The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-09-07
TIME. EIGHT SECONDS"
Lively Hitch Up At No. 2's Engine HOnse,

Who does not enjoy at the theatel
we'll set scene! 1t is more than
half the play to have harmonious sur.
roundings on the stage, to have the
scenic accessories fit the dialogue,
and stage fittings in accordance with
the play. Not even to a good actor
is applause more heartily or spon-
taneously awarded than to finely ar
ranged and artistic stage fittings.
What the setting is to the gem, or
the frame to the picture, or the hand.
some dress to the handsome woman,
or the neat expression to the clever
thought, is the stage to the actor.
There is fine stage and a clever
performance daily in this city. So
good is the stage and so excellent the
performance that good many gather
to see it. The only difference is that
this ia not in play, it is bit of real
life, business, regular order.
The time is close on to 6 PM, the place
is Rescue No. 2's engine house. Every
thing is scrupulously neat and clean;
the Silsby in all the glory of gleam-
ing nickel and polished brass is glist-
ening in the light; "Nick" and "Char-
ley" the two glossy grays, are champ
ing in their stalls; the two kangaroo
hounds, Rescue" and "Mollie," are
doing lazily by the engine; Frank
Stewart. the driver. and Jas. Hare,
the engineer, are close by. Over the
tongue of the engine, suspended by
cords from the ceiling, hangs the
swinging harness. Everything indi-
Gates order, but a casual passer by
would presume that five minutes
would be required to lead the horses
out, hitch them up, gather up the
lines, get on the seat, take off the
brake, the engineer to get on, and
should fire break out, ten or fifteen
minutes more to get steam up suffi-
cient to pump.
SOME LIGHTNING CHANGES.
The minute and hour hands on the
clock dial are on q straight line,
clangl goes the gong; the electric
wires that radiate all over the stalls
are doing their work; quick as
thought can reach the stars the cleo
trio current unhitches the horses, the
same impulse opens the circuit,
closes all the points OF contact; the
whips at the rear of the stalls fall
across the fianks of the grays, they
are at the tongue, in place, almost as
soon; "click" go the collars around
their necks, two or three snaps of
springs, Frank Stewart is in his seat,
the lines IN his hand, Jimmy Hare is
up behind, flames shoot from the
smoke stack, the horses are champ
ing their bits and tremulous with ex-
citement, "all ready" Time-eight
seconds.
Pretty work, and cleverly done.
Like fash of Lightning the whole
thing is over before one has time to
mentally photograph it; there is no
lost time, nc false motion, every move
counts, and if there is a fire, away
they go tearing down the street, the
horses on the gallop, great spurts of
red flame shooting up in the air, a
coil of smoke above, trail of sparks
from the fire box below, and by the
time the engine is located, there is %
pounds of steam and the suction being
placed all is ready to throw water.
1t is a triumph of ingenuity;
marvel of swiftness aud skill. All
that money can buy or science can
devise, is there.
This is not an isolated case; the
thing is daily done in every city in
the country, perhaps just as good,
certainly no better.
This has its useful aspect, as well
as its spectacular effect.
One may say whats the good?
What difference does a few seconds
make?"
Let fire break out, and time is
worth $1,000 a second; when the
flames are cracking and properties
and values are being licked up by the
red destroyer, no angel of the
Lord was ever more welcome than
the engines and the saving streams
of water.
That which we have family de
picted above is vigorous phase of
mans duty, and is deserving of news
paper notice and popular applause.