The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-03-04
OLD DICK OF ENGINE Il
Retirement OF . Fire Department Hsra
that ThOussnda Have Admired. q

oA - " department n0LA
that Thoussnds Have Admired. 4
An important member Of the Fire Dcpart.
ment was recently retired, and the evcnt is one
which should not PISS unnoticed. Old Dlck. a
beautiful white horse Of long service in front
OF Engine IA. was recently transferred to- En-.
gine s and attached to the second company
there. As Engine IA is n single company.
whose quarters in Eighteenth street, near
Broadway. are In the centre OF an important
district, its runs are many and heavy. The
second company Of Engine 5. In East Fouf.
teenth street. near First avenue, only ansvSrs
alarms when the first company Is out. and Q
run once a month will DO a big average for Old
Dick there. So no is virtually retired. not On
half pay. like the men disabled or grown gray
In the service. but on full feed. t-,
Dick is 90 years old. and Joined tho depart.
ment when he was under 5. Ho has learned
every branch OF the business. having run With
truck companies. hauled a tender. and for the
last eight years ugge at one of the heaviest
engines in the department. He lie. withal. stil
one OF the most beautiful and Welcomed
horses in the service. and In spirit. ambition,
and general strength lacks nothing. His eye.
sight is still good. and his legs are a model al
what a horses legs should be In oleanness and
shape. His ono blemish is a weakening Of. the
knee joints in his fore legs. After q hard run,
such rs winter weather makes. he stands
trembling in his stall from its effects. He soon
RECEIVERS. but in the mean time should . call
como in he would be found wanting. Ind that
is the reason he will no longer do for The
his men. and even the fables ami children 81
the me ne eiS h;ni were 10th to part With him.
He does NOS relish INJECTION. and doubtless
misses his friends az well. n
TO re place Dick-that Is. to match him IA ,ho
was when he entered. the service: would 30
worth almost any price to the departmeht.
IN animal. lie would not be broken down ID.
day IL i we're not that it has never been poaSi-
BILE to find a suitable mate Tor him. Many have
one of his fremen, friends said yesterday: Hs
aneptly he not only pulled the apparatus. but
ea bIsT his his % bssn much !" Of .hS 81 tine" ~,
other horse in tia business. md Is eredi hed wHiRtkk
diver: 1his wendsrtui n;eIiissnes ! il Are ss.2.
trained horses Of the fire HghtinG service. An
INSTANCE was his behavior in the summer
ary.t TO walk the horses up and down the street
n front Of the engine house until they are
i fnS5"a 1ee %st sHG.ea lick 'sI9r Sna p%'t oi Tth them sa,s hsSs
ana n 1oil9Wed 1t nnnrnyinsly and anpTeciatiysly:
eecIeS off, "a and at t'oD 90 in sof II tho I ssns sr ssrsak
70 him, He would tear wildly 70 his place IL
the pole. rs though Just released from the stall
BY tho automatic hitching device.
Until the establishment OF the new Firomeuta
Hall in stxty-Seventh street, ID Engine, from
It's convenirnt location. wac tho principal show
there 70 see the liGhtning hitcEing up procsss
and other details OF the departments work,
Dick Was always n centre Of attraction. add
when his history was given this interest was
Increased. The Emperor OF Brazil. Chinaeo,
Japanese;, and other princes. and. noble
bis admirers. Visiting fire department oihciSIs
from other cities. actors. actresses. and AL
sorts Of people besides added TO the list. Manr
who will read this story when far distant from
New York VIII remember Old Dick and AlB
beauty and Intelligence. y
Besides attracting visitors from strange ciffAa
and couptries. Dick WAS In the habit OF recciv-
Ing, much attention from neigborhood friSnds.
and the number OF white sugar lumps that Ne
has been fed with is sufficient to make him an
object OF interest to the Sugar Trust. rn
ju AnpI n t 3 %coIII KSiars sss ssw Dick y, Saf b. ssyere!y n:
T + which occurred at Eighteenth street and
stables. and II was feared t In So W v"S Ihdps sevsr
be ft for active duty again. During HIS ab-
se1ce, the engine house was daily bsslegsd -
laaies ana .chlldren IN search Of news Of hie
BY the recent Illness o. ifCrowley was more than
matched by the solicituds shown then for Old
DICK. and is now repeated on account OF his
transier and virtual retirement.
rOlu DICK IL q New York State bred. horse,
Iwenty.ive years ago fine animals of bis stock
uct OF jpdtcious mingllng OF Morgan and Mes
get hold OF something like them now.