The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-02-13
BELIEFS OF FIREMEN
suPERsTiTloNs or THE BOYS WHO
RUN WITH THE MACHINE.


How They scheme to yvin tho smiies OF
the Goddess OF Fortune-Mascots Large
and s,nall-Power OF the Black Mans
Touch-when They Expect Fires.
Superstition, fanaticisrn, whichever or
whatever you please to call it, belief In
direct agency of superior powers, in certain
extraordinary or singular events, or in omens
and prognostics, is an inherited trait, peculiar
to every child Of Adam. Even in this en-
lighted century Of steam cars, steamships,
telephones, telegraph and O thousand and one
other devices originated for mans comfort
and prosperity, a tinge Of superstition courses
through the blood OF the most intellectual.
It Is almost impossible to find any one, IL one
will acknowledge il, but has some Sign or
vague act in which they religlously and
truthfully believe This marked feature or
common popularity is nowhere found 30
strongly prevailing as in the minds Of mem
bers OF the fire department, and In mention
ing this particular calling We speak compre-
hensively, including every member OF the
1000 departments OF this country and like
organizations the world over.
For these fearless men, the expression they
carry their lives in their hands, might have
been originated. To ascertain II possible to
what extent this feature prevailed in our own
department Globe reporter was detailed TO
visit the several houses and interview the
members.
TOUCHING THE NEGROES HAND.
The simplest and probably the oldest pre-
tended omen OF good luck Il the finding and
picking up OF pin. Tho oldest and newest
L.
hand of colored man. This simple process
is warranted BY "beIievers' to forever initi-
ate you into the good will and graces OF the
'.god OF iuck,n and through the simple me-
dunn OF male colored gentleman your lot
can forever be made lucky, and conse-
quently happy and enviabie one. The cngi-
neer OF engine company No. would in all
probability rather refrain from eating for q
whole month, resign from the work which he
loves anything in fact, than be summoned to
fire with the guilty conscience Of not having
come in direct contact with darby shortly
previous He has been known to follow a
''son of Africa three blocks In n pitiless
downpour OF rain for the satisfaction Of hit
ting his hand as he passed him. When q coli
ored man comes into the engine house this
fireman would as soon renounce his birth
right as to permit that darby to leave the
house before counting the buttons ON his coat,
and woe betidc that fireman's peace of mind
II the number happens to be "fatal thirteen. y
One of the call men of No. wooes the ''god
Of luckn by dropping penny down the back
of his neck and watching which pants leg 1t
comes out Of
Al former member OF No used to count 10
and then watch the tail of the hose horse; II
1t went to tho right, the man was happy; IL
to tho LETT no always found some pretext to
skip the next lire nnd thereby save his life
A member Of No. taiways takes q rainy
day to discover his deetiny, and the first two
consecutive pair Of black hose that he sees
under feminine skirts controls his fate
A brave laenaber OF No. 2 Invariably
soothes his peace OF mind by crawling into
his bed from tho foot and roofing up between
the clothes like q hedge hog, and never viii
be allow the top layer Of the hose on the reel
to remain thirteen, for that means poor luck
and disaster.
No. 5. ssthe pride Of the han, 2 issayesi from
everlasting ruin by duttfnl member Of ths
same dipping his four fingers and thumb d
| milk and then watching which digit their pei
poodle laps first; each finger represents Ger
tain things and the peace Of the company Il
controlled by the result.
A Doc, or COURSE.
Among the many other signs and symbol
connected with this superstitious belief nons
are more prominent than the so called
''mascots," which may consist OF almost any
thing from white elephant to suspendel
button. The hook and ladder company arr
possessors Of a real, live, genuine mascot In
tho form of a handsome bull terrier, named
Isabelle, or "Bell, - as she is better known and
loved by the department at large. Upor
Bells small but well developed shoulders
rests the destiny Of tho company, and to Say
that she well cares for her charge Is saying
little. Seldom II ever does the sonorous voic<
Of the great fire bell tell the waking or sleep
ing citizens OF Hartford that the red destruc
tive fire flend is abroad, but what this faith
ft1 four footed mascot is at her post of duty
and faster than her -four white feet strike the
pavement would the hearts OF the truck boy.
fatter with dread il her form was not seer
! through the dusk at her place In front OF tn,
| noble black and gray which draw the great
new aerial truck.
The truck was called to Box 81 for q small
and unimportant fire. Tho rain, which had
continued all day, was coming down in tor
rents; the mud was hub deep, and the great
eighty-hundred truck was stalled on FROM
| street. ''Bell,n owing to domestic dutie.
which at that time were taking up her undi
yided attention, was absent; had she beer
there the truck would have passed over ths
mud like a hall over a waved floor. Last sum
iner the truck came into collision with pro
peiler No. 4, on Asylum street. BELL" wal
| absent then, owing this time to her inability
| TO slide down the pole from the bunk room
These instances are only two OF many which
space forbids US to relate.
There are many more peculiarities in con
! nection with this subject, but the most con
! spicuons is found in connection with our de
| partment, but outside of it. Fires as fac
occur In SUGGESTIONS OF three at a time ant
when one has occurred the remark Is FIRE
quently and invariably heard, "Well, won
der when well have the second one.n Tn
firemen also as rule believe In this, and afte
o run are prepared for the second and third
Another strange coincidence is the fact In re
gard to Saturday night or Sunday runs
Months, sometimes O year, will elapse befor
Gre will occur on these special days, ant
then without regard to time fires win rage OIL
several Saturdays or Sundays consecutively
Whether there really is anything In super
stition or fanaticism, whatever you please Il
coll 1t, we dare not say, but will echo witt
Job tsftig oueer yory queer. HARTFORD