The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-07-31
Ottawa VS.. Joliet.

| so. OoiICts
Through some Misunderstanding the Jol
let fremen went away from Ottawa on tn
9th of July believing that they had griev
ance. They nursed their belief until they
were very certain they had one and finally
being so positive of the fact that something
was wrong they commenced to believe they
could beat the Ottawa fremen in a contest i
they were but afforded an opportunity
This thing grew on them until Ottawa issued
challenge to them for coupling contest
for $500 and sent delegation to the "Stone
City, to make arrangements for the accept
ance of it. This did not meet with the ap.
proval Of the Joliet gentlemen and they sub
mitted proposition and the Ottawa fremen
returned home, submitted ii to their COM
panions and after due deliberation accepted
Of it. delegation then went to Morris,
which place was agreed upon as the scene Of
the contest, and the following agreement
was entered into
INV iuh ohaii uC iOO lcCt VI hocS ldiNt
out coupled, two men to start from plug,
break couplings and attach pipe laying at
outcome. The Undine Hose Company to use
the Joliet departments rubber hose, plug
and pipe, and the Joliet department to use
the Ottawa departments cotton hose, plug
and pipe, each department to couple on their
own hose first.
Three teams Of each department, consist
ing of two men in each team, shall make
two runs, one on cotton hose and one on
rubber hose. The company or department
having the best total average shall win the
contest.
The couplings used in the contest shall be
standard couplings, fit for fire service, and
the couplings to be made by hand, to be
screwed up to their full threads.
Each member of the coupling teams must
have been member Of their respective de-
partments at least 80 days previous to the
contest
Each department shall select one Judge
and one time-keeper, and these so selected
shall select third judge and time-keeper
from Morris, Ill.
The contest shall take place at Morris, ILL.,,
at the hour of two o'clock p. NJ, on Friday,
July 30th, A. D. 1886.
The contest shall be for two hundred dol
lars $4,000, each department to deposit one
hundred dollars $500 with J. r. Forsythe,
city clerk of Morris, Ill.,, on or before Tues
day, July 9th, 1886.
1t is further provided that the Joliet de-
partment shall send to the Ottawa depart
ment $50 feet of rubber hose for use of said
department, in practice and said hose shall
be used in the contest as above stated; and
that the Ottawa department shall send $50
feet of cotton hose to Joliet for use of said
department in practice, and said hose shall
be used in the contest as above stated.
II is further provided that in case Of fire
in either city between the hours Of 10 O clock
A. NJ. and 2 O clock p. NJ of said day. the
contest shall be declared off for that day.
Yesterday morning, accordingly, at 1888,
the following teams left Ottawa for the scene
of the contest: No. |. Thomas Lysaght and
Otto Gondolph. No. 2. Dave O'Gorman and
Henry Hretzner. No. 3. John Esterline and
John Clegg. A great many of our citizens
accompanied them to lend them all the en-
couragement possible. The Joliet people
were on hand very rash to wager their money
that Joliet fremen could win and that Of
taws iremen could not. This was prior to
the contest. After the contest they saw they
had been in error. Promptly at two the
teams were ready and the contest entered
upon, with all Morris on the street to wit
ness what was going on. The first contest
of three heats was run by Ottawa with a
cotton hose, whilst Joliet used rubber. 1t
resulted as follows: