Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-05-01

brightly. the temperature was agree
able, and the result was that many
hundreds of people had an enjoyable
time.
During the forenoon special train
arrived from Tawas bringing the hose
company from Tawas and the two
hose companies from the two towns
that will persist in being divorced.
Many people from the shore towns al
so arrived ON the special.
At about three o'clock in the after
noon the parade commenced with the
following formation city band, Ia
was hose company, Sable hose compa-
MES, Alpena hose companies and two
steam engines. The route was from
River street, then TO Water street,
then to First, then to Chisholm, then
to Sixth, then to Washington avenue,
then to Second, then to Dock, and
then back to engine house No. one,
where the long parade ended.
BY that time hundreds of people
had gathered on Chisholm street to
witness the race. For distance of
three blocks that street was densely
crowded with people, while several of
the buildings along the route had
their roofs ornamented with humani-
ty. AS all the mills were in opera
ton the wonder was where all the
men came from. There were also
many teams driving up and down the
race ground, which extended from St.
Bernard's church to Second street,
and it was something of a wonder that
they managed to pass through the
crowds without injuring some one.
On such occasions the teams ought to
be prohibited.
BY about four o'clock the arrange
ments for the race had been made.
Three judges and two time keepers
were chosen. The judges were May
or Klock, Alderman Grant and G. HI.
Luce, and the time keepers were G..
w. Richardson and r. j. Cradle.
The contesting companies then drew
for positions and Au Sable No. was
to open the race.
The conditions of the race were as
follows: Number of men ten; length
of hose to be carried $50 feet; dis
lance to be run 1900 feet. The start
was made at Fifth street, the company
then ran with the hose cart distance
of 900 feet, then the hose was attach
ed to a hydrant then 800 feet of hose
was laid, then the hose laid was dis
connected from what was left on the
cart, and nozzle attached. The
starting signal to the time keepers was
given by dropping flag. All en-
deavors to keep the spectators off the
center of the street were useless, yet
when the racers came along the crowd
gave them clear passage.
Au Sable No. came down the
course in lively time, but the man
who had the task of screwing on the
nozzle seemed to be excited and a
number of seconds passed before he
got the nozzle in its place. The time
was 1874. The mishap seemed to ex-
cite another member and caused him
to pronounce sacred name very We
hemently.
The Tawas company had second
place. They came down with win
ming gait, and the way they went to
work to uncouple the hose and put on
the nozzle showed that they had done
considerable drilling. Time LII.
Au Sable No. 2 ended the contest.
That company, it seemed to us, ran
the 1000 feet as quick as the Tawas,
but bad work in uncoupling and put
ting on the nozzle lost them the prize.
Time 1924.
The Au Sable company entered a
protest against the prize being award
ed to the Tawas campany. The rea-
son given was that an outsider had as
sisted the man at the hydrant to pull
back the hose. The judges examined
into the matter and ascertained that
the outsider had rendered no materi-
al assistance, and so the trumpet was
awarded to the Tawas boys.
As soon as the contest was over the
hose companies of this city gave two
interesting exhibitions. An alarm of
fire was sounded, the horses of No. l
rushed out OF their stalls to their places
at the hose cart, the harness was put
on, the fremen jumped on the cart
and away flew No. 1 around three
corners. Then two men jumped off
with the end of the hose and attached
it to an hydrant, by which time the
horses had taken the cart a consider
able distance up the street and laid
several hundred feet of hose. No. 2
commenced their exhibition with the
team hitched up and on the street.
A distance of 1 200 was run. The sig
nal being given the team started down
the street at lively gallop, and when
900 feet had been travelled, three fire.
men jumped off the cart carrying with