The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-07
A DOG WITH A STORY.
How Flora Helps to Take Care CT
Wornout Fire Engine Horses.
From the Pittsbwg Dispatch.


From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
"Flora" is very wonderful dog. If it
were not for her an additional fireman would
have to be detailed for duty in the hospital
for sick and WORKOUT horses of the fire de-
partment, in Oakland. The dog actually
does the work of man. Nobody knows
that better than the horse pensioners them
selves, for Flora is their master
Hon. Washington Moore, who is in charge
of the hospital, is the fortunate owner of
the dog. She is of that breed known as
Chesapeake bay retrievers. 10 trace up
Flora's pedigree develops an interesting
story. In 1925 Swedish bark was wrecked
on the coast of Newfoundland. But few
people were saved, aud little or none of the
cargo. An American vessel bound for Bal
timore picked up the survivors. Among
them were two pretty retrievers of a light
brown color and curly hair. The faces of
the dogs were marvelously intelligent.
The vessel, after stormy voyage, entered
Hampton Roads, and was at last sailing up
the Chesapeake hay on the homeward
stretch. The survivors. full of gratitude to
the captain of the beat, presented him with
the two dogs. For that reason the name
chesapeake" was given them. Suisse
quently they were found TO be magnificent
retrievers for the purpose of duck hunting
along the bay. lying close to the water
among tine bushes and then diving to the
bottom just like man in search of the
game. The captains friends in Baltimore
found the brace so valuable that they cult
waited the breed. OF course slight mixture
of other breeds could not be avoided, but
few breeds are as pure as the Chesapeake
after this lapse of time.
FLoRA'S TRICKS.
Now, there are only 500 of them in the
United States. But two live in Pittsburg.
One is owned by Harry Stewart and the
other by Wash. Moore. The latter, Flora,
is no larger than year-old New fou dland
dog. The color of the curly hair has be-
come sage, or the hue of old grass.
The fire departments hospital is at t 9
corner of Baird and Barton streets. The
stable is a small affair, but there is attached
a fiae pasture field of four acres. Flora
drives any one of the horses across this
field, or to a given point, with as much
accuracy as man. The way she does it is
to leap in the air before the equine with a
series Of banks, as if she was trying to get a
bite at the nose, although that's the farthest
thing away from her intentions. After
once starting the horse in this way Flora
steers its course by skilful and rapid
maneuvering from side to side, barking
all the time. The instant she sees Mr..
Moore motion to a horse or give some COM
mand, she understands it, and dashing up
between man and horse, assumes command
herself.
A reporter stood at the open stable door
yesterday talking to Mr.. Moore. 'Old
Charlie" one of the pensioners of the fire
department, came walking in leisurely from
the field. His powerful body stopped at
the entrance, and putting his great big
kindly looking head over the cross-bar he
laid his cold nose gently on the reporters
hand for caress.
THE OLD HORSES.
Charlie is a sorrel horse, IA years old, He
has run with fire engine No. s for nine years,
and becoming too slow for continual serv-
ice, was relegated to the Oakland head
quarters. Now and then he is pres ed into
use for emergency, but the greater part of
the year he enjoys all the idleness he wants.
This ease has mellowed his once fierce
nature down to one of extraordinary tame
friendliness.
Presently "Tom,n of engine No. 5, came
up to tie door, probably led in from the
field by fear that Charlie was too nea~
the oats TO be alone. Tom is "a little off
his feet" and is being doctored up for q
month. A third peRsioner of the horse
family meandere1 across the field and the
two men at last stood face to face with the
three beautiful horses. The equines wagged
JuelT HeduS III EOO1-udluIol way, as
though pleased to have visitor who would
put their names in the paper"
But Flora was in the background in a
very restless condition. He was not pleased
by any means.
Get up" said Moore, addressing the
horses.
In an instant Flora bounded past, and the
next moment had sent the horses to the
farthest corners of the field and stood facing
t1fzr for cbar Nf he "a, aftat
Bring Charlie back here" commanded
the fireman, pointing to that particular
horse. Two moments later the old brute
had been driven back to the door in a line
so straight that reins would have done no
better.
This, with the diving proclivities, fine re-
trieving, ETC., makes Flora quite valuable