Morning journal and courier., 1888-01-27

the fact that that was the first time that the '@rial ladder has been made use of at fire since it's arrival. Most people would not expect perfection from first efforts. Sec ondly, that it was used in one of the most diff cult places in the city, where there was the great difficulty of 8 mass of between one hun dred and two hundred telegraph, telephone and electric light wires to contend with, which were just at that height that the ladder could not go over them, and could not go under them except with great difficulty. The worst difficulty of all to contend with was the wires, and just so long as the people of any city will submit to the nuisance of these masses of wires in their streets just so long will there be great difficulty in reaching the inmates of high burning buildings. Next should say that the new truck requires the combined efforts of eight strong men who thoroughly understand it to suc- cessfully work it, and who should be with it at it's first arrival at fire. As it is, there are but two permanent men attached to it, who are unable to do much until some of the other members of the company arrive, who are call men and who do not live at the truck house and cannot arrive at the fires as soon as the truck itself. Now I want to an. swer some of the Unions sensation reporters sarcasms. He says that the workings of the truck were disgusting to the spectators. There is no one of the iremen but what is willing to admit that the workings of the truck and the workings of those who worked it were net what they should have been and not what they intended they should be, but they want the blame to be placed where it belongs and not any more than their share placed upon their shoulders. And not more fault than is necessary should be found with the truck, because after little experience and practice, and with the proper manage ment, the truck will probably come up to all the ''great expectations" of our citizens, and especially the Unions sensation re- porter.
 If the workings of the truck and the fre- men were disgusting to the spectators, not less were the howlings of the spectators dis- gusting to the fremen; and not only disgus- ting, but discouraging and confusing, mak- ing the orders of the officers difficult to hear, and if those same disgusted spectators would only have stood a little aleof and had been a little less noisy, and had not been quite so free to have offered their assistance (which was not wanted or appreeiated), the workings of the truck and men might have been 8 lit tie more successful and consequently little less disgusting to them. The article asserts that the truck was used for no pur- pose. I beg to contradict that state ment. One occupant of the fourth story came down to the street by the way of the big ladder Whether he could have come down by the way of the stairway l do not know, but that he did come down by the way of the big ladder I assert. The Unions arti- cle says that "one of the braTest Gas it seems pleased to call member of the department) ascsnded to the top and then paused" Yes, he did; he ascended to the top by orders of the ckief and Eot to show himself of, as the Unions article seemed to insinuate. "And then paused" Yes, he did that too; he paused to see if the ladder was in proper po- sition, as he had been directed, Afterward two others were sent up by the chief to see that there were no others on that floor, and being assured by the one man who came down the ladder that there were no more they "paused" also and returned
 after one had reached the top and the other
 two-thirds of the way. Shortly after "one of the bravest"-not in sarcasm and ridicule,
 but in reality-ascended to the third story
 by one of the shorter ladders belonging to the truck and brought down six-year-old girl who was partially suffocated with smoke and almost helpless This service was rem dered by James Grant member of the fire department attached to hose ', and who as- sists Superintendent Smith in the care or the fire alarm wires. He certainly deserves praise instead of sarcasm. Perhaps the
 Unions reporter was in some neighboring place of refreshment at this time and did not see this. What the Union reporter
 probably misinterpreted as terrible de-
 lay in the erection of the big ladder was
 probably due to the fact that as soon as it was |
 of the ladder being put into position the
 largest portion of the company went
 inside of the building to fight the fire with
 hooks and axes on the inside and left but
 few of their number to work the ladder, who
 were hindered rather than assisted by the
 'sdisgusted spectators" who seemed to be better capable of shouting ssLet her go, Gallagher" than of doing anything else. I could say more, but think that I have said sufficient to explain matters thoroughly, and in conclusion would only say that what we want for the successful working of the new truck Is sshat abolishment of the terrible nui-
 sance of the felseraph wires in the streets
 and then half d6at lgood permanent men
 to be with it always who understand it's workings thoroughly. The men composipg the truck company are all good men, but not being permanent men cannot always be on hand at the outset of ths fire, when they are most needed. Since most of the papers have alluded to the company as the "lH1rial com- pany," perhaps it might not be out of place for me to sign myself
 ZONE OF THE ERIALs."