Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-25
THEY LACK EXERCISE
Chief Evans Points Out Where the
Fire System is Deficient.
GYMNASIUMS ARE SADLY NEEDED
To Keep the Unemployed Firemen in First
Glass Condition.
SOME COMPANIES HAVE A CALL DRILL


physical condition, which has just been
completed by DR.. Mercur, calls general at
tention to the freman's life, and the oppor-
tunities which he has for exercise and the
cultivation of his muscle.
Dr. Mercur has still two or three fremen
to examine, and he has not turned over to
Chief Brown any of the findings made by
him. This will be done in two or three
DAYS. The examinations looked to the gen.
eral physical condition of the employees of
the Bureau of Fire. Investigation was
made as to whether a man was suffering
from any organic disease. The height and
weight were taken, and his weight must,
within specified limits, correspond with his
height The mans muscular development
is likewise considered in a general way.
Chief Evans said yesterday that he had not
heard anything as to the results of the ex-
aminations, and had no idea what they re-
vealed as to the general condition of the
members of the bureau. In regard to the
life of fireman and his chances for exer-
else, Chief Evans said:
"His vocation has natural tendency to
make him lazy. Sometimes a company will
not have a run for several days. I have
known a company not to be called out for
two weeks. When it is called out, the work
must be done with rapidity. The men need
good wind and endurance. When not called
out, the fremen really have very little to do
except to sit about the house Some men
never grow lazy, and will exercise them
selves. Others are born lazy and never get
over it. 1t is pretty hard to drive such men
to exercise.
"Many of the companies have dumb-bells
Indian clubs and striking bags. Some
houses have none. No regular system of
exercise has been prescribed by the bureau,
but it would be good thing. The trouble
is, however, that you cannot drive some
men to such work. We are now getting
ready to reorganize the department, and we
do rot want to retain men who are too in
dolent to keep themselves in good physical
condition. A large majority of our men, 1
may say, take regular daily exercise, but
there are good many who do not
WHERE FIREMEN LIVE.
"a gymnasium for the police bureau has
been fitted up on the top floor of No.
house on Seventh avenue. 1t is in the room
where the police emergency squad sleeps.
The members of that fire company have the
privilege of using it, but. of course, it will
not do the fremen of other companies any
good. They are not allowed to leave their
houses except for their meals. A fireman
is supposed to be always on duty, day and
night policeman is on duty during cer-
tain hours only, and he can visit the gym-
nasium almost daily, if he desires. A fire.
man is allowed an hour to go to his home
for his meal. He cannot, therefore, live
very far away from the engine
house. In these days, when we
have cable cars, he can live further
away than in former years. A fireman,
however, has plenty of time to take exercise
at the engine house during the day. The
athletic apparatus in the various houses be- |
longs to the boys. The city has so far done |
9othing in that direction. Hereafter we |
-Fnean to encourage such things more and |
more.
The boys are permitted to play games in |
their houses, such as cards, checkers and |
dominoes We do not permit any games to |
be played for money, and am satisfied that
none are played"
For some time few OF the accompanies have
been in the habit of training in preparing
for run, usually at 3 o'clock in the after l
noon. The horses are liberated, thev are
hltched up, the men mount and dismount
and all maneuvers are performed which are
required when an alarm is rung. The OBJ
Ject of this drill is to perfect the mems
rapldltv and precision of action. The good
results of this drill BY few of the com
panies were shown in the tests made by First
Assistant Chief Steel, Friday afternoon, as
the companies accustomed to the practice
made decidedly better time than
the others. a feature of the
reorganization of the department will be a
requirement that this drill shall be per-
formed by each company in the bureau
every afternoon. 1t has been suggested by
some of the officials that automatic whins
shall be put into the stalls to whip the
horses the instant the alarm rings. The
captains of companies are inclined to dis
courage this innovation, saying that they
do not need it, and that it might cause their
horses to become unmanageable
The police gymnasium fitted up on the
TOP moor OF No. house, on Seventh avenue,
Is equipped with dumbbells, clubs and
striking bags. There is no room, on account
OF the beds, for parallel or horizontal bars
The h-emen of that company, heretofore,
nave had their own Indian clubs and bells.
captain James McFadden says that his
men have been accustomed to exercise reg
ularly. There actual fire work has hereto |
fore given the members of this company a
great deal OF serious exercise. Captain Nc
Fadden said:
Prior to this year we averaged % 10 30
runs month, or nearly one a day. OF
course, on some days there would be two or
three, and at other times there would not be
call for two or three days. During the
last six months We have averaged only 10
or IL runs month. Why this is L can't
tell you"
THEY HAVE CALL DRILL.
No. has the daily call drill, and is one
OF the quick companies. Its horses have a
good distance TO run, and it is further han
dieapped by the fact that three horses must
run up its central aisle. The house con-
tains three apparatus, on one side of the
floor the engine and the hose cart and ON the |
other side the ladder truck. At trial YES
terday afternoon the horses were hitched,
from a standing position beside the pole,
the men were mounted and the engine ready
to spring from the house in four seconds.
Captain McFadden is one of the men de-
cidedly opposed to an automatic whip.
With the boys of No. 3 the favorite games
are euchre and seven-up. Five or six wears
ago cribbage was popular, but it has been
dropped. With No. 2 company the games
are seven-up and hearts. The bows of that
company have game which is lively va
riation on the game of seven-up. They use
red and white chips in counting. A red
chip goes for game or seven points, and a |
white chip indicates one point. When a |
player has his jack caught he loses seven
points, either a red chipor seven white ones.
In a series of games this lends a lively feat |