF any one but that he perfectly
understood the query and could appreciate
lump or two of the sweet. Not a day goes by
that brokers and bankers and men from the
produce exchange do not drop in with Jumps of
gent animals. They are not allowed to give
them too much taffy for fear of sickening
them; and Captain Goodison and his men have
TO look out that the horses are not killed with
Kindness 1t is said that Niger knows to a
second the time for the daily 'hitch up' and
wa Watches the progress of the hands of the clock
lOr minutes before twelve o'clock noon. Al
this time also they fed, and for some time
before the alarm rings out Niger manifests
lmpa1ence by standing with his fore feet and
giving utterance TO succession of short whin-
mes. He Is Joined in these actions by Jim, who
+ sa nor IN position to see the clock but evil
dently taxes the cue from his companion.
W men asked to take his place at the appara-
tus without the alarm being rung Niger lifts
ms hoof and unlocks the spring catch which
nOldS his rein and trOtS out of his stall, going
pack again to his place as obediently child
when told to do so. If asked to beg for his feed
Oh Lot
1oreleS, as he may be desired and paws the air
until he gets the expected morsel. Dozens of
cessfully taught, and his Intelligence is only
equalled by his docility and gentleness. While
his driver Niger quietly unhitched himself,
and, walking over to where! the repo1 ter was
talking, caught hold Of the notebook in his
teeth and attempted to bear it away. as if, in
his great modesty, he did not wish to be made
the subject OF a newspaper article. Jim is par
tcularly famous for his way of getting under
his harness. No matter how low down the
collar might be placed Jim will get under it,
even II he has to get on his knees. Like his
companion, he is fond of sweetmeats and gives
expressions of his regard for them just intel
In Hook and Ladder Company No. Is, at
old slip the flremen havea big gray horse called
after Dan O'Leary, from his trick of slipping his
halter and running around the stall frequently
laps" and so they named him after the pedes-
tfian; HE makes about three laps each time.
said Lieutenant Heany, "and, at the lowest cal
cu!at1on, he trOts five or six miles in this way
daily. Sometimes he walks to his place beside
the pole, as if drilling himself to take his
his proper position, and then turns round quiet
ly and goes into his STALL
Tony is the roam colored horse at the quarters
OF Engine Company Nod, No 80 Liberty street
Whenever the reliefis changed, Tony expects
the fireman going on duty to give him hand
iul OF corn If this act is omitted, Tony resents
it,and shows his displeasure by refusing to make
any freedom with the man on duty until he
makes amends for the negligence. Should any
OF the other animals be given their feed before
he DiX his l.
kicking his stall and otherwise raising rum
pus;
The partner of his labors is Jumbo He is a
most docile animal unless a certain restaurant
Keeper passing by the building leans upon the
chaln at the door to chat to the men. AS soon as
Jumbo sees him he plunges about and gives
every indication of hatred for the restaurant
Keeper. The reason of this is not known, for to-
ward others the big horse is as gentle as a lamb.
The man referred to dares not venture inside
the door, for he believes that the animals
temper would be so aroused that it would break
It's stall rein and attack him.
In Engine Company NO12, on William street
the boys have an animal which opens the slid
ing doors OF the house wide enough to draw out
the hose cart. he knows exactly the width re-
qu1red for the purpose, and needs no guidance
IN drawing the cart out through the exact CEN
ter of the exit. This horse could be trusted to
take the tender either in out without ever
allowing it to touch the doorway.
Engine company No. Z, next door to the lat
ter station, claim to have the best team in he
department. The horses are both young Jim
Is bay, al Il has a playful habit of unoosing
nlHlSell anu wandering quietly over to where
cord hangs which Is used to call the men to the
apparatus floor Jim seems to like having the
boys come down to see him and at most fnop-
perfume times, such as alter long hours of duty
he pulls the cord and Serenely watches them
sliding down the pole under the impression
that they have some more work on hand. The
men altered the position of the cord some time
ago, but Jim watched them, and, seemingly
for pure mischief, called them down three times
the same evening.
The men of Engine No. SO, on Sd street are
very proud of horse in their quarters which
tney say possesses more real knowledge of what
he is expected to do than any other outside of
Barnum S circus "Bill,'' said Foreman Labor
| 'knoWs just what he is In the fire department
FOR. he runs either in the engine team or in
the tender as We require him. The black horse
over in the tender stall properly belongs to the
engine. Heis breaking up in the legs however
and not able to do the work any longer and so
we have to use him to haul the hose along Now
If we put Bill in that stall yonder he goes to his
place between the Shafts but if he is put in this
stall beside it he goes under the engine harness
memory to suddenly wake up at the sound of
the gong and remember which was his proper
position, as the two stalls similarly fixed up
Bill has never yet made a mistake
Until recently there was in engine COMPANY
No. l. on West Goth street. fine old Black
horse that gave the firemen notice whenever
he was thirsty by neighing repeatedly On
drant, turned on the faucet, and after drinking
turned 1t off again. One day, however, he made
slight mistake in turning on the hot instead of
the cold water, and was astonished at the eff
feet of the first draught he took that he could
never afterward be induced to take a drink
until it was regularly given to him.
I.ady Gladys and tho E,.p