The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-03

not working, so the ire department.
could not be reached. The trustee then
went to the engine house personally, and
would have got the machine out If he
had not been arrested by the police for
burglary, the engine being the private
property of Mean Temperature hose
company No. 81.
But it was now apparent to number
of all night people that there was fire
near by, and word was sent by the Jersey
Street Vestlbule Horse Car line to West
BRIGHTON that the fire fend had broken
loose in the residence of Trustee Teeter,
of the village of Bilgewater, s. I. The
trustee having given bail, went home to
see what he could do toward saving his
home and family.
At this moment hose cart was heard
on Westervelt avenue, running at high
rate of speed, and soon the beautifully
clicked hose of Recalcitrant Hose Com
pany No. hove in sight, but lost some
time by stopping to ask a pedestrian for
few dollars to buy new uniforms for
the company.
The hose company soon after arrived,
but the engine Of course had not yet
reached the disgusting episode, or holo-
caust rather. The fire now began to make
sad havoc amid the beautiful house
decorations of the trustees high priced
home. First it meandered through the
cellar and used up the winters hndling
wood, baked the Rhode Island green
ings, worms and all, skinned up the hol-
low trunk of the dumb waiter, made
pass at fine oil painting of a lobster in
the dining room-by Prang-raised
blister on the face of the clock and
scorched one of its little hands, seemed
to laugh mockingly at the aquarium,
cooked gold fish or two, and then went
into the pantry and exploded a pie
Anon the cry of fire was borne along
the North Shore, and one Of the Brighton
whistles blew low, sad blast which
walled through the shrinking night like
the dying song Of some old master whose
death is due to painters collie after paint
ing too large town and getting himself
oveYhet.
Now we can hear the pulsing beat of
the rescue from Tostenville pulling an
engine. The fire has eaten out the whole
interior of the structure, having Quilted
the entire house, and wound up by chas-
ing the trustee himself for two squares.
AS the roof falls in the Wet Spell En-
CINE company, Of Tottenville, and the
Rise Up William Riley and Come
Along With-Me Hook and Ladder Truck
company, of Eltingville, reacL the
ground and begin to couple on to the
hydrant, meantime emitting the shrill
cry of fire. 1t is now almost breakfast
time, and several people who have been
untiringly watching the fire excuse
themselves and go home, not being more
than mere calling acquaintance Of the
trustee.
Some delay is experienced in finding
the wrench, but at last it is secured, and
a desirable connection made with an
eligible hydrant.
No sooner is the apparatus ready than
an opprobrious epithet is hurled at the
company by one of the rebellious iremen
of the village of Bilgewater, hitting
him back Of the ear, and quicker than
one can calculate the remark "scat" the
hose is turned on the rude person and
held there till the fire has gone out.
We as a village of 1900 people may
learn valuable lesson from the above
little incident. In the first place we
must not fool with fire, and in the Sec
ond place we must not fool with volun-
teer fire department.. While the two
companies, for instance, squirt water at
each other the damage is done, SO also
while the official and the fireman SQUAD
BILE the rates go up on insurance.
/ once belonged to volunteer fire
company, and 1 recall with much pleas
ure the day 1 resigned. never looked
well on parade, and my hat was too
heavy and too hot. / always got a
severe headache and then fire broke
An