The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-25
A Bows Curious Memory.

Philadelphia hasa human phenomenon
in the form of aE errand boy who has q
marvellous faculty for remembering
names, numbers and addresses. The
Times says of him: =.
There are over 375 fre-alarm boxes in
this city, and about 5000 fires have oc.
Cured within the past four years. Joe
Berliner knows the location of every
box and the date of every one OF b
{, 900 fires. He not only can tell the
date, but he is able to give the exact
minute that the alarm was struck and
what fire companies went to it. Joe
lives with his mother at No. 8SS Ran
dolph street. About four years ago ne
walked into Mr.. James establishment
and applied for work. He was asked
what r~eferenceshe had, and he answered.,
INV mother" He was employed as an
errand boy and has occupied the position
ever since. Joe cannot read and on
most subjects he is not particularly
bright. but when it comes to anything
about fires he is a prodigy. He is also a
walking hat-store directory and knows
the address of every halter in the
CITY. Joe was visited at his en-
ployer's place on Saturday and put
through an examination that would have
frightened a civil service applicant into
a fit. He seemed to rather enjoy it and
did not make a slip. Number after
number was given to him from the
printed list of fire alarm boxes, and as
quickly as the numbers left the lips Of
the speaker Joe would name the street
where the box is located. 'Forty.tWo,
Joe?" would be asked. "Shur's lane
and Main street, Manayunk," would
come Us quick as a flash. 1.-TWO thirty
nine?" ''Twenty-frst street and Fair.
mount avenue" 'Seven thirty-four2"
Peterborough station-house." "When
was there a fire over there2" "Second
of January, this year. A stable burned
down. The alarm came in at $50 A. NJ"
"Three ffty-eight2" "Sixty-third and
Vine. 1t was never pulled there, though,
1t used to be at Front and Lehigh ave.
nue.. but was moved" "Three fifty
fve?' There amt such q box. There's
three 6fty-four; that's at Mount Airy
and Main streets. 1t rang at $50 o'clock
last Monday morning. Hadn't been
pulled before for a year." "What's the
number at Huntington street and Trenton
avenue2" "That's easy-one-forty-hve.
Fire there on the third of February. Stable
burned down." His answer were verified
at the insurance patrol station on Arch
street, above Fifth. The fremen all
know him there. They call him Jo-Jo.
Every day he stops in at the station to
look at the horses and inspect the
wagons. The men ask him all sorts OF
questions about fires and try to catch him
in a wrong answer, but they never sue.
coed. About two weeks ago two new
boxes were put in, and when Joe came in
he was given their numbers, 412 and 413.
He had heard Of them, and knew just
where they were located. When he is
not busy at Mr.. James's store he amuses
himself by pulling off his coat, lying
down and getting some one to call outa
number. Then lie jumps up, shouts the
location of the station whose number has
been given and goes rushing down the
store, pulling on his coat on his way, as
he has seen the fremen do. He attended
a night school about a year ago for just
four nights. On the fourth night an en-
CINE passed the school-house on the way
to afre, and Joe was following that en-
gine in less than ten seconds. He never
went to school again. When his en-
ployer makes out his customers bills he
keeps Joe in the Office. AS soon as the
name of a hat firm is called Joe gives the
address, and so saves the trouble of hunt
ing it up. Mr.. James says he is perfect
ly honest and faithful, and is as good an
Grand boy as he ever saw.