Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-26
SPORT FOR THE BOYS.
Allegheny Firemen Have a Bushel of
Fun With a Man From Punxy
WHO WANTED TO BE ONE OF THEM.
They Undertake to Initiate Him, but He
Only Takes Two Degrees.
NO TINE FOR MORE BEFORE HARVEST


Allegheny. had more fun last night than
they ever expect again in an age. The
cause of their merriment was farmer from
Big Run, Jefferson county, who dropped in
on them and signified his intention OF be-
coming fireman. The men were sitting In
front of the engine house. waiting FOR some
thing to turn up, when the stranger happened
along His personal appearance would
not lead one to believe that ne
was resident of the Point, and everything
about him indicated that he was from the
country. The atmosphere even smelled
strongly of new overalIs and hayseed.
The stranger came walking along San
dusky street with an inquisitive expression
on his face which showed that he was
earnestly in search of some place along the
street. He carried in his hand large um-
brella which bulged out largely at the
handle-further evidence that he
was not one of "the gang"
He stopped at the dwelling ad-
Joining the engine house, and asked
the lady who responded to his knock,
"Where be the fire engine house here
about" He was informed that it was the
next house. He took off his hat and made
low bow, and 'thanked you ma'am" pro-
fusely. He then sailed up to the engine
house, his face beaming with smile. Here
he again doffed his hat and proceeded to in
troduce himself
WANTED TO JOIN.
After he had concluded a series of bows
he said: "How be you. gents? My names
Mcknight; Cyrus Mcknight, from Big
Run, Jefferson county. 1 heerd particular
about the fire department down here,
and. as I have had tolerable long expert
ence in the Volunteer Fire Department at
Punxsutawney, thought I'd drop around
to see how it stood for getting on the Fire
Department. I used to be the first at the
old engine house up in Punxy when the
bell would ring in the church on Mahoning
street. L tell you you can ask any OF the
folks up to Punxy there how old Cyrus
Mcknight just used to fly, run faster than
Dick Smiths COW, which he kept down IN
the meadow. after she'd tramped on a wasp's
nest Yes, stree; 1 had record on the de-
partment up there equaled by no one. So
what d you say about it, Cap'n?
This last remark was addressed to one OF the
firemen, while the stranger stated that he
had come down to see the whole town and
got so fascinated with it that he had con-
cluded not to return to ''the old homestead"
at Big Run. The fremen thought they
would have a little fun with Cyrus, and
concocteda scheme whereby he was to be
put on the department if he would submit
to an initiation.
"All right, let 'er CO." assented Cyrus,
and for the next half hour or SO they 'let
'er go" 80 fast for him that when every
means to play joke on him had been ex-
hausted he "guessed he wouldn't join for
few days yet"
The fremen first proceeded to rig him out
in a pair Of gum boots, and after they had
succeeded in getting his own navigators off
they got him to put on pair Of gum ones.
IT WAS IN IT.
''Is this in the initiation, too, gents?' he
asked, as he donned rubber coat, and
chorus of voices in the affirmative assured
him that it was in it, and he put it on with
out raising further objections. Cyrus wss
then led upstairs and told that when serving
on the Allegheny fire department it was
customary to sleep with pair of gum boots
and gum coat, in case there would be fire
he would be in readiness.
'sGeel is that so?' he asked, IN q sur
prised tone. "We never did that up to
Purky."
rule, he took his position in the bed.
"Now, when you hear the gong strike"
said one OF the fremen, "you must hop out
and run to the pole and slide down."
He did not quite see the necessity of such
a move, but when told it facilitated matters
in reaching the lower floor, he said, as he
grew more familiar, "All right, fellows;
I'll be down to the bottom before any of
YOU"
The gong happened to strike for 9 o'clock
a little too soon, as it spoiled apart of the
joke set up for the would-be fremen. At
the moment the bell struck, sold Big Run"
scrambled out of the bed and made a bee
line for the pole. He grasped it and started
to slide down, but when about the middle
he stuck. He used every effort to continue
on down the pole, but it was in vain. The
gum coat and boots held him fast, sus-
pended halt way between the floor and cell
ing. Then the stranger tried to climb up
the pole, but he could not move. He called
upon the fremen below, and asked "What
in tarnation is the matter with this pesky
thing? 1t won't CO."
A large crowd had collected about the
door, and the poor visitor was the subject
for many ieer. AS the urchiDs poked fun
at him he became a little irritated at not
being able to move either way. and called
upon the iremen to help him out. At first
they did not respond, and it began to dawn
upon CYRUS that if fireman chanced to be
caught this way he did not see how they
could get to fires in such short order.
END OF THE FIRST DEGREE.
He was allowed to remain in his unpleas-
ant position until he began to implore the
fremen to do something to help him out
and he was on the point of bursting into
tears when ladder was raised and he was
taken down. When he reached the floor he
suppested that some Improvements could be
made whereby this obstacle could be sur
mounted. He was unmindful of the crowd
that by this time was nigh splitting its sides
laughing at his expense. This did not deter
him from proceeding with the initiation ex-
ercises. and he announced himself ready TO
proceed.
He was next ordered to take position at
the head of the ladder truck, and stop the
horses as thev came out. Matters were be-
coming exciting, and Mr.. Mcknight
showed that he was about to witness some
thing that he had never seen before. AT
the sound of the gong the four horses came
dashing out, and the granger thought they
we're running away. He threw up
his hands and shouted "WhoaW but
this did not seem to have any effect on
the horses. They came on at breakneek
speed aud the farmer was seized with terror
and rushed out of the engine house with his
umbrella in one hand and his hat In the
other.
The firemen called on him to stop but he
said no, as he thought he wouldn't join the
department until after harvest time. The
second degree had been enough for him.